'I like to interact with the crowd': Cleveland embraces Fan Day

Adelaide 36ers recruit Antonius Cleveland got up close and personal with fans as the team received their jerseys for NBL23 at Big Shed on Sunday.

Cleveland and his teammates were greeted by hundreds of adoring fans, eagerly awaiting the start of the NBL23 campaign.

“I’m a big fan guy, I like to interact with the crowd during the games, they’re so important,” he said.

“I like opportunities like these to get up close and personal, meet them and they meet me and get a feel how the year will be.

“The basketball team is nothing without the fans, you saw it during Covid, it’s boring without the fans."

Cleveland has already grown into a fan favourite after some stirring performances in the NBL Blitz.

“Personally, I expected to go 3-0, I wanted to,” he said.

“The goal was to get better game by game, but you just want to win.

“Once we went 2-0, I wanted to go 3-0 and take the championship home.

“My body feels great, I’m pretty pleased with how I played.

“I want to build on that going into the season and going to the United States, and continue to get better individually and let that translate to team success as well."