The Start

From humble beginnings, the Adelaide 36ers have grown into one of the NBL's pre-eminent clubs and key components of Australia's premier men's basketball competition. The NBL launched in 1979 and on the eve of the 1982 season, the Basketball Association of South Australia (BASA) called together its nine domestic clubs and the successful West Adelaide Bearcats, who already had indicated it would continue as a single entity and created a "state" team to fill the second NBL slot allocated to the state.

In a bid to distinguish the new club from district club Adelaide Giants and to make the name all-embracing, the new club initially was called Adelaide City Eagles for its inaugural season. West Adelaide showed the wisdom of retaining its own separate identity by winning the 1982 NBL Championship, South Australia’s first national league success, and the Bearcats' four-year history an impressive fourth, second, third, first. Adelaide City, meanwhile, completed its first NBL season in seventh place with a 15-11 win-loss record. With the whole summer to prepare, the BASA merged team had time to consider a new name and struck upon naming the team the 36ers, referencing Adelaide's settlement in 1836. The 36ers became equally well known by the shortened nickname of the Sixers and, under initial coach Mike Osborne, continued an intrastate rivalry with West Adelaide which made derby games from 1982-84 the highlights of the annual playing schedule. In 1984, the 36ers missed playoff action, finishing sixth with a 16-8 mark.

The Merger

It was time to bring both NBL clubs under one banner and when they merged to become South Australia's solitary NBL entrant prior to the 1985 season, and a powerhouse was created. West Adelaide's 1983-84 coach Ken Cole was selected over Osborne to run the merged club and inherited Darryl "Ice Man" Pearce to run in the backcourt with "Mean" Al Green. The Bearcats' 1980 Moscow Olympian Peter Ali started at small forward and American centre Bill Jones was recruited to anchor the middle. When Mark Davis was added after round six of the 1985 season and with a side bursting with depth, the 36ers stormed into the grand final, creating records all along the journey, before falling at the final hurdle to Brisbane Bullets.

In 1986, the club added naturalised former 36ers import Dwayne Nelson to the unit and Cole’s team were on a mission, sparked by a bus conversation after the 1985 loss to the Bullets. That team, now known as “The Invincibles", produced a 24-2 win-loss record which has never since been challenged as the greatest single season team and record of all time. The two losses both also were on last-gasp buzzer beaters, keeping Cole's team just a few seconds short of the perfect 26-0 season. Adelaide again faced Brisbane in the grand final, now a three-game series, and got the better of the Bullets in overtime in game one on the road. Coming home with a 1-0 lead, everyone thought the 36ers would waltz to their first championship, but an inspired Bullets handed Adelaide their third loss of the season, 104-83, in game two. Less than 48 hours later in game three, Ali did a masterful defensive effort on superstar import Leroy Loggins and in front of the Apollo Stadium faithful, Adelaide won its first NBL championship, winning the deciding game 113-91.

Gary Fox succeeded Cole as the 36ers coach and the club won regular season championships in 1987 (21-5) and 1988 (19-5). Unfortunately, the 36ers did not make it back to the grand final, losing the semi-final series in both seasons, though Davis became the first Adelaide player to win the NBL MVP award, sharing the honour with Loggins in 1987. During this time, the club had stars Pearce and Mark Bradtke make the Olympic team for the 1988 games in Seoul, but Adelaide again came up short for their second title, and Fox was replaced by Don Shipway as coach. With the success of the club building, BASA knew the 36ers had outgrown the Apollo Stadium, and a new home for basketball was required.

The Powerhouse

By the start of the 1992 season, the Clipsal Powerhouse, a brand new $13 million facility was constructed in Findon, and the club sold 6000 memberships on opening day to the 8000-capacity arena. The 1992 season saw the NBL debut of Brett Maher, the 18-year-old would go one to be the club’s games record holder with 524 appearances across 17 glorious seasons. Don Monson replaced Shipway at the end of the 1992 season and the club made it back to the playoffs in 1993, but Monson was replaced by US college mentor Mike Dunlap.

