THE NBL season is steaming along nicely, and the Adelaide 36ers have been exceptional to the surprise of no one. With the offseason signing of reigning MVP Bryce Cotton, Adelaide moved into title contender talks instantly, and halfway through the season it has proved to be just that, sitting in second just below Melbourne United.

With the recent signing of Troy Brown Jr., who has proven his ability at an NBA level, there is no reason why they cannot take another step forward after the international break. While his first three games have seen him adjust to the NBL style of play, once he finds his rhythm the sky is the limit for the squad.

While Cotton has kept up his MVP type play averaging 27.1 points and seven assists per game – leading the league in both categories – he is not the only contributor for the squad, as he has a great supporting cast who have at times been the X-factor in certain matchups.

Star big man Isaac Humphries has been one of the best centers in the league, averaging a solid 14.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest in just 23 minutes of playing time. Whilst being good on the offensive side, he also has been dominant defensively showing his rim protection ability, averaging 1.6 blocks a game, which puts him at third in the league for blocks just below Jo Lual-Acuil and JaVale McGee.

Breakout star Flynn Cameron looks to be among the most improved players in the league, bumping his averages of 5.3 points per game last season for Melbourne United to 10.4. His breakout game saw him score 20 points with four assists and four rebounds against the Cairns Taipans in Round 2, and since then he has continued good form, just recently having a 14-point game against third-placed SEM Phoenix.

The leading rebounder in the league has been Zylan Cheatham, with a monstrous 10.8 per game, along with 11.4 points a contest. That, alongside his defensive efforts has allowed him and Humphries to form one of the best frontcourt duos in the competition for Adelaide.

In Adelaide’s most recent matchup against SEM Phoenix, one of the best shooters in the league in Dejan Vasiljevic erupted for a 22-point game, scoring six threes on nine attempts. While his statistics have dipped from last year, his ability to be another scoring option makes him a dangerous player, as he has shown that he can be a guy who can score 20 points per game, as he did in the 2023-24 season.

The second half of the season is looking very bright for the Adelaide 36ers, with their already stacked lineup and the addition of Brown Jr. They are expected to take it up another level and battle United for top spot on the ladder.