No Complacency: Bullish Bruce Eyes Off Threepeat

Shaun Bruce is among a select crop of Sydney players gunning for their third consecutive title. Imports, role players and stars have come and gone over the past two seasons, but Bruce’s impact off the bench has been a constant for the Kings.

Such has been Bruce’s impact in a Kings jersey that he has become synonymous with the back-to-back reigning champions, however he had spent almost a decade in the NBL system prior to landing in Sydney.

He says while he did have offers to move elsewhere ahead of NBL23, he couldn’t see himself anywhere other than the Kings organisation.

<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/0bLkeufKBxvqoNuEBiAqAM?utm_source=generator&theme=0" width="100%" height="152" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe>

“I was a free agent after the first one and obviously offers came in,” Bruce said on the BQ No Offense Podcast.

“So many guys don’t get the chance to win a championship, not many guys get to run it back and try to go back-to-back. Now to be in a position where we’re playing for a threepeat is just a new challenge.  

“It’s such a cool thing to be a part of … for a long time I didn’t think I’d win a championship. To now have two and have the chance to go for three, I’m really excited.”

While many may point to that NBL22 season as the beginning of a new era of success for the Kings, Bruce believes the foundations of the club’s success were laid years before.

The 32-year-old arrived at the club two years before that drought-breaking title of two seasons ago, surrounded by stars of Australian basketball.

Andrew Bogut and Brad Newley arrived the season before Bruce, while Jerome Randle’s departure following the culmination of the 2018-19 season opened the door for Casper Ware to join the side.

“When I had signed there, two days later Casper Ware had moved over from Melbourne,” Bruce reflected.

“That actually got announced just before me.

“Andrew Bogut was already there and the league MVP from the year before, Casper was a top three player in the league. That was probably a good stepping-stone for us to do some good things.

“I didn’t really know what role I was going to fill, I didn’t have anything promised to me at that stage, but I just knew I wanted to be a part of it.

“I think we had everything we needed to win a championship. Obviously that year played out how it did, but I was really excited.”

There is almost certainly some fatigue among opposition fans at the Kings’ strength over the past two seasons, but according to Bruce the new crop of Sydney stars is priming itself for another tilt at the title.

A pair of key pillars in both triumphs – head coach Chase Buford and reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks – have departed the club, but new head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah is already pulling together another scarily competitive looking team for the new season.

“You have that high moment, and from there it’s motivating again,” Bruce said of the lack of championship hangover.

“You want to get back there.

“I don’t know how complacency really sets in after championships, because that feeling of winning is amazing.

“Now we just want to go and do it again.”

Sydney’s opening game of NBL24 will come against local rivals Illawarra on Saturday, September 30.