ONE of Australia’s most famous Basketball sons is set to return home in the coming months, with the Brisbane Bullets securing the services of NBA Champion Aron Baynes ahead of the 2022/23 National Basketball League (NBL) season.

Baynes has been one of the biggest successes to come out of the country, forging a terrific career in the world’s biggest basketball competitions and establishing our nation’s standings amongst the game at an international level.

A fierce big man who can stretch the floor, the addition of Baynes instantly takes the Bullets into the contender category in the NBL, and he should form a damaging duo with star guard Nathan Sobey, particularly in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations.

Baynes signed a two-year deal, completing his comeback to professional basketball after a nasty neck injury saw him sidelined after the Tokyo Olympics.

With 522 NBA games and three Olympic appearances under his belt, the big man will bring plenty of experience to the Bullets, who will be looking to improve on a disappointing 2021/22 campaign.

After a tumultious few years, Baynes expressed his excitement to return to the court after a number of personal challenges.

“Basketball is my happy place and I’m just excited that I can continue that here,” Baynes told reporters.

“Over the last few years with COVID and myself going through an injury, I know that my happy place is being on the basketball court, and I can lose myself within the routine that I have going about doing my business daily out there. It’s exciting for me that I get to do that.”

Baynes also said he will be looking to play to his strengths as he looks to guide the Bullets to another championship.

“I’m just going out and doing what I’m known to do. How I play basketball, that’s what got me to the NBA to begin with,” Baynes said.

I didn’t go out there and try and do something that I’m not capable of, it’s about going out there and playing the right way every single every time I do hit the floor and showing that I can still do what I was able to do before.

“I’m excited to be able to go out and work with (coach James Duncan) on the court and try and get there and take steps in the right direction for myself and for the team. If we’re doing that daily, then we’re going to be in a good spot come the end of it.”

The Bullets added another international talent in the form of Tyler Johnson, who also brings a fair bit of NBA experience too. He has played 350 games at the highest level, with a career-high total of 32 displaying how big his ceiling can be.

The addition of the duo sees Brisbane as one side to watch when the season kicks off in just a couple of months’ time.