THE 2023/24 National Basketball League (NBL) season was one of the most entertaining in recent memory, with all teams performing at a high level and making a genuine run at some postseason action along the way.

All 10 teams were in the hunt for a spot in the finals and play-in until the penultimate round, demonstrating the impressive quality of the competition.

Given the season has concluded, Rookie Me Central will be dissecting each team’s campaign, and the key pieces that shaped it.

Today’s article will take a look at the Brisbane Bullets, who fell painfully short of a play-in appearance, but had some positive patches of play throughout the fixture.

Brisbane Bullets

2023/24 record: 13 wins, 15 losses
Ladder position: 7th

How it happened

It was a season of inconsistency from the Bullets, who would go on impressive winning streaks before dropping multiple games in a row. At its best, Brisbane was capable of taking it up to the very best teams and certainly looked like a top-six side, but that form was not held for long enough to make a serious dent in the play-in run. The Bullets were certainly the unluckiest side in the race for a spot in the postseason, missing the play-in tournament by percentage alone, but the team will be left to rue the form slumps that proved costly in the end.

MVP – Nathan Sobey

Although his team did not reach the success he would have liked, Sobey was outstanding for the Bullets throughout the 2023/24 fixture. A walk-up bucket, the veteran guard was the most consistent performer for Brisbane, and showed no signs of slowing down in the twilight of his time in the NBL. A career-high 37 points in the 102-84 win over the 36ers showed that Sobey has plenty more in the tank, and will be a key figure next season.

The coach – Justin Schueller

It was a positive step forward for Schueller, who had his team right in contention for a postseason spot for much of the fixture. The team played high-tempo, high-scoring basketball for much of the season, and showed no troubles hitting triple figures on the scoreboard. Although it was an exciting way to play, the team was unfortunately brought undone by holes in their defence and the too-frequent slumps on the offensive end, giving Schueller plenty of food for thought over the off-season.

Where to?

It is quite evident that the Bullets do not look too far off competing in some postseason action in the coming seasons, there is just a bit to figure out with their roster. Aron Baynes has not been as productive since joining the team and was moved to the bench throughout the 2023/24 fixture, so the team may look for a more obvious second star next to Sobey. The import market will be the place to look, while developing Next Star Rocco Zikarsky could unlock another dynamic to the team’s performance on both ends.