NBL x NBA experience 'super valuable': Bruton

Adelaide 36ers coach CJ Bruton said the experience of the NBL x NBA games has been 'super valuable' as the tour comes to a conclusion.

The 36ers leave the United States with two wins and a loss, with the victories coming against Overtime Elite and the Phoenix Suns.

“For our players to compete against the elite and showcase our talent and see the talent that’s around the world – this is the best league in the world,” he said.

“To be able to compete against them and see where they sit, how much they need to work on.

“It’s a dream come true for a lot of our guys, they probably only got to play against them on 2K."

The 36ers were beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder 131-98 in their final NBL x NBA game, and Bruton was pleased with how his team continued to fight even after a first half.

“We took a punch today, but I liked how we kept fighting,” he said.

“I like the talent in our competition as I do in the NBA.

“I told (Thunder coach) Mark [Daigneault] ‘what a wonderful group’, he does an amazing job, the way he’s coached them and how they’ve looked after them, where they can get to in the future but also now.

“Watching them last year how they bounced back from some losses, our guys can learn a lot from them."

The 36ers will travel back to Australia before starting their NBL23 campaign on Thursday night. 

Get your tickets for game one here.