"Competitive beast" hits magical milestone

The more things change, the more they stay the same for Brisbane Bullets captain Mitch Norton, as he prepares to play his 350th NBL game on Thursday night. 

He’s still the same tenacious and hard-nosed point guard that he was back when he was an 18-year-old, who became the youngest ever captain of the Townsville Crocodiles.

It’s been 13 years since he debuted for his hometown and in that time, Norton has added two championships, a Commonwealth Games and FIBA Asia Cup gold medal, a few broken bones and an infinite number of stitches and bruises.

When you think of the type of player Norton is, there’s only one comparison that truly stands out in terms of the intangibles he brought to the teams he was on – and that’s Damian Martin.

“Norto has been one of my favourite teammates to play alongside,” Martin said.

“That’s for many reasons, but none more so than his consistency as a person and as a player.

“He is a genuinely kind, caring, funny guy who will always put others before himself.”

For Norton, it’s a chance to look back on the incredible impact he’s had through 349 career games, albeit with his focus firmly on helping his team win their next game.

“It does give you a chance to reflect a little bit,” Norton said.

“You get text messages from past coaches and teammates leading up to the game, which is really cool to hear from them.

"It probably won't be until after the game when I'll actually get to sit down and really think about the journey that I've been through, and it is crazy to think I've played that many games.”

Norton at the Townsville Crocodiles.

From the Crocodiles to the Illawarra Hawks, to the Perth Wildcats and then to Brisbane, Norton’s impact on every team goes far beyond anything statistics could show.

After Martin retired, Norton moved into the starting point guard for the Wildcats and it was quickly evident that him and his former teammate shared similarities in the way they carried themselves.

Norton was inspirational in the 2021 Championship Series, fighting through a hip injury that would have likely sidelined most other players not named Damian Martin.

“He’s a competitive beast. He does whatever it takes to win, regardless of the physical toll it takes on his body ... he just always puts his teammates first,” Martin said.

“To have him compared to me is a compliment to me.”

“Although he looks like a wombat and has way less career dunks than me,” Martin laughed.

Brisbane hosts Melbourne United on Thursday night at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, with tip-off from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.

Norton and Martin embrace at the Wildcats.