Lights-out shooter, turned recruiter

DJ Vasiljevic has been putting in the work this off-season. From NBL1 to Boomers camp, it’s been non-stop since Adelaide’s season ended in February. 

Perhaps the star guard's best work has come off the floor though, with the 27-year-old pursuing a five-month recruitment pitch to reunite with a former championship teammate.

This week, the 36ers announced Jarell Martin, a championship winner with the Sydney Kings in 2022, will be joining the team on a one year-deal, and while coach Scott Ninnis and GM of Basketball Matt Weston have done a power of work to get him across the line, Vasiljevic has also played a key role. 

“I’ve been on Jarell’s case to come back since the middle of March,” he told NBL Media.

“I just kept at him all the time, because I think he’s a perfect fit for this team and he’s already shown how dominant he can be previously.”

Vasiljevic and Martin won their title together in Sydney, when they swept the Tasmania JackJumpers 3-0 in the Championship Series of NBL22.

While Xavier Cooks claimed the Larry Sengstock Medal in that series, Martin wasn’t far behind, putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds per game, whilst shooting the three at 60 per cent.

“The main reason I’ve been trying to bring him back and play with him again is because I trust the player and person that he is,” Vasiljevic said.

“He is one of the toughest competitors I’ve ever seen and he just wants to win at all costs.

“Right before game three of the finals, he told us he wasn’t playing a game four of five. He was getting it done that night, because he was flying out the next morning.”

Martin had 22 points and 17 rebounds in the series-clinching win and true to his word, flew home a champion the very next day.

“Who doesn’t want to play with a guy who has the type of intensity, grit and someone you know will do whatever it takes to win?,” Vasiljevic added.

Martin slots right into the opening power-forward spot for the 36ers and now gives them versatility in that position as well. The signing gives Adelaide one of the biggest front-courts in the league, with both him and Isaac Humphries at 6’9”.

Martin, who played as the Kings' center during the championship season, is more unique than the traditional big man, because of his ability to put the ball on the floor and blow past defenders.

“He’s really a guard trapped in a big's body,” Vasiljevic said.

“He can shoot the three, he can dribble like a guard, he can defend and people also seem to forget how athletic he is.

“We are getting the entire package with him.”

Throughout this off-season, Ninnis was open about the type of pieces he was looking for to complement the returning core, but also that patience would be key in getting it right.

“We have had an exhaustive approach in the off-season, especially with the imports,” he said.

“If you saw my whiteboard over the last few months, there’s been hundreds of names on there we spoke to a number of those guys, but couldn’t be happier to have settled on Jarell.

“I was fairly adamant that I didn’t want two imports without prior NBL experience. He (Martin) has the familiarity with the league already. He’s won a championship and played really well in finals, we know the type of player we are getting.”

With their roster now complete, Adelaide turns its attention to pre-season and with the majority of players in town, Ninnis believes his team is ahead of the curve.

“I think we are probably in better shape than a lot of teams at this point,” he said.

“We have eight of our 11 guys here. Obviously Sunday (Dech) is playing with South Sudan, we just have the two imports to come and we will get them here as quickly as possible.”

With their new import point guard Kendric Davis ready to make his mark, the 36ers' starting five could be one of the most electrifying in the league.

“We have some serious firepower in our starting unit. I think Sunday (Dech) could be the perfect fit at the small forward to round us out, and don’t be surprised when he’s competing for defensive player of the year,” Vasiljevic noted.

“When you look around the rest of the league right now, our starting unit is right up there with anyone. When people talk about Perth, Melbourne United, Sydney Kings ... well, the Adelaide 36ers are in there too.”

It officially tips off for the Adelaide 36ers on September 22 in Perth, as part of HoopsFest. Their opening round matchup will be somewhat of a reunion for Vasiljevic and Martin, as they take on the Sydney Kings.

“Adelaide fans should be excited to see us hit the floor when the season begins. They were still packing out every game when we weren’t producing the results we wanted. Then there was a moment where we seemed to turn it all around and I hope that excites them for what we can do this year,” Vasiljevic added.

“We have all the pieces to compete for a championship.”