In 1994, under Dunlap, the club recruited reigning NBL MVP Robert Rose and the 36ers made it back to the grand final after finishing the regular season in fourth position. After winning a tough three-game quarter final series against Brisbane Bullets, the 36ers then swept regular season champions Melbourne Tigers 2-0 in the semi-finals, but lost Davis to a dislocated shoulder during a game one victory at home. Davis returned for the grand final series against North Melbourne Giants and the 36ers, led by Rose, came back from a 17-point deficit in game one at the Clipsal Powerhouse, only to be stopped by a clutch Darryl McDonald jump shot in overtime. The Giants won game two to take the 1994 title, the club making it back to the semi-finals in both 1995 and 1996 before Dunlap was replaced by Dave Claxton for the 1997 season.

Title Town

When Phil Smyth was lured back ‘home’ to coach the club in 1998, he recruited Paul Rees to play alongside former NBA pair Darnell Mee and Kevin Brooks, the Clipsal Powerhouse was hanging the "sold out" sign at every home game. Maher and company – including emerging star Martin Cattalini – had the fans screaming for more as the club made it back to the grand final series, this time a date against South East Melbourne Magic. Adelaide defeated the Magic 100-93 in game one at the Powerhouse, only the fifth loss for South East Melbourne that season, before sweeping the series 2-0 with a comprehensive 90-62 success at Melbourne Park to claim a second NBL championship.

David Stiff came in for the title defence when John Rillie departed to the newly-formed West Sydney Razorbacks and the 36ers made it back-to-back championships, beating Victoria Titans in an epic three-game series in the NBL’s first summer season in 1998/99. Maher followed Kevin Brooks (1998) as the Larry Sengstock Medallist and, as NBL champion, the team won the right to represent the league at the 1999 McDonalds World Club Championship in Milan, Italy. Champions from Europe, Asia, South America and the US – represented by the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs – competed in the tournament, won by the Spurs. Smyth's 36ers returned to the NBL semi-finals again in the 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons but fell to the Titans and Wollongong Hawks in tough three-game series.

The club then made some significant change for the 2001/2002 season, recruiting star import guard Willie Farley as Mee, Brooks and Cattalini left, and Davis retired. Farley became an immediate fan favourite with the 36ers fans, and he made a dynamic backcourt tandem with Maher as the 36ers gained some revenge on the reigning champion Hawks, eliminating them in the quarter finals, before then winning a frantic three-game semi-final series against Victoria Titans. In the club’s six grand final appearance, the 36ers had the home court advantage against West Sydney Razorbacks and Farley led from the front in a 106-97 win to open the series. Former 36ers championship-winning guard Rille would lead the Razorbacks in game two as West Sydney levelled the series with a 103-100 win on their home court.

Back in Adelaide for the deciding game three, the 36ers caught fire from beyond the arc, connecting of 14 of their first 16 three-pointers in the opening half as the club stormed to a fourth NBL championship, taking game three 125-107. Maher again walked away with the Larry Sengstock Medal, his second and the victory made it three championships in five years for Smyth as coach. Cattalini returned but Farley left for the Razorbacks as the 36ers’ title defence was ended by Perth Wildcats in a 2-1 quarter final series loss. But not before Adelaide outscored Perth 45-11 to win an incredible game two 99-91 at Challenge Stadium. Farley came back to the club for the 2004/2005 season and paired with Dusty Rychart as the club had back-to-back third place finishes after the regular season, but on both occasions were eliminated at home, by Brisbane Bullets, then Cairns Taipans. Adelaide then missed the playoffs the following two seasons and the Smyth era came to an end, replaced by club legend Scott Ninnis.

The New Era

For the 2008/2009 season, Ninnis brought home local stars Luke Schenscher, Jacob Holmes and Brad Hill as Adelaide made it back to the playoffs, only to be eliminated by New Zealand Breakers. Maher’s legacy was etched forever after the club legend had the home court named after him, his signature now always adorns the home court where he connected on his last three-pointer. Ninnis was replaced by Marty Clarke after missing playoff action 2009/2010, but the club didn’t taste playoff action again until Joey Wright joined as head coach for the 2013/2014 season. The 2013/2014 season saw the emergence of Daniel Johnson and Mitch Creek as stars of the competition as the 36ers made it back to the grand final series after a tough 2-1 semi-final series success against Melbourne Tigers.

