2022–23 Brisbane Bullets season

The 2022–23 Brisbane Bullets season was the 37th season of the franchise in the National Basketball League (NBL).

2022–23 Brisbane Bullets season
Head coach	Greg Vanderjagt
Captain	Aron Baynes
Arena	Nissan Arena
NBL results
Record	8–20 (28.6%)
Ladder	9th
Finals finish	Did not qualify
Stats at NBL.com.au
Player records
Points	Johnson 15.8
Rebounds	Baynes 7.8
Assists	Sobey 4.7
All statistics correct as of 4 February 2023.
← 2021–22 2023–24 →

On 25 November 2022, James Duncan was released as Bullets' head coach after the team started the season with a 3–6 record and was replaced by Sam Mackinnon on an interim basis.^[1] On 13 December 2022, Greg Vanderjagt was elevated to the Bullets' interim head coach.^[2] Ten days later, he was confirmed as the Bullets' head coach for the rest of the 2022–23 NBL season.^[3]

Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

2022–23 Brisbane Bullets roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age F 0 Mitchell, D. J. 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 106 kg (234 lb) 27 – (1997-03-12)12 March 1997 C 1 Gak, Gorjok 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 102 kg (225 lb) 29 – (1996-01-09)9 January 1996 G 2 Diing, Lual 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 90 kg (198 lb) 26 – (1998-10-05)5 October 1998 F 3 White, Andrew (I) 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 95 kg (209 lb) 31 – (1993-06-16)16 June 1993 G 5 Cadee, Jason  1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 84 kg (185 lb) 33 – (1991-04-15)15 April 1991 F 6 Stattmann, Kody 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 101 kg (223 lb) 24 – (2000-06-09)9 June 2000 G 8 Johnson, Tyler (I) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 88 kg (194 lb) 32 – (1992-05-07)7 May 1992 G 9 Sapwell, Koen 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 83 kg (183 lb) 25 – (1999-03-13)13 March 1999 C 11 Froling, Harry  2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) 123 kg (271 lb) 26 – (1998-04-20)20 April 1998 C 12 Baynes, Aron (C) 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 118 kg (260 lb) 38 – (1986-12-09)9 December 1986 G 17 Krebs, Tanner  1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 95 kg (209 lb) 29 – (1996-01-04)4 January 1996 G 18 Bach, Rasmus 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 84 kg (185 lb) 29 – (1995-07-22)22 July 1995 G 20 Sobey, Nathan 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 82 kg (181 lb) 34 – (1990-07-14)14 July 1990 C 24 Harrison, Tyrell 2.14 m (7 ft 0 in) 115 kg (254 lb) 25 – (1999-07-06)6 July 1999 F 32 Johns, Matt (DP) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 104 kg (229 lb) 25 – (1999-05-26)26 May 1999 G 44 Clarke, Hunter (DP) 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 84 kg (185 lb) 23 – (2001-08-06)6 August 2001	Head coach Greg Vanderjagt Assistant coach(es) Pero Cameron Peter Crawford Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Development player (IN) Inactive (I) Import player (TP) Training player (SRP) Special restricted player (NS) Next Star player Injured Roster Updated: 26 January 2023

Standings

Ladder

Pos	2022–23 NBL season v t e
	Team	Pld	W	L	PCT	Last 5	Streak	Home	Away	PF	PA	PP
1	Sydney Kings	28	19	9	67.86%	2–3	L2	10–4	9–5	2679	2468	108.55%
2	New Zealand Breakers	28	18	10	64.29%	5–0	W5	7–7	11–3	2423	2246	107.88%
3	Cairns Taipans	28	18	10	64.29%	2–3	W1	8–6	10–4	2455	2376	103.32%
4	Tasmania JackJumpers	28	16	12	57.14%	3–2	W2	7–7	9–5	2385	2305	103.47%
5	S.E. Melbourne Phoenix	28	15	13	53.57%	3–2	L1	11–3	4–10	2553	2512	101.63%
6	Perth Wildcats	28	15	13	53.57%	2–3	W1	9–5	6–8	2580	2568	100.47%
7	Melbourne United	28	15	13	53.57%	4–1	W1	8–6	7–7	2434	2424	100.41%
8	Adelaide 36ers	28	13	15	46.43%	2–3	L1	8–6	5–9	2546	2597	98.04%
9	Brisbane Bullets	28	8	20	28.57%	2–3	L3	4–10	4–10	2365	2600	90.96%
10	Illawarra Hawks	28	3	25	10.71%	1–4	L4	2–12	1–13	2261	2585	87.47%

Updated to match(es) played on 5 February 2023. Source: NBL.com.au

The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the overall points percentage will determine order of seeding.

