BIO: Robert Franks was born in Seattle, Washington

NBL EXPERIENCE

Robert Franks made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 24 years of age. He scored 19 points in his first game.

After finishing sixth the previous season, Brisbane Bullets faced a major shakeup with the departure of head coach Andrej Lemanis after five years in charge. Although assistant coach and former Bullets player CJ Bruton was considered for the role, the team ultimately hired former Sydney Kings assistant James Duncan as their new head coach.

The Bullets had to rework their roster significantly, starting with the return of import Lamar Patterson. However, they lost key players, including Vic Law to Perth and BJ Johnson, who signed an NBA deal with Orlando. Additionally, local talents Matt Hodgson (to Perth), Harry Froling (to Illawarra), and Callum Dalton (to Melbourne) all left seeking better opportunities.

Brisbane managed to retain Tyrell Harrison and Jason Cadee, both signing two-year deals, while adding an international mix of talent, including Chuanxing Liu (China), Jack Salt (New Zealand), Deng Deng (South Sudan), Next Star Tom Digbeu (France), and import Robert Franks (USA).

The Bullets’ season opener saw them narrowly fall to the Tasmania JackJumpers (74-83) in overtime, setting the tone for what would be a season filled with close losses to the league’s top teams. As the season reached its halfway point, Brisbane’s record stood at 5-9, and injuries to key players Nathan Sobey (knee) and Tyrell Harrison (elbow) derailed their momentum. Both players missed a significant chunk of games—Sobey for 16 and Harrison for 11—leaving the team unable to find a consistent rhythm.

Robert Franks proved to be a standout for the Bullets, averaging 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Franks top-scored in 13 games, including a season-high 31 points in a thrilling one-point win over New Zealand. Despite standing just 201cm, Franks was often deployed as a small-ball center instead of his usual power forward role, shooting 50% from the field and 76% from the free-throw line. His efforts saw him finish fifth in the league for points per game and earn the Bullets’ Leroy Loggins MVP award at the end of the season.

The MVP. Robert Franks. pic.twitter.com/Loh126oIkU

— Brisbane Bullets (@BrisbaneBullets) April 28, 2022

Lamar Patterson (16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists), Nathan Sobey (16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), and Jason Cadee (10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists) were the only other Bullets players to average double figures in scoring.

Head coach James Duncan initially emphasized improving the Bullets’ defense, and early in the season, the team appeared to be making strides in that area. However, their defensive intensity fluctuated as the season wore on, and Brisbane ended the season as the league’s worst defensive team, conceding 89.3 points per game. They also ranked first in turnovers, averaging 14.6 per game.

Despite showing glimpses of potential under Duncan’s leadership, the Bullets missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year, finishing eighth with a 10-18 record.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2022/23
After a difficult NBL22 season, head coach CJ Bruton was optimistic about the 36ers’ future, given the opportunity to prepare with a full offseason. The team retained core players Mitch McCarron (captain), Anthony Drmic, Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dech, Hyrum Harris, and Kai Sotto. Adelaide also made significant offseason moves, securing proven NBL imports Antonius Cleveland (from Illawarra) and Robert Franks (from Brisbane) on multi-year deals, along with G-League standout Craig Randall II (from Long Island Nets) to bolster their firepower.

The season began with much anticipation, as Adelaide made headlines with a historic preseason win over the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, becoming the first overseas team to defeat an NBA opponent since Fenerbahce beat the Nets in 2015. They also put in a strong showing against the Oklahoma City Thunder a few days later.

However, things unraveled quickly. Upon returning to Australia, the 36ers, despite being viewed as early championship favourites, stumbled to a 3-4 record in their first month. During this stretch, Craig Randall II (20.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 steals), who was leading the team in scoring, had multiple verbal altercations with coach Bruton. After a poor response to coming off the bench in one game, he was released just six games into the season.

Despite the disruption, imports Robert Franks (17.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) and Antonius Cleveland (15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 steals) stepped up to carry the offensive load. Meanwhile, longtime stalwart Daniel Johnson (11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) struggled through his lowest-scoring season in almost a decade. Adelaide’s campaign continued to spiral, and they lost six of their final eight games, ultimately failing to make even the Play-In tournament.

Mitch McCarron (7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals) and Anthony Drmic (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) contributed solid numbers, while NBL Next Star Kai Sotto (6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds) showcased moments of NBA-level potential.

In a bid to salvage the season, the 36ers brought in former Sydney Kings guard Ian Clark (12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) midway through the campaign, hoping his experience would lead them into the postseason. Unfortunately, despite Clark’s addition, Adelaide managed just two wins in their final eight games and missed the playoffs, finishing eighth with a 13-18 record.

Much of the season’s early promise, including their historic preseason victory over the Suns, set unrealistic expectations for the 36ers. Despite the high hopes, the team could not maintain consistency across the season.

Franks’ best performances included a 24-point, 10-rebound, 6-assist, and 3-block effort in a loss to Melbourne United (87-94), where he shot an efficient 10-15 from the field. He also shined in a defeat to Perth, recording 24 points and 9 rebounds in front of a record-breaking crowd of 9,071 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Franks helped Adelaide gain revenge against Perth later in the season, contributing 21 points and 8 rebounds in a commanding 96-82 win at RAC Arena, marking the 36ers’ largest victory at the venue.

Robert Franks played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Brisbane Bullets and the Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 17.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 55 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (823 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.