Cann’s refreshing coaching challenge

Luke Cann has settled quickly into life in Adelaide, embracing both the city and the opportunity to join the Adelaide 36ers’ coaching staff.

Cann’s move south came after two seasons with the Brisbane Bullets, where he built lasting relationships with players, staff and support personnel.

This week, those relationships take on a new dimension as the 36ers prepare to face the Bullets on Friday night, looking to continue the momentum built with four straight wins prior to last week’s FIBA break.

Cann will provide valuable insights into some of Brisbane’s systems and players, and he admits while his bonds to the Sunshine State endure, his focus is firmly on success with Adelaide.

“I think that's the beauty of basketball,” he explained to Adelaide 36ers Media. “You build relationships and bonds with people and I still have really great relationships with a lot of the coaches that are in Brisbane, with the front office staff, and CEO Mal Watts - he's always been great to me and the same with the players.

“We’ll have a little to and fro. We’ll send texts and good lucks and all that kind of stuff, just checking in to see how they're going with everything because you know whilst we are competitive, they’re still good people.”

Cann has been keeping a close eye on the Bullets this season.

While their record at 5-10 doesn’t look all that impressive, injuries and imports coming and going have made it hard for Stu Lash’s side to build any consistency.

Cann has a level of sympathy but knows his former side will come to Adelaide re-energised after the break and nearly at full fitness.

“They've had a tough start with injuries and import changes and just trying to find a rhythm is critical,” he explained.

“Both teams come back after that break and it’s kind of like a fresh season so to speak. They're basically full strength now so they’re going to consider themselves a finals team and they're going to come out swinging.

“We’ve had a good start of the season so we know that we are the hunted now but we also want to continue the momentum and still swing our punches and I think that's the great thing about this challenge coming up on Friday.”

After a lengthy coaching apprenticeship in Queensland which included twice being named the NBL1 North Coach of the Year while in charge at the Logan Thunder and his stint with the Bullets, Cann shifted to Adelaide in June, seeking a new challenge.

He has been energised by the change of scenery and is continuing to establish his own identity with the Sixers, while working with experienced international coaches like Mike Wells and Marko Marinovic.

“Making the move and getting out of my comfort zone has meant a lot of unknowns but from the day I arrived here I’ve been made to feel welcome, whether that’s the players or coaching staff, or the people in the front office,” Cann said.

“What we've got going on at Adelaide has been refreshing for me.

“Because I'm an Australian coach from the Australian pathway and I have my own certain beliefs and things, I’ve been encouraged by Mike to bring that to the fore.

“It's also really cool to see how Mike operates and approaches his day-to-day and from his experience and I think that was a big part of making the change to come down here to challenge myself and continue to grow and learn from how he did things in the NBA or how guys like Marko operated in European basketball.

“As a staff I think we have found a good mix of supporting coach and challenging coach and making sure that he gets everything he needs from us as a support mechanism.”

The Adelaide adventure hasn’t been without its challenges.

Cann has left his three daughters and wife Mikhaela Cann behind, using daily Facetime and frequent visits to maintain the relationships.

Mikhaela has her own impressive basketball career, currently playing in the WNBL with the Sydney Flames.

As a duo, they agreed to each pursue their dreams as a life lesson for their daughters, aged eight, five and three.

“It’s been an adjustment and when the opportunity arose it was one of those things we talked about as a family,” Cann explained.

“We talked about how when you chase your goals in anything in life, you're going to have to make sacrifices.

“I just spent four days with my girls in the FIBA break so you just have to take any opportunity to make it work.

“Mikhaela is chasing her dream as well so it's not easy, it’s certainly not conventional or something that a lot of people do, but whilst our kids are young, we also understand the importance of living life and chasing dreams and this is just part of that for us as a family.

“I guess internally we don't really know any different. We’re a basketball family and we feel like we thrive on these kinds of challenges.”

Cann is also expecting to thrive on the challenge of facing his former side on Friday night.

Tip off is at 7pm, with limited tickets remaining.