Mee happy to be back 'home' in Adelaide

Walking back into an Adelaide 36ers training session, Darnell Mee feels like he has come home.

Mee, the five-time NBL Defensive Player of the Year, is back in Adelaide this week for the club’s special anniversary celebrating 25 years since the 1998/99 championship victory.

The 196cm point guard said being back in Adelaide for the first time in a few years feels like he has never left.

“It’s always great to come back to Adelaide, there’s so many memories,” Mee said.

This Saturday night, the 36ers will celebrate the 25-year anniversary of the 1998/99 championship and will wear replica jerseys from that glorious campaign.

Mee said when thinking back on that 1998/99 season, there is a lot of reflecting on just how much was achieved, and how long ago it was.

“Sometimes it feels like yesterday, but time moves fast and when you’re seeing grey hairs popping up, you know it’s been a long time,” Mee said.

“Those uniforms worked for us, I can’t wait to see them again, it wasn’t our choice to wear them, we got given them and we were successful in them, so it will be great to see them on the court again.”

Along with the jerseys, the club will also be selling the replica 1998/99 championship t-shirts, and when Mee saw them for the first time in over two decades, the memories came flooding back.

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“It’s been a while since I’ve seen that shirt, KB and I had that iconic photo after we won when we were back-to-back,” Mee said.

The two-time NBL champion, who was at practice with fellow 1998/99 championship teammate Rupert Sapwell, said his relationship with fellow import Kevin Brooks was one key factor to the 36ers’ success.

“We were the imports which was short for important to us, so we knew we had to show that we could play, but it wasn’t a selfish thing, we wanted to win more than anything,” Mee said.

“Everything just gelled because we all had one thing in mind, and that was winning.

“My time in Adelaide, those four seasons were probably my most happiest time I had playing basketball because I was playing a lot, I was enjoying it, at that time it was just magic for us.”

Mee, who has coached at various levels since retiring from his illustrious playing career, said he liked what he saw with the current 36ers roster, now coached by 1998/99 championship-winning assistant coach Scott Ninnis.

“It’s hard to get a feel on the team after watching just one training session, but it looks like there is a lot of talent out there,” Mee said.

“The guys look like they enjoy playing together, hopefully that equates to a few more wins coming up.”