Ladder progression

	Leader and qualification to semifinals
	Qualification to semifinals
	Qualification to play-in games
	Last place

2022–23 NBL season

Team ╲ Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Adelaide 36ers	—	—	7	4	8	8	7	6	6	7	7	7	7	5	8	8	8	8
Brisbane Bullets	9	9	10	9	9	9	9	9	8	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
Cairns Taipans	1	3	4	3	4	3	3	3	3	4	3	4	3	3	2	2	2	3
Illawarra Hawks	7	6	9	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Melbourne United	5	5	6	8	6	6	8	8	9	8	8	8	8	8	6	7	7	7
New Zealand Breakers	6	4	3	2	1	2	2	1	2	2	1	2	2	2	3	3	3	2
Perth Wildcats	2	1	2	5	7	7	5	7	7	6	5	6	5	7	5	5	5	6
S.E. Melbourne Phoenix	4	7	8	7	3	4	4	4	4	3	4	3	4	6	7	6	6	5
Sydney Kings	3	2	1	1	2	1	1	2	1	1	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Tasmania JackJumpers	8	8	5	6	5	5	6	5	5	5	6	5	6	4	4	4	4	4

Updated to match(es) played on 5 February 2023. Source: NBL.com.au

Game log

Pre-season

Main article: 2022 NBL pre-season

2022 pre-season game log Total: 2–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 2–0)
September: 2–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 2–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 8 September @ Melbourne W 77–105 Devondrick Walker (18) Harry Froling (9) D. J. Mitchell (6) Selkirk Stadium 2,000 1–0 2 10 September @ Melbourne W 72–76 Devondrick Walker (17) Gorjok Gak (9) Rasmus Bach (4) Casey Stadium 1,500 2–0

NBL Blitz

2022 NBL Blitz game log Total: 2–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–1)
September: 2–1 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 18 September New Zealand W 81–69 Baynes, Johnson (14) Gorjok Gak (8) Gorjok Gak (6) Darwin Basketball Facility 932 1–0 2 20 September @ Cairns W 76–77 Devondrick Walker (16) Aron Baynes (9) Johnson, Walker (3) Darwin Basketball Facility 660 2–0 3 23 September @ Melbourne L 80–67 Tanner Krebs (21) Harry Froling (7) Bach, Johnson (3) Darwin Basketball Facility 906 2–1

