BIO: Anthony Drmic was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Dandenong basketball program. Drmic holds a Croatian passport. Drmic received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2009. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (2009, 2010, 2011).

FAMILY: Anthony’s brother, Frank Drmic also played 255 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Anthony Drmic made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 24 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

On 5 May 2016, Drmic signed a two-year deal with the Adelaide 36ers. Drmic appeared in 27 games for the 36ers during the 2016/17 regular season and played a important role off the bench, averaging 14 minutes per game. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, connecting on 45.2 percent of his field goal attempts. He led all rookies in scoring and rebounding, and as a result, he was named the recipient of the NBL Rookie of the Year Award. He became the fourth 36ers player to win the award, joining Mike McKay (1985), Chris Blakemore (1993) and Aaron Bruce (2009).

2017/18
With the 36ers proving their capability to compete for a championship, coach Joey Wright secured all eight core Australian players (Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Hodgson, Brendan Teys, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, and Adam Doyle) from the 2016-17 roster for another season. However, star import Jerome Randle, who reportedly asked for $300k per season, a figure beyond what Adelaide or other NBL teams could afford, chose to play in Turkey with Bahçeşehir. Adelaide replaced him with experienced guard Shannon Shorter.

Philadelphian shooting guard Ramone Moore and athletic forward Ronald Roberts were brought in as the team’s other two imports, finalising the roster.

In September 2017, the 36ers competed in the Merlion Cup in Singapore, going undefeated and defeating the Shanghai Sharks in the final to win the 2017 Merlion Cup Championship.

Adelaide faced import challenges early on. Ronald Roberts was released just before the season, citing a knee injury, although Roberts later said he was “100 percent fine.” His replacement, veteran forward Alan Wiggins, broke his arm in his NBL debut and required surgery. Former Sydney Kings star Josh Childress was brought in as Wiggins’ replacement.

Despite the import changes, Adelaide impressed early on the road but struggled with consistency, winning only half of their first 16 games. Midway through the season, Randle, who had left Turkey after salary issues, expressed interest in rejoining the 36ers. However, with the roster already set, he signed with the Sydney Kings instead.

Injuries soon took their toll. Creek was ruled out for three weeks in December 2017 due to a hamstring injury, and Drmic (6.6 points and 2.7 rebounds) was sidelined for three weeks after suffering a medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee.

Adelaide’s fortunes shifted after a 19-point home loss to the Cairns Taipans on Christmas Eve. They won 10 of their last 12 games, including a seven-game winning streak, securing second place at the end of the regular season.

In the semifinals, Adelaide dominated Perth, winning game one 109-74, the second-biggest finals loss in Wildcats history, and edging out Perth 89-88 in game two. Josh Childress was outstanding, scoring 22 points in game one and 25 points with 10 rebounds in game two.

Adelaide then faced Melbourne United in the Grand Final series. Game one saw Melbourne’s Casper Ware dominate with 20 points in the first half before an injury sidelined him. Chris Goulding stepped up with 26 points to lead Melbourne to a 107-96 victory. Daniel Johnson (18 points) and Mitch Creek (14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists) led Adelaide.

In game two, Adelaide responded with a 110-95 win, led by Majok Deng (18 points), Mitch Creek (17 points), and Ramone Moore (17 points). However, Childress suffered a shoulder injury, ruling him out for the remainder of the series.

Game three in Melbourne saw tensions flare, with Nathan Sobey ejected after a scuffle with Casey Prather. Melbourne narrowly won 101-98, thanks to Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points), and Goulding (15 points).

Adelaide forced a game five after a dominant 90-81 win in game four, led by Johnson (29 points, 10 rebounds) and Sobey (16 points). However, in the decider, Melbourne’s Goulding, Ware, and Prather proved too strong, winning 100-82 to claim the title. Shorter (20 points) led Adelaide, while Goulding was named Finals MVP, and Prather secured his third consecutive NBL championship.

2018/19
Anthony Drmic returned for the 2018/19 NBL season with the Adelaide 36ers after a solid campaign the previous year. With the team undergoing a significant roster overhaul following the departure of key players like Mitch Creek, Shannon Shorter, and Josh Childress, Drmic was expected to play a key role alongside core returning members such as Daniel Johnson, Nathan Sobey, and Majok Deng.

Adelaide entered the season aiming to build on their near-championship finish in 2017/18, but they faced challenges from the outset. Creek’s departure to pursue his NBA dream and other notable exits pushed the 36ers into a rebuilding phase. To fill these gaps, the team signed import Jacob Wiley (via Germany), point guard Adris De León (via Gold Coast), and young prospects Harry Froling and Jack McVeigh. However, it was the returning players like Drmic who were relied upon for consistency and leadership.

Adelaide began the season with a loss to Perth (99–91) at home in Round 1. However, they bounced back with a win against the Sydney Kings (94–83) on the road in their next game. In Round 3, Sobey delivered one of the standout moments of the season when he recorded a triple-double (22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists) in the 36ers’ win over Cairns (91–83).

