Prather has 'point to prove'

The Brisbane Bullets have taken some huge steps off the court ahead of NBL25, and now they have aspirations of a similar climb up the NBL ladder.

A new high-performance facility in South Brisbane has the Bullets operating in an elite training environment, while a move to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for games is a return to the club’s famed championship years.

It’s now over to the players and coaches to take Brisbane back to the Finals for the first time since 2019. 

“Everybody has something to prove,” star import and three-time NBL champion Casey Prather told the club’s website. 

“Everyone wants to get better, and everyone wants to win on this team. It’s very exciting to see, especially at this early stage of the season.”

The Bullets finished seventh in NBL24, just missing the Finals under first-year coach Justin Schueller.

They’ve undergone a significant roster transformation in the off-season, with the departures of Nathan Sobey, Shannon Scott and Chris Smith.

In come the likes of James Batemon, Keandre Cook, Deng Adel and JackJumpers championship player Jarred Bairstow. 

Prather is more-or-less a new recruit too, having played just 14 minutes a game in his seven appearances late last season. 

The 33-year-old says he’s fighting fit and loving life in Australia with his wife and new-born son.

“It was just a blessing to come out here kind of early and I'm glad we'd made the decision. Just being able to see my son grow out here is a blessing. My wife is really loving it out here too,” Prather said. 

“Staying out here was great for me and my family just because I was able to get out here and get some rehab, work on my knee, work on getting back in game shape.”

The Bullets’ pre-season campaign tips off on August 23 against the Shanghai Sharks at Nissan Arena and Prather says he and his teammates simply can’t wait to get started.

“You know, if I have to put things into one word, I'll just say hungry,” he added.

“Everybody's coming to practice from day one. Getting out there and competing, eager to learn the plays, eager to get better.”

READ THE FULL STORY HERE >> Prather “Hungry” ahead of NBL25