Changing of the Guard at New-Look Phoenix

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

South East Melbourne Phoenix assistant coach Sam Mackinnon says it was tough for the club to part ways with Kyle Adnam.

Professional sport can be a brutal business, and after four seasons representing South East Melbourne NBL veteran Kyle Adnam has found himself left in the cold light of free agency.

Following his departure from the Phoenix, while representing NZNBL club Wellington, reports have linked the point guard with a move to Romanian side BC CSU Sibiu.

Adnam’s departure – along with Dane Pineau and former head coach Simon Mitchell – represents a changing of the guard at the Phoenix.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are happy to announce the signing of <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleAdnam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KyleAdnam</a> with BC CSU Sibiu in Romania. Last season Sibiu made it to the semi-finals of Romanian league & will play FIBA Europe Cup qualifications. Kyle is currently averaging 18ppg & 8apg for <a href="https://twitter.com/saintswgtn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@saintswgtn</a> in New Zealand. <a href="https://t.co/O8Q2HEsZHB">pic.twitter.com/O8Q2HEsZHB</a></p>— Almir Smajic (@RisingStarsSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/RisingStarsSA/status/1676896494656389120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Mitch Creek is now the only remaining player at the club from the side’s inaugural roster.

“It’s always difficult,” assistant coach Sam Mackinnon said. “It’s a part of professional sport – whether it be players, coaches, GMs – it’s part of the workings of the NBL.

“First and foremost, I think Kyle should be proud of what he did at the Phoenix. He was captain for several years and he led the team well.

“Mike and Tommy (head coach Mike Kelly and CEO Tommy Greer) have a vision for what we want to be as a club – they’ve set that – and we’re currently recruiting players to those parameters.”

Mackinnon may be a new face at the Phoenix, but he’s far from unfamiliar with South East Melbourne.

The former NBL MVP won his first career title as a member of the South East Melbourne Magic in 1996, incidentally alongside Kelly, and has returned to a more boots on the ground role with his new club.

The former Brisbane GM of Basketball says while it’s still early days, he’s excited to be back on the coaching floor.

“It’s a little quiet at the moment with so many of the players away, but I got down here and ran a mini-camp with our development players, potential roster players, and some potential nominated replacement players,’ he said.

“It was three days on the floor working guys out and trying to help them.

“You’d like to sign every single one of them to the roster, but you can’t do that – so I’ve just really enjoyed being on the floor coaching and trying to help everyone get better.

“Clearly you have a priority of trying to make the Phoenix better first and foremost, but these guys are anywhere from 18-26 and I just love helping them try to improve.

“If that happened then I’ve done my job.”

South East Melbourne will play in the opening game of the NBL season when they take on local rivals Melbourne United on Thursday, September 28.