Adelaide players in "state of shock"

Just three weeks out from their first official pre-season game, Adelaide’s players were left in “shock” by the dismissal of head coach Scott Ninnis.

The man who led a previously struggling team to a promising end to the NBL24 campaign was released from his role, with experienced American coach Mike Wells quickly ushered into the main job.

It comes a little eight months since previous head coach CJ Bruton parted ways with the club.

“The players were informed this morning and they are in a state of shock,” ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported on The Marketplace.

“There is a practice this morning and some players do not know whether to take part in it.”

Former MVP Derek Rucker said it was a bitter blow to the team, with so much preparation already done, and just over a month until Round 1 at HoopsFest in Perth.

“For those who believed in Scott Ninnis and enjoyed playing under him, this is a kick in the guts,” Rucker said.

“They’re going to be thinking ’how do I process what I’m feeling and still try and get on with my job as a professional?’.

“We all get over it, but it’s going to take differing amounts of time for different players.”

Rucker said the 36ers had the leadership amongst their playing group to overcome a significant challenge.

“It’s on (Isaac) Humphries, (Dejan) Vasiljevic, (Jason) Cadee and (Sunday) Dech to kind of rally that group and understand, this is what it is, ‘we’ve got to go forward, we’ve got to get to work’ and there’s enough talent there to make this season somewhat special,” he said.

“The priority for this management now and these decision-makers is to build the chemistry with the players, to continue to foster stability,” Uluc added.

“This is a decision that has upset some people, naturally, so whatever the basketball outcomes are here, the priority for these decision-makers is to show that these players know this is a stable organisation, because on its face, it doesn’t appear that way.”