The unsung leaders driving 36ers cultural shift

Adelaide 36ers guard Isaac White has given an insight into the cultural shift driving the club forward this season, praising the players not receiving as much game time for being key leaders.

Head Coach Mike Wells and General Manager of Basketball Operations, Matt Weston set about re-setting the culture around the basketball program in the off-season including recruiting players they deemed to be good both on and off the court.

White was one of those. With more than 150 NBL games to his name now despite limited opportunity at times during his time at Illawarra, Tasmania and Brisbane, White returned to Adelaide earlier this year, aiming to make his mark in his home city.

Wells and Weston’s plan has seemed to have worked so far with the side well placed at 10-3 after 13 games and the group appearing to gel well.

Speaking on Friday before the Sixers travelled interstate to take on the South East Melbourne Phoenix, White said the whole group had brought in, creating an enjoyable atmosphere.

And he gave special credit to a few players in particular.

“Leadership takes different forms,” he explained to Adelaide media.

“The guys who aren't playing as much - Rasmussen, Harris, you know Kenyon at times… I think they're the guys that keep the group afloat.

“It's really easy when you have opportunity and you get the glory of being on the floor.

“Those guys, I think, have the potential to, you know, 10 and 11, 12 drag a group down if they're going to be selfish about their own role. You can sink the ship real quick.

“I think those guys are leading in a unique way and really carrying our culture off the floor, and hopefully they get the reward they deserve.”

While he has primarily been deployed from the bench, White continues to play a key role as a ball carrier and shooter who brings energy at important times.

And the trust he holds of both coach Wells and key players like Bryce Cotton was no more evident than late in Wednesday night’s Ignite Cup game when Cotton backed him to hit a vital three point shot to make the win safe against Illawarra.

“Any player wants to have the faith of their coach, and I think that's not something I've had consistently in my NBL career, so that really helps,” White said.

“He kind of keeps me on track, but also, he's come to me in fourth quarters and big moments and stuff like that so he's shown me in big games that he does have faith, and that obviously helps me in my confidence and my comfort level.

“Bryce is a very willing passer. and especially he trusts his teammates in big moments, and I'm happy I could convert it.

“It does mean a lot. It probably has a little more weight than it should. Like, I think, as a competitor, you want to come in and be your own person and not be too reliant on the validation of others or something like that.

“But in a healthy way having Bryce’s confidence really does help on the floor.”

To this point in the season, White’s stats stack up against some of the best in his career, though he admits he would like to hit the scoreboard more.

But in another sign of the team-first mentality of the group, the 27-year-old is happy to forego personal numbers in favour of team success.

“I'm not necessarily putting the ball in the hole at the rate I had previously or something like that, but I'd say I'm playing the best basketball that I have,” he said.

“And, you know, hopefully I can continue to trend in the right direction offensively, production wise and stuff like that.

“I'm just so bought into my role and this group. The winning part is just very rewarding for me and so, you know, if that's 20 points on a night or two on the next, that's okay with me.”

White and the Sixers will tackle the Phoenix at John Cain Arena from 7:30pm ACDT / 8pm AEDT on Saturday night.

It will be the group’s seventh game in 20 days. The NBL season will then pause for a FIBA International break.