Adelaide then fell into a string of four consecutive losses, beginning with a loss to New Zealand (114–94) and culminating in a narrow defeat to Brisbane (93–90) in Round 4. Key injuries, including a calf injury to Ramone Moore, further disrupted their momentum. An ultimatum was delivered to Adris De León: if the team couldn’t turn things around with a win over Sydney in their next game, roster changes would be made. Despite De León’s efforts—11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in 25 minutes—Adelaide suffered their fourth consecutive loss, falling to the Kings by 12 points. As a result, De León (7.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) was released, and former Illawarra import Demitrius Conger was brought in to replace him. With Moore still sidelined, Adelaide also signed Shaun Bruce, who had been unsigned after three seasons in Cairns, to help bolster the backcourt for the remainder of the season.

The team’s inconsistency persisted. After back-to-back wins against Cairns (109–95) and Illawarra (120–109) in Round 7, Adelaide suffered a close loss to Illawarra at home (86–87). A victory over Brisbane (101–91) in Round 9 was followed by another defeat to Illawarra (90–93).

The 36ers finally found some rhythm in Round 14, winning four consecutive games, including a crucial victory over Perth (97–84) and a dominant win against Sydney (119–99). However, their inconsistency resurfaced, with Melbourne delivering Adelaide their worst loss of the season in Round 16 (114–91), followed by a loss to Brisbane in overtime in Round 17 (98–87 OT).

Despite the challenges, Anthony Drmic (9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) delivered a solid season for Adelaide. His standout performances included a 20-point, 4-rebound, and 2-assist game in a loss to Melbourne (10 Feb 2019), an 18-point, 8-rebound, and 4-steal effort against Perth (15 Feb 2019), and an 18-point, 5-rebound, and 1-assist game in a victory over Brisbane (1 Nov 2018). Other notable games included 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals against Illawarra (17 Nov 2018).

Alongside Drmic, Adelaide was led offensively by Daniel Johnson (17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists), Jacob Wiley (12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assist), and Demitrius Conger (11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists). Ramone Moore (9.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists) also contributed when he was able to take the court. Harry Froling had a standout year, earning NBL Rookie of the Year honors with his solid production of 7.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Adelaide hovered between fourth and fifth place for most of the second half of the season, before finishing with a 14-14 record, equal with Brisbane, who advanced to the playoffs due to a higher points percentage, bringing Adelaide’s season to an end in fifth place. Despite missing the playoffs, Drmic’s performances throughout the season ensured he remained a key part of Adelaide’s plans for the future.

2019/20
The 2019/20 season saw Drmic average 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists and play a key role in helping the 36ers to a seventh-place finish during the regular season with a 12-16 record.

At the end of his contract, although Drmic intended to re-sign with the 36ers, Adelaide decided they would instead let him pursue offers with other team’s.

BRISBANE BULLETS
2020/21
On 15 July 2020, Anthony Drmic signed a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets, joining a team still trying to establish a strong foundation in its fourth season since re-entering the NBL. The Bullets saw key departures, including Cam Gliddon (to South East Melbourne), Lamar Patterson (to New Zealand), and Will Magnay, who signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA.

Brisbane added rookie Tanner Krebs (St Mary’s – NCAA) and former 36ers player Harry Froling, along with imports Vic Law and Orlando Johnson to strengthen their squad.

The Bullets assembled a high-scoring unit led by Vic Law (18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks) and captain Nathan Sobey (21.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists), both of whom ranked among the league’s top five scorers. Complementing them was a strong local frontcourt of Matthew Hodgson (10.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Harry Froling (8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds), and Tyrell Harrison (5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds), which helped Brisbane finish third in offensive rebounds and second in defensive rebounds league-wide.

A notable performance came in a win over Illawarra (97-91), where Law put up 29 points and 9 rebounds, and Sobey added 18 points and 7 assists. Froling and Hodgson combined for 13 rebounds to help seal the victory.

Other memorable wins for Brisbane included a triumph over ladder-leaders Melbourne (96-88), where Law posted 10 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Hodgson had a season-high 24 points. A victory over Perth (95-92) saw Law (23 points, 5 rebounds) and Sobey (31 points, 4 assists) combine for 54 points to outlast the Wildcats.

Despite their offensive prowess and rebounding dominance, Brisbane (8-8) struggled to find consistency. Orlando Johnson (6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists) was released mid-March after posting underwhelming numbers in 15 games. His release coincided with the return of Lamar Patterson (14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals) from New Zealand after a knee injury limited his performance earlier in the season.

Patterson’s return briefly boosted Brisbane, but an injury to Vic Law sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Without Law, Brisbane lost five of their next seven games, conceding 90 points on average while scoring only 80. This led to the signing of BJ Johnson (10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists) to stop the team’s slide, but the Bullets ended their campaign with an 8-10 record to close out the season.