Playing archrival Perth Wildcats in the three-game grand final series, Adelaide fell short 92-85 in game one at RAC Arena, before coming home to level the series 1-1 after a thrilling 89-84 success on home court. But the Wildcats were too strong in the deciding game in Perth, but the club again had a great foundation to build on, and made it back to the semi-finals in 2014/2015, only to be eliminated by eventual champion New Zealand Breakers. Jerome Randle arrived to wow the Powerhouse crowds, winning the club’s second NBL MVP in the 2016/2017 season as the 36ers finished as regular season champion, only to be eliminated in a three-game semi-final series against Illawarra Hawks. The club retooled in 2017/2018 to make a huge run at the championship, recruiting NBA superstar Josh Childress mid-season to storm into the grand final series against Melbourne United.

Adelaide levelled the five-game series at home with a 110-95 win in game two at the Distinctive Homes Dome, but in the closing stages, Childress went down with a shoulder injury and missed the rest of the series. Melbourne took a 2-1 lead after a Majok Deng three-pointer caught iron for a 101-98 win in game three, but the 36ers forced a deciding game five after an iconic Johnson three-pointer was the catalyst to a 90-81 home success. However, United were too strong in the decider, Adelaide’s second grand final series loss under Wright in four seasons.

The New Home

In 2019/2020, the club moved venues for the second time, calling Adelaide Entertainment Centre home to Brett Maher Court, and NBL MVP Randle returned to the roster. Connor Henry replaced Wright for the 2020/2021 season, which also saw NBA superstar Josh Giddey thrill the Entertainment Centre crowds with three consecutive triple doubles before being drafted No.6 by the OKC Thunder. Flipino sensation Kai Sotto joined the club for the 2021/2022 season as CJ Bruton replaced Henry as head coach, a late season push saw the club just miss the playoffs.

History Makers

After two previous trips to Salt Lake City to play Utah Jazz, the club travelled to the US for a third time in the lead-up to the 2022/2023 season, to play Phoenix Suns and OKC Thunder. Local swingman Nick Marshall wowed NBA scouts with a game-high 23 points as the 36ers defeated Overtime Elite 86-81 in a warm-up game. Adelaide then became the first team, and still the only NBL club, to defeat an NBA franchise when Craig Randall II swishing nine three-pointers to score a game-high 35 points in a 134-124 success against Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center.

The 36ers led at every change, turning a 33-28 quarter time lead into a 71-59 advantage at the main interval before the Suns stormed back into the contest, but the closest Phoenix got was 84-83 in the third quarter. Randall II then took over to start the final quarter as Adelaide connected on 24 three-pointers as a team to record the 10-point triumph. Four days later, a Josh Giddey-led OKC Thunder were too strong for the 36ers, using an opening half avalanche to record a 131-101 win at Paycom Center.

The Future

Adelaide found the going tough after shocking the world in the US and ran out of steam at the back end of the NBL23 season to miss the playoffs by one game. After 13 games of the NBL24 season, Bruton was replaced by Ninnis as head coach and the club won seven of the last 10 matches to again just miss post-season action by one game. Ninnis became the first coach to lead the club twice. Big man Isaac Humphries and star shooting guard DJ Vasiljevic have also inked long-term deals to stay at the club for the next three seasons. Mike Wells was hired as head coach before the NBL25 season, the club also signing star import point guard Kendric Davis and luring NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell to the club.

Davis would go on to average 25.6 points and 7.8 assists per gameto win the Mark Davis Trophy as the club MVP as well as finishing runner up to Perth's Bryce Cotton for the NBL25 MVP award. With Davis departing for Sydney at the end of the season, Cotton was lured to the club in his place. Arguably the biggest signing in club and league history, Cotton's arrival coincided with Harrell returning as Wells led the team into NBL26.