NBL22 Roster Breakdown – The Guards

Written by Matt McQuade for Kings Media 

 

Over the years, there have been few occasions when the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings have locked in their roster so early prior to the season.

It seems like there’s always a player to be named just before the campaign gets underway.

But not this time.

With just over two months remaining until the NBL season tips off, Sydney’s roster is complete, and it sets up what could be a very special season in the Hoops Capital.

Led by some outstanding work by Sydney Kings CEO Chris Pongrass, who in this time of Covid and uncertainty had to put together a team that not only had to be a serious title contender but also remain within the constraints of the league’s salary cap, while ensuring that it all made sense for the club financially; the purple and gold will send out one of the deepest and most talented squads, man for man, the team has ever boasted when NBL22 gets underway in mid-November.

First-year Head Coach Chase Buford is already trying to work out how he will give enough minutes to a bunch of very deserving players. That will be a challenge. And some might say a problem, given the possibility that there are guys on this deep roster that may not get the type of burn they would elsewhere.

But that’s a very nice problem to have. And with Coach Buford already fostering a highly competitive environment in his early practices, what it will ensure is that everyone on that roster will earn their minutes this season, and then some.

After all, if you’re on the floor, and you aren’t getting the job done, there’s a couple of guys on the bench who will be chomping at the bit to make their mark – all within the team concept, of course. It makes for a group of hungry individuals coming together with one goal in mind – an NBL championship.

Given how many NBL teams have loaded up this offseason, just having a ton of talent on your roster doesn’t guarantee success. It sure helps the cause though. And it means that Coach Buford has the ability to get really creative with his line-ups, something that can cause havoc with opposition ballclubs.

It also means that opposing teams won’t catch a break whenever Coach Buford goes to his bench. That can be an enormous advantage – in basketball, when the so-called ‘stars’ take a break and the reserves hit the floor, you can have a situation where team performance drops off. But that won’t be the case for the Sydney Kings this season.

No one will make the case that the purple and gold doesn’t boast anything other than outstanding talent, depth, athleticism and shooting. Add all that to Coach Buford’s stated aim of playing at an exceptionally fast tempo, and you’ve got a roster that has the capability to just wear teams out.

Sydney’s head coach is also a big fan of ‘positionless basketball’, where the more traditional positions on the court – point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and centre – are eschewed in favour of five players who can perform a variety of roles. Sure, you’ll still have the floor leaders, and the rim-protecting bigs, but the inherent versatility of a roster like the Kings gives the team multiple options at any given time and makes them very difficult to scout.

One thing to keep in mind though is that this is a very new group. With six new faces in fact. There’s also a challenge there in bringing all that talent together to form a cohesive unit.

It also means that Kings’ fans may not be completely familiar with some of the team’s incoming talent. Accordingly, over the next couple of weeks, we’ll bring you a series looking at the three main components of Sydney’s roster – the guards, the wings and the bigs.

Today we analyse a backcourt group that has seen one very significant change, with NBL21 Second Team All-NBL selection Casper Ware now plying his trade in Russia. There is also other important movement within the guard corps, with the addition of an exciting prospect and the expected return of a potential superstar.

 

JAYLEN ADAMS

There have been some great playmakers to wear the purple and gold over the past 32 seasons of the Sydney Kings franchise.

Names like Steve Carfino, Shane Heal, CJ Bruton, Jerome Randle and Casper Ware easily come to mind.

Now there’s an explosive 6’0” floor leader out of St Bonaventure University named Jaylen Adams who wants to join that illustrious group.

After a stellar college career that saw him start all but two of his 110 games, average 17.4 points and 5.4 assists per game over his four-years and be named a co-Conference Player of the Year and a three-time first team all-conference selection, Adams has already played 41 regular season and three NBA playoff games for three teams – the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers. Of late, Adams has been tearing up the NBA G-League – last year he was named to the All-NBA G League First Team.