The Bullets’ worst performance came in round 19 against South East Melbourne, where they were held to 66 points in a 95-66 loss. Sobey was sidelined, and only Drmic (20 points) and Patterson (11 points) managed to score more than six points.

Despite occasional flashes of brilliance, Brisbane finished the season in sixth place with an 18-18 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs.

Anthony Drmic had a solid first season with Brisbane, averaging over 24 minutes per game and contributing 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.

CHAOS. GAME. DRMIC CALLS IT.#NBL22 live on @ESPNAusNZ + @kayosports ???? pic.twitter.com/of1qWzMmJF

— The NBL (@NBL) March 24, 2022

2021/22
After finishing sixth in the previous season, it was announced that Andrej Lemanis would be stepping down as Brisbane Bullets head coach after five years in charge. The club considered assistant coach and former player CJ Bruton for the role but ultimately chose former Sydney Kings assistant James Duncan as their new head coach.

The Bullets needed to retool their roster, with several key players leaving. While import Lamar Patterson returned, Brisbane lost Vic Law to Perth, and BJ Johnson signed an NBA contract with Orlando. Local big men Matt Hodgson (to Perth), Harry Froling (to Illawarra), and development player Callum Dalton (to Melbourne) also departed in search of better opportunities.

Brisbane re-signed Tyrell Harrison and Jason Cadee to two-year deals and bolstered their roster with international signings, including Chuanxing Liu (China), Jack Salt (New Zealand), Deng Deng (South Sudan), Next Star Tom Digbeu (France), and import Robert Franks (USA).

The season opener saw the Bullets lose to the Tasmania JackJumpers in overtime (74-83). Though the defeat didn’t define the season, it set the tone for a campaign filled with narrow losses to top teams.

By the midway point of the season, Brisbane held a 5-9 record, struggling to find consistency, especially with injuries to key players like Harrison (elbow) and star guard Nathan Sobey (knee). Both players missed significant time, with Harrison sidelined for 11 games and Sobey for 16.

Robert Franks emerged as the team’s top scorer, averaging 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across 13 games. He was the leading vote-getter for the Leroy Loggins MVP Award (Club MVP), finishing fifth in the league for points per game. Patterson (16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists) and Sobey (16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) also made valuable contributions, while Jason Cadee (10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists) was the only other player scoring in double figures.

New coach James Duncan initially sought to improve Brisbane’s defensive efforts, and at the beginning of the season, the Bullets showed promise in that area. However, defensive consistency waned, and the team ended the year as the worst defensive unit, conceding an average of 89.3 points per game while leading the league in turnovers, averaging 14.6 per game.

Despite occasional flashes of potential under Duncan’s leadership, Brisbane missed the finals for the third consecutive year, finishing in eighth place with a 10-18 record. Anthony Drmic played in 26 games, contributing 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2022/23
After a challenging NBL22 season, head coach CJ Bruton entered the 2022/23 campaign with renewed optimism, hoping that a full offseason and roster improvements would turn things around for the Adelaide 36ers. The team retained its core players, including captain Mitch McCarron, Anthony Drmic, Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dech, Hyrum Harris, and Kai Sotto. Additionally, Adelaide made significant off-season moves, securing NBL imports Antonius Cleveland from Illawarra and Robert Franks from Brisbane, both on multi-year deals. G-League standout Craig Randall II (Long Island Nets) was also brought in to boost the team’s scoring power.

The season began with high expectations, fueled by a historic preseason victory over the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Adelaide became the first international team to defeat NBA opposition since Turkish club Fenerbahce beat the Nets in 2015. The 36ers also delivered a strong showing against the Oklahoma City Thunder a few days later.

However, things quickly unraveled upon their return to Australia. Despite being touted as championship contenders, Adelaide stumbled to a 3-4 record in their first month.

Randall II (20.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 steals), the team’s leading scorer at the time, was at the center of controversy due to multiple on-court verbal altercations with coach Bruton. After a negative reaction to being moved to the bench during a game, Randall was released just six games into the season.

Following Randall’s departure, Franks (17.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) and Cleveland (15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 steals) took over much of the scoring responsibility, while Johnson (11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) posted his lowest-scoring season in nearly a decade. Adelaide lost six of their final eight games, ending the season without a Play-In spot.

McCarron (7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals) and Drmic (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals) contributed solid performances, while NBL Next Star Kai Sotto (6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds) showed flashes of his potential.

In an attempt to salvage the season, Adelaide brought in former Sydney Kings guard Ian Clark (12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) mid-season, hoping his experience would push them into the playoffs. However, the team continued to struggle, winning just two of their last eight games, which saw them miss out on the postseason.

The preseason victory over the Phoenix Suns may have created unrealistic expectations for the 36ers, who, despite having perhaps the best NBL preseason ever, finished the regular season in eighth place with a 13-18 record.

Anthony Drmic currently plays for the Tasmania JackJumpers and has played 238 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 8.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists since entering the league in 2016.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Tasmania JackJumpers – 1 Year Deal (2024-25)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.