Regular season

2022–23 game log Total: 8–20 (Home: 4–10; Road: 4–10)
October: 2–5 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 2 October @ Perth L 87–73 Devondrick Walker (16) Aron Baynes (7) Jason Cadee (6) RAC Arena 11,083 0–1 2 7 October @ Sydney L 100–90 Baynes, Cadee (16) Aron Baynes (9) Tanner Krebs (5) Qudos Bank Arena 11,478 0–2 3 9 October @ Tasmania L 90–86 (OT) Tyler Johnson (24) Aron Baynes (6) D. J. Mitchell (4) MyState Bank Arena 4,231 0–3 4 16 October Sydney L 85–102 D. J. Mitchell (20) D. J. Mitchell (10) Nathan Sobey (8) Nissan Arena 4,797 0–4 5 22 October @ S.E. Melbourne L 89–88 Jason Cadee (21) Tyrell Harrison (8) Cadee, Sobey (5) John Cain Arena 5,432 0–5 6 24 October @ Illawarra W 56–82 Aron Baynes (17) Aron Baynes (14) Nathan Sobey (7) WIN Entertainment Centre 2,011 1–5 7 27 October Illawarra W 86–61 Nathan Sobey (22) Aron Baynes (14) Nathan Sobey (5) Nissan Arena 2,583 2–5
November: 1–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 8 5 November @ Tasmania W 72–74 Aron Baynes (16) Baynes, Mitchell (9) Nathan Sobey (7) MyState Bank Arena 4,231 3–5 9 19 November Cairns L 82–90 D. J. Mitchell (21) Aron Baynes (11) Tyler Johnson (4) Nissan Arena 4,401 3–6 10 27 November @ New Zealand L 116–79 Tanner Krebs (19) Gorjok Gak (6) Nathan Sobey (10) Spark Arena 3,660 3–7
December: 2–6 (Home: 2–2; Road: 0–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 11 1 December Perth W 106–95 (OT) Nathan Sobey (28) Harry Froling (13) Jason Cadee (8) Nissan Arena 2,427 4–7 12 4 December Tasmania L 84–99 Nathan Sobey (20) Gorjok Gak (9) Cadee, Sobey (5) Nissan Arena 3,811 4–8 13 10 December @ Melbourne L 104–88 Nathan Sobey (24) Gak, Mitchell (6) Jason Cadee (5) John Cain Arena 5,788 4–9 14 14 December @ Cairns L 85–76 Aron Baynes (17) Gorjok Gak (11) Jason Cadee (8) Cairns Convention Centre 3,497 4–10 15 17 December @ Adelaide L 108–77 Jason Cadee (18) Aron Baynes (11) Nathan Sobey (8) Adelaide Entertainment Centre 6,003 4–11 – 21 December New Zealand Postponed (COVID-19)[4] (Makeup date: 4 February)[5] 16 21 December S.E. Melbourne L 77–104 Nathan Sobey (31) Aron Baynes (8) Jason Cadee (7) Nissan Arena 3,375 4–12 17 27 December Perth W 97–93 (OT) Nathan Sobey (30) Aron Baynes (10) Nathan Sobey (9) Nissan Arena 3,737 5–12 18 29 December @ Adelaide L 87–84 Nathan Sobey (24) Aron Baynes (12) Cadee, Froling (3) Adelaide Entertainment Centre 9,263 5–13
January: 3–6 (Home: 1–5; Road: 2–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 19 1 January Melbourne L 86–99 Gorjok Gak (18) Gorjok Gak (13) Nathan Sobey (4) Nissan Arena 4,781 5–14 20 5 January Cairns L 81–107 Tyler Johnson (32) Gorjok Gak (7) Tyler Johnson (4) Nissan Arena 4,258 5–15 21 11 January Sydney L 67–116 Nathan Sobey (14) Aron Baynes (7) Jason Cadee (4) Nissan Arena 4,068 5–16 22 14 January Melbourne L 91–101 Aron Baynes (21) Aron Baynes (11) Nathan Sobey (6) Nissan Arena 4,703 5–17 23 16 January @ S.E. Melbourne W 79–84 Jason Cadee (28) Froling, Mitchell (5) Cadee, Froling, Mitchell (3) State Basketball Centre 3,333 6–17 24 19 January Adelaide W 106–101 (OT) Tyler Johnson (27) Aron Baynes (11) Nathan Sobey (6) Nissan Arena 3,953 7–17 25 21 January @ Illawarra W 86–103 Tyler Johnson (23) Harry Froling (9) Nathan Sobey (6) WIN Entertainment Centre 3,503 8–17 26 26 January New Zealand L 71–99 Tyler Johnson (20) Baynes, Johnson, Sobey (5) Nathan Sobey (8) Nissan Arena 3,636 8–18 27 28 January @ Cairns L 94–87 Nathan Sobey (27) D. J. Mitchell (8) Tyler Johnson (7) Cairns Convention Centre 4,437 8–19
February: 0–1 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record – 4 February S.E. Melbourne Postponed (COVID-19)[4] (Makeup date: 21 December)[5] 28 4 February New Zealand L 75–80 (OT) Aron Baynes (17) D. J. Mitchell (8) Gorjok Gak (4) Nissan Arena 5,253 8–20
2022–23 season schedule

