BIO: Deng Adel was born in Juba under what is now South Sudan.

As a youth, he, his mother and five siblings fled war-torn Sudan and moved to Uganda to set up a move to Australia when Deng was 8 years of age.

He settled in Melbourne in 2004 and lived in the suburbs of Fitzroy and Sunshine.

Basketball only came into Adel’s life when his friends introduced him to it as a 14-year-old.

From there, he began playing locally for the Sunshine Longhorns, and in 2012, he joined the Waverley Falcons’ Big V team.

Growing up, Adel also played soccer and ran track.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Deng Adel made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 23 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

In April 2020, the Hawks’ season began with uncertainty as the club entered voluntary administration. By May, creditors voted to liquidate the Hawks, but the NBL committed to keeping the team alive. On 17 June 2020, the NBL announced that the club license was awarded to Dorry Kordahi, Bryan Colangelo, and Michael Proctor.

Under the new ownership agreement, the team was renamed “The Hawks” in an effort to broaden its appeal across New South Wales. Shortly after, the Hawks secured Brian Goorjian, a legendary Australian basketball coach, as their head coach. With all previous player contracts voided, only Sam Froling and Emmett Naar returned from the previous season’s roster, while the new ownership embarked on building a nearly new squad.

Deng Adel was among the first signings, joining after a stint with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Cam Bairstow, returning to Australia following a season in Lithuania cut short by COVID-19, also signed on. Both players were members of the Australian Boomers national squad. The team further added Next Star Justinian Jessup, signed on a two-year deal, and imports Tyler Harvey and Justin Simon, who became the focal points of the team’s offense and defense, respectively.

The Hawks’ season began amid significant off-court drama. Fan-favorite veterans AJ Ogilvy and Tim Coenraad, key players from prior seasons, were initially left out of the roster but later rejoined as injury replacements. Additionally, a public outcry for reinstating “Illawarra” in the team’s name dominated headlines in Wollongong, overshadowing the Hawks’ impressive 4-0 start to the season.

In early February, after a successful membership and corporate support campaign by the new ownership group, the NBL reinstated the “Illawarra” name just ahead of the club’s first home game.

Injuries plagued the Hawks throughout the season. Cam Bairstow was ruled out for the rest of the year after missing nine games with a hip issue, while Daniel Grida ruptured his ACL in state league play. Deng Adel (5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2 assists), who struggled to find his footing in the NBL, requested a release from his contract midseason to focus on preserving his NBA aspirations.

Despite these setbacks, the Hawks rallied late in the season, winning eight of their final 10 games from Round 16 onward to secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2017. Scoring was a challenge for Illawarra, whose points per game average dropped from 90.5 in the first 10 games to 81.5 by season’s end—the lowest in the league. Only four players averaged double-digit scoring: Tyler Harvey (20 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals), Justinian Jessup (13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 steals), Cam Bairstow (11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), and Sam Froling (11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks). The Hawks also recorded the league’s worst field goal percentage (42.5%), including 47.8% from two-point range and 33.2% from deep, along with a free throw percentage of 69.4%.

Despite offensive struggles, Illawarra never fell below fifth place during the season and finished third with a 20-16 record. The Hawks advanced to their first playoff appearance in four years, facing defending champions Perth in the semifinals. During the regular season, Illawarra managed one victory against Perth, a two-point win in Round 21, while their other meetings ended in double-digit losses.

In the semifinal series, the Hawks claimed Game 1 by two points but fell in Games 2 and 3, each by eight-point margins, ending their postseason run.

BRISBANE BULLETS
2024/25
Head coach Justin Schueller entered his second season with a renewed roster focused on returning to playoff contention. Brisbane’s offseason began with the surprise jettisoning of face of the franchise Nathan Sobey, who had been with the club for seven seasons. Despite delivering one of the best years of his career in NBL24.

“Really this decision wasn’t about Nathan, but how we can continue to move forward as a club and build a true contender,” Schueller said. “We needed to lean more into our culture and bring in winners who can help us grow. We can’t shy away from Nathan’s production, but we also know there’s other areas we must improve if we want to win a championship.”

