Humphries 'thrilled' with Popovic addition

Adelaide 36ers centre Isaac Humphries has hailed newly-signed Head of High Performance Nik Popovic as the reason he chose the 36ers.

Humphries returns to Adelaide after spending the NBL23 season at Melbourne United and said it was Popovic who he trusts with his health.

“Nik is the man, he knows what to do and what he has done for me has been brilliant,” Humphries said.

Popovic said he met Humphries in February 2022 after Adelaide 36ers head coach CJ Bruton sent the 211cm centre to him after an interrupted NBL22 campaign.

“Isaac was physically very limited when he came in to see me,” Popovic said.

“I said to CJ ‘this isn’t going to be a one-week deal, this is going to take a while’, and we ended up working together for five months straight.

“Isaac followed me to the United States and we worked for another three months there.”

After playing in NBL23 with Melbourne United, Humphries and Popovic again met up after the 2018 NBL Rookie of the Year played in the Boomers World Cup qualifiers in Melbourne.

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“Isaac came back to see me in Los Angeles, and we worked out again for almost a month.”

“At that time, he was going through his free agency decision, and he asked me about it.

“I said to Issac ‘ As I am going back to Australia for family reasons, I know there is interest from Adelaide and should it happen, I’d fully support you and would be happy to be part of your decision process.”

Popovic has the faith in Humphries’ body and says so should everyone else as the former Kentucky Wildcat makes his return to Adelaide.

“Isaac has gone through a lot and it’s an unfair comment that people make about him being injury prone,” Popovic said.

“I’ve been in this industry for 25 years and I cannot remember one athlete, and I’ve worked with many, that hasn’t been injured at some point in their career”

“Unfortunately most athletes go through some type of injury which as a performance staff we try to minismise as much as possible but things do happen. I think it will be great for Isaac to be back in Adelaide and prove to everyone, like he did last NBL season, he can play a full season at a high level “

“We have a great relationship, having been through a great deal together.. I can get him back to where he wants to be.”

“The project is ongoing and I’m happy we can continue this journey in Adelaide.”