Transactions

Re-signed

Player	Signed
Nathan Sobey[6]	27 April
Tanner Krebs[7]	13 June

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team
Kody Stattmann[8]	27 May	Virginia Cavaliers
Harry Froling[9]	28 May	Illawarra Hawks
D. J. Mitchell[10]	8 June	Basketball Academie Limburg
Lual Diing[11]	20 June	Northside Wizards
Gorjok Gak[12]	6 July	ČEZ Nymburk
Aron Baynes[13]	28 July	Detroit Pistons
Tyler Johnson[14]	30 July	San Antonio Spurs
Devondrick Walker[15]	5 September	Rockingham Flames
Rasmus Bach[16]	7 September	New Zealand Breakers
Matt Johns[17]	15 September	Geelong Supercats
Hunter Clarke[18]	6 October	Willetton Tigers
Koen Sapwell[19]	4 December	S.E. Melbourne Phoenix
Andrew White[20]	11 December	Büyükçekmece Basketbol

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	New team
Anthony Drmic[21]	Mutual option	Adelaide 36ers
Deng Deng[22]	Free agent	Illawarra Hawks
Max Mackinnon[23]	Collage	Elon Phoenix
Robert Franks[24]	Free agent	Adelaide 36ers
Chuanxing Liu[25]	Free agent	Bay Area Dragons
Jack Salt[26]	Free agent	Hawke's Bay Hawks
Lamar Patterson[27]	Free agent	Gold Coast Rollers
Devondrick Walker[28]	Released	N/A

Awards

Club awards

• Players Player: Tyler Johnson
• Members MVP: Tyler Johnson
• St Genevieve Partners Choice Award: Jason Cadee
• Defensive Player of the Year: Aron Baynes
• Youth Player of the Year: Matt Johns
• Narelle Kelly Award: Susannah Walmsley
• Club MVP: Nathan Sobey^[29]

See also

• 2022–23 NBL season
• Brisbane Bullets

References

1. "Club Statement - James Duncan". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
2. "Club Statement - Head Coach NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
3. "Greg Vanderjagt will continue as Head Coach in NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
4. "Bullets Phoenix to Clash in Updated Round 12 Schedule". NBL.com.au | NBL. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
5. "NBL Announces Schedule Changes". NBL.com.au | NBL. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
6. "Sobey Re-Signs with Brisbane | NBL". NBL.com.au. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
7. "Tanner Krebs re-signs with Brisbane for NBL23 | Bullets". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
8. "Brisbane Bullets sign Kody Stattmann for NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
9. "Harry Froling returns to Brisbane in NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
10. "Bullets Add Son of a Gun DJ Mitchell". NBL.com.au | NBL. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
11. "Bullets sign Lual Diing as Development Player". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
12. "Gorjok Gak Signs with Bullets". NBL.com.au | NBL. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
13. Brain Windhorst (27 July 2022). "Aron Baynes to play for NBL's Brisbane Bullets with goal of returning to NBA". ESPN.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
14. "Bullets Add "Exciting" Import". NBL.com.au | NBL. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
15. "Devondrick Walker locked in for NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
16. "Bullets add Rasmus Bach as Nominated Replacement Player". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
17. "Bullets sign Development Player Matt Johns". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
18. "Hunter Clarke added as a Development Player for NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
19. "Koen Sapwell signs on as Replacement Player". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
20. "Bullets sign Andrew White III". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
21. "The Adelaide 36ers are pleased to announce Anthony Drmic's return to the Club". Adelaide36ers.com. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
22. "Deng Deng returns to Hawks' nest". Hawks.com.au. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
23. @brisbanebullets (6 June 2022). "Congratulations to @maxxmackinnon who is heading stateside to play college ball! 🙌". Retrieved 6 June 2022 – via Instagram.
24. "Adelaide 36ers secure the signature of Robert Franks". Adelaide36ers.com. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
25. "Big Liu among first 10 recruits for Bay Area Dragons in EASL". Washington Post. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
26. ""Hawks load up roster with Champion big man Jack Salt."". hawks.org.nz. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
27. "Lamar Patterson". NBL1.com.au. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
28. "Bullets Make Roster Move As Import Released". NBL.com.au | NBL. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
29. "Nathan Sobey named Leroy Loggins MVP for NBL23". BrisbaneBullets.com.au. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.

External links

• Official Website