An explosive scorer at all three levels who boasts excellent range beyond the three-point line, Jaylen is deadly in both pick and roll and pick and pop situations and a difficult cover given his ability to hunt mismatches and attack the paint. He’s also an improving playmaker who averaged six dimes per game for his NBA G-League club Wisconsin Herd in 2019/2020 and he’s a tough, physical defender.

Probably most exciting for Kings’ fans is that he’s aggressive, confident and hyper-competitive; a guy who seldom, if ever, backs away from a challenge.

And since the point guard is often an extension of the coach on the floor, the Kings have a significant advantage given that Jaylen played for Chase Buford at Wisconsin on a team that went 33-10. That coach-player familiarity will be a massive key in what is, in many ways, a brand-new group this season.

“He’s a two-way point guard who will fill it up and lock it up,” Coach Buford said of the man who promises to be a nightmare to deal with for opposition teams this coming season.

 

DEJAN VASILJEVIC

In 21 games last season, Sydney Kings fans got a taste of the incredible potential of Dejan Vasiljevic.

The product of the University of Miami was having himself an outstanding debut campaign for the purple and gold, averaging 15.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 46.5% from the field, 41.5% from three-point range and 84.8% from the free throw line.

Dejan was in line for NBL21 Rookie of the Year honours. But then disaster struck in a home game in early April against the Perth Wildcats.

Vasiljevic suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon injury that would prematurely end his season and, in the short to medium-term at least, put a halt to his meteoric rise in becoming one of the best young perimeter players in the nation.

Normally, the type of injury he suffered would put him on the shelf for at least 12 months. But thanks to a prognosis that showed the tear wasn’t as bad as first thought, coupled with what has been a diligent rehabilitation program, there are positive signs that Dejan will only miss a few weeks at most of regular season action in NBL22.

That would obviously be great news – for when he’s healthy, he’s shown that he’s a scorer-deluxe at NBL level who is pretty much unstoppable when he gets in a flow. And playing for a team that will be fast-paced and look to put a ton of points on the board will suit him to a tee, giving him more opportunities to light it up.

“He’s an explosive scorer,” said Coach Buford of his talented guard.

“He can shoot it from anywhere and really space the floor for our guys.”

 

SHAUN BRUCE

It’s hard to believe, but Shaun Bruce is now the longest tenured Sydney King on the current roster.

Coming into NBL22 and his third season in Sydney, Shaun has played 69 games for the purple and gold and has already established himself as one of the leaders of the team.

He’s also become one of the best backup point guards in the National Basketball League. A fearsome competitor, he’s evolved into an impressive playmaker with the ability to score from the outside, and he’s really started to make his bones as a physical on-ball defender who can guard either guard spot and relishes the challenge of shutting down a big-time opposition scoring threat.

With all the injuries and player losses the Kings suffered last season, Shaun was a rock, appearing in 35 of 36 games and averaging 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting an excellent 90.3% from the free throw line.

He’s solid and reliable as they come and will once again lead the team’s second unit with aplomb.

“Bruce is a leader,” said Coach Buford.

“He’ll continue to show that he’s a defensive stopper and hopefully give us some playmaking from the guard position.”

 

BIWALI BAYLES

Anyone who watched Biwali Bayles play for Australia at the FIBA Under-19 World Championships in July got a small taste of what this Sydney junior brings to the table.

He averaged 6.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Emus in the tournament, showcasing great playmaking ability and an inherent toughness at the defensive end of the floor.

Biwali also spent a season playing NCAA Division One ball at the University of Hawaii before deciding to turn pro with his hometown team, and the Kings are delighted to have him come on board.

His competitive nature will ensure that even as a rookie he’ll be fighting for minutes this season and he’ll be determined to make an impact any time he’s on the court.

Count Sydney’s head coach as a man who thinks the sky is the limit for his young charge.

“Ah man, Biwali has been super-impressive defensively,” Coach Buford enthused.

“He can change a game with his pressure and physicality and he’s lightning-quick with the ball in his hands getting to the rim.”

 

UP NEXT: The Wings. A position where the Kings have added themselves a standout offensive weapon.