Off-season events a blessing in disguise for incoming Sixers coach

It's fair to say it was quite the eventful period from the end of last season NBL season when Andrej Lemanis departed as Brisbane Bullets coach to Bruton eventually ending up being appointed coach of the Adelaide 36ers.

Firstly, Bruton went into the off-season feeling ready to be a head coach after five years as assistant to Lemanis at the Bullets on the back of his 20-year playing career with Perth, Brisbane, Wollongong, Canberra, Sydney and finally the New Zealand Breakers.

Lemanis departed with the belief that Bruton was the man ready, willing and able to smoothly step into the role as head coach to replace him, but ultimately the Bullets went a different direction and appointed American James Duncan.

The Taipans then head a spot to fill too following the departure of Mike Kelly and Bruton did go through the process with the Snakes, but they ended up going with Adam Forde fresh off coaching at the Kings in #NBL21.

Bruton had plenty to weigh up but ended up committing to stay at Brisbane until the shock news of Conner Henry and the 36ers parting ways.

He ended up being appointed as new coach in Adelaide and having felt ready to be a head coach, was delighted and thankful to be given the chance after admitting to some disappointment about how things panned out both with Brisbane and Cairns.

"I wouldn’t have pursued it if I didn’t think I was ready and I had people in the NBA contacting me after I didn’t get the Bullets job about some opportunities over there," Bruton said on appearance on Sixers Fix recently.

"I was pretty excited about that and I had things moving on in the background throughout Australia which was exciting to be part of in the future too but I just kept my spirits high that I was doing the right things. 

"No one likes getting setbacks but in life you get dealt different things at different times and being able to stay strong and understand that it might not have been your fault when things don't go your way. 

"It ended up as a blessing that I didn’t get that job and even the Cairns job that came up as well even though I felt like they had already decided Fordey was their guy. They still wanted to interview me and I went through the process but I wasn’t about to go through too much of my secrets because I didn’t think I was a chance to get the job. 

"They sought me out, though, so it was an exciting feeling to think people were recognising my talents and I thought it would be a matter of time before the right job would come up. 

"It's all panned out the way it's meant to be and as for the 36ers, it's about looking forward to the future now and I'm proud that they've put the faith in me to be the head coach. I'm just making sure I now appreciate every piece of this journey."

While Bruton was disappointed to be overlooked by the Bullets and by not feeling like he was ever seriously considered at the Taipans, he couldn’t be happier with the way things have panned out now and he's landed with the 36ers.

"The ownership group and CEO decided they wanted to go a different route with Andrej leaving and it wasn’t necessarily anything against me, they just wanted fresh blood. I had been there five years and I can beg to differ, but it's not my place and it wasn’t my job to lose as I had a job assistant coach anyway," Bruton said.

"I applied for the head coaching job and I know having been a point guard my whole career all over the globe and representing the country, I learned sometimes you have to wait your turn before getting the opportunity to show what you can do. 

"This is now about me showing what I can do in the role but it's not about CJ Bruton anymore, it's about what I can do for the Adelaide 36ers and showing everyone in the community that they can be proud of their team again when they come out to pack out the stadium. 

"We will represent the club in the right way on and off the court, and have fun doing it with our families and as a community."

Even though Bruton had started working with the Bullets group for the upcoming season, what made him willing to put his hand up for the Adelaide job when it became available was because of how exciting a playing group he saw the 36ers had put together.

While Adelaide has never been home to any member of the Bruton family, CJ has always had great respect for what a basketball city it is and what a proud history the 36ers have, and now he can't wait for the chance to build on that.

"The 36ers had a great team put together so I got more excited about the chance and I thought I might be able to do something special in Adelaide if I got the job," Bruton said.

"We sat down and started going through the process of what I thought the team needed in terms of a head coach with the team put in place pretty much even with a couple of spots still to be filled. Just to be able to make an impact on and off the court is huge for me. 

"I see a group that's capable of contending for the championship and making the playoffs even though every team would say that now. I just thought with the pieces I would have with me, we could do something special and Adelaide's a great place to do that. 

"There's a great family environment and a culture, and it has great respect throughout the league. So while it was sad what happened to Conner, it was a blessing in disguise for myself after being patient when I missed out on the Brisbane Bullets job which everyone expected me to get."