Alongside Sobey, Brisbane also farewelled Aron Baynes (retired), Chris Smith (to Japan), Shannon Scott (to Taiwan), and DJ Mitchell (to England). Mitch Norton was elevated to captain in Sobey’s absence, and the club re-signed Isaac White, Norton, Tyrell Harrison, and import forward Casey Prather. Young forward Josh Bannan also returned for his second NBL season. To refresh the squad, Brisbane added high-scoring import duo James Batemon and dynamic wing Keandre Cook. Former NBA forward Deng Adel was handed another opportunity in the NBL, joining Brisbane after a prior stint with Illawarra, while Tohi Smith-Milner arrived via Adelaide to strengthen the frontcourt. Development players Kye Savage, Tristan Devers, and Josh Kunen rounded out the roster.

Adel signed a one-year deal and was unveiled with high expectations. “We had a clear focus to bring in more athleticism and versatility to our roster and Deng is the perfect player to help us in these areas,” Schueller said upon his signing. “He is a talent of the highest level, and we are excited to welcome him back to the NBL.”

Brisbane opened the season with early promise but inconsistency soon followed. The team suffered back-to-back road losses to New Zealand and Illawarra before claiming their first victory over South East Melbourne, a game where Tyrell Harrison starred with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Adel initially found a role providing athleticism off the bench, posting 14 points against Illawarra early in the season and showing flashes of the defensive versatility Brisbane hoped for.

The highlight of Brisbane’s season came on November 17 when James Batemon exploded for 51 points against Perth, propelling the Bullets to a 105–84 home victory and injecting life into their playoff aspirations. However, injuries soon turned momentum against the club.

By mid-December, James Batemon went down with a season-ending hamstring injury. The blows continued as Jarred Bairstow (ankle), Josh Bannan (concussion), Sam McDaniel (shoulder), and Tyrell Harrison (concussion) all missed chunks of January. Deng Adel, meanwhile, managed only 10 games for the season after being ruled out for a month in late January with a groin injury, following earlier hand issues that hampered his consistency.

Brisbane’s injury crisis peaked in mid-January when three players were injured on a slippery Gippsland court. “I don’t know if we can field a side right now,” Schueller admitted following the chaotic night.

To stabilise the roster, Brisbane brought in former JackJumpers guard Josh Adams and ex-Illawarra playmaker Emmett Naar. While Adams produced standout games, including 23 points and 7 rebounds against Melbourne, the Bullets’ playoff hopes continued to slide. After January 1, Brisbane never rose higher than seventh on the ladder.

Despite the adversity, Casey Prather delivered a career-best season, highlighted by a 31-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist effort against New Zealand and a 36-point performance against Adelaide. Josh Adams also provided crucial minutes late in the season, but it was not enough to halt Brisbane’s slide. They finished with a 12–17 record, placing eighth and missing the playoffs.

Deng Adel averaged 4.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists across his limited 10-game campaign. His top performance came in early outings where he scored 14 points against Illawarra and later chipped in 11 points against New Zealand before being sidelined indefinitely. His athleticism remained evident, but persistent injuries ultimately curtailed his impact in Brisbane colours.

Across the broader squad, Casey Prather (21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals) finished third in league scoring and was awarded Club MVP and All-NBL First Team honours. Keandre Cook (16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals) impressed in his NBL debut season, leading the league in steals. James Batemon (15.5 points, 2.8 assists) made headlines with his historic 51-point game before injury. Tyrell Harrison (14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds) led the NBL in rebounding and won the Most Improved Player award. Josh Bannan (13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds) claimed NBL Youth Player of the Year honours.

Captain Mitch Norton (7.4 points and 2.9 assists) appeared in all 29 games, earning both the Bullets’ Defensive Player and Players’ Player awards. Isaac White (6.6 points), Tohi Smith-Milner (5.1 points), Rocco Zikarsky (4.6 points), and Deng Adel (4.7 points) provided valuable depth across the campaign.

Deng Adel played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Illawarra Hawks and the Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 33 NBL games.