The Adelaide 36ers have always maintained their excellence, they have a reputation of being one of the more consistent teams in the league, apart from that awful period of 2006-2012.
In total, since their inception as the Adelaide City Eagles in 1982, they have qualified for playoffs on twenty three of the thirty eight seasons they have been apart of the NBL, an admirable ledger. It will be hard, but this list is going to include players from different eras to keep the system honest and allow balance in positioning and personnel.
Along with a great history on the court comes great players, today I thought it would be fun to look at the host of players throughout the years, and decipher the ideal starting five to take the court in a hypothetical Grand Final series. Going back to the 1980’s, it was all about the likes of Mark Davis and “Mean” Al Green.
Their athleticism, dunking prowess and the fact they both won championships, Davis notching three championships and Green winning it all in 1986 means they are both instant selections for me.
Al Green is still remembered fondly for his efforts in the mid-eighties for the 36ers. He is in the NBL Hall of Fame of course, he was a big part of Adelaide’s inaugural title in 1986 under Ken Cole.
He was also named as to the NBL first team in 1985 and became the first player to score 3,000 points in the league that same year, although he did also play for the West Adelaide Bearcats. I believe his efforts for the 36ers is enough to earn a spot in the all-time five.
Mark Davis is obvious, he was one of the greatest players in NBL history. Three championships, one Grand Final MVP, one league MVP and five all NBL first-teams puts him into elite category. Without any shadow of doubt, he is in.
The golden era for the 36ers came in the late 1990’s when they achieved back-to-back championships under favourite son Phil Smyth. The list of players throughout that time all stake claims for entry into the starting five. Brett Maher, Darnell Mee, Kevin Brooks and Martin Cattalini would all be worthy inclusions, but unfortunately not all could find their way in.
Brett Maher, along with Mark Davis, is one you could not possibly exclude. He played his entire professional domestic career at the Sixers from 1992-2009.
Maher’s career included 525 games, most of those as the captain, thirteen playoff series, four Grand Final series for three championships, two Grand Final MVPs, three NBL first-teams and six times club MVP. For mine, he narrowly beats Mark Davis as the single greatest 36er of all time. He is not only in, he is also the captain of the all-time five.
Darnell Mee is one that would struggle avoiding selection, he was a part of the squad that went back-to-back. He was awarded best defensive player three times as a Sixer, as well as an NBL first team. It is hard not to include Kevin Brooks, but to add some balance in terms of positions, Darnell beats him by a whisker.
Who gets the fifth and final spot? This one may very well cause a few divided opinions for a number of reasons. A part from the 2001/02 championship, the 2000’s era hasn’t been the greatest time for 36ers fans, we have had some great players, but rarely have we had completely outstanding A-Grade talent, with the exception of a few. It was a toss up between Daniel Johnson, Jerome Randle and Mitchell Creek for the final spot.
Jerome Randle set the Australian Basketball world on fire during his time at the 36ers and Kings, winning the league MVP and NBL first-team twice at the 36ers. But in my opinion, despite how good he was, his limited time in South Australia means he just misses out.
Perhaps if the 36ers had beaten Illawarra in the Semi-Final of 2016/17 and won a championship… things may have been different.
Daniel Johnson is an interesting one, it seems the Adelaide fans recognise his work, but he is mostly underrated away from SA. He has however, been award Most Improved Player and won three NBL first-team selections as well as holding the captaincy for the past two seasons… but again, I just don’t think he has done enough to be in the ultimate five.
For mine, Mitch Creek is the final selection. Although he has never been selected in the NBL first-team, the service he has given Adelaide will be forever praised. He played eight seasons at the 36ers, he was the captain for one season and averaged 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in his career best season of 2014/15.
He has since become an NBA player and now returns to the NBL to be a part of the inaugural South East Melbourne Phoenix outfit. He is one of the hardest working individuals the club has seen and he is deserving of the final spot.
Last but not least… the coach! The only three coaches you could legitimately put into the conversation are Ken Cole, Joey Wright and Phil Smyth. Joey Wright has been fantastic for the Sixers, reaching the playoffs numerous times including two Grand Final series, but he has still failed to deliver a championship.
Ken Cole will always hold a special place in the history of the 36ers, he is the first ever championship coach. But, having said that… I believe the coach for the all-time 36ers team has to be the one and only Phil Smyth. He is the longest serving coach, his playing career with Adelaide was too short to warrant entry as a player, but with three championships as a coach, he simply has to be the man.
It is an interesting conversation, and not all opinions will align. Having so many great players over time makes the starting five all-the-more difficult but a starting five of Al Green, Brett Maher, Darnell Mee, Mark Davis and Mitch Creek is what it all comes down to in my book.