Kings' champions emotional homecoming

With Sydney set to host the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Friday night, Derek Rucker says a couple of ex Kings will have this game circled in the calendar. 

Angus Glover and Jordan Hunter won back-to-back championships with the club in NBL22 and NBL23, but would love nothing more than to knock off their old team. 

Tom Vodanovich was also part of the Kings' championship-winning roster in NBL22.

“Once they walk through those doors at Qudos Bank Arena and the juices start flowing, I expect high emotion from Glover and from Hunter,” Rucker said on NBL Now.

“These emotions are so strange and I’m sure Jordy and Angus have a certain feeling about the Sydney Kings that may not be the most positive.”

Both players were key contributors in the Kings' success, before choosing to join the Phoenix in free agency last off-season.

“We heard all types of rumours about why Jordan Hunter didn’t re-sign there,” Rucker continued.

“Then obviously Angus Glover fell out of favour about halfway through the season and was banished, which was one of the craziest moves of the past five years in the NBL.”

Glover is coming off his best game for his new club, after being thrown into the starting lineup and scoring 17 points in their big win over Perth.

Hunter on the other hand, has been a consistent and important piece for the Phoenix through eight rounds and will be heavily relied upon once again come Friday night.

“They are playing good basketball,” Rucker added.

“Maybe some of that animosity and that anger they have towards the Kings has been alleviated and they’re just really locked in and focused.”

All eyes will be on the former Kings champions and how they look to respond on Friday night.

“I think they understand what needs to be done, but you know they want to kick the Kings’ arse super bad.”

Catch Sydney and the Phoenix from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.