BIO: Adam Doyle was born in Sydney (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Forestville basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Adam Doyle made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 22 years of age. He scored two points in his first game.

In 2013, the Adelaide 36ers appointed NBL championship-winning coach Joey Wright, who immediately revitalized the team, taking them from two consecutive wooden spoon finishes to a Grand Final appearance against the Perth Wildcats. Adelaide retained its Aussie core, including Adam Gibson, Daniel Johnson, Anthony Petrie, and Jason Cadee, creating a foundation for success.

During the season, the 36ers sat in second place with a 7–2 record by Round 7, boasting a five-game win streak. By December, Adelaide (9-4) had already surpassed the previous season’s win total. As they built momentum, they defeated Melbourne in the semifinals before facing Perth in the Grand Final.

The 36ers finished the regular season in second place (18-10), with Adam Doyle making two appearances and scoring two points in total.

2016/17
In the 2016 NBL off-season, Adelaide retained star Jerome Randle and brought in young talents including Anthony Drmic, Sudanese-born local Majok Deng, and forward/centre Eric Jacobsen. They also recruited 18-year-old NBA prospect Terrance Ferguson, who opted to join the NBL over playing college basketball in the U.S., paving the way for the NBL’s Next Stars Program.

Though initially predicted to finish near the bottom, the 36ers surged mid-season. Early injuries to captain Mitch Creek (ankle) and Daniel Johnson (hamstring) led to a slow start (3-6). However, Adelaide quickly rebounded with a healthy lineup, beginning with a win over Brisbane (101-83) to kick off an eight-game winning streak. By Round 16, they had claimed 14 wins from 15 games and secured first place on the ladder with three games to spare, ending the regular season at 17-11 despite dropping their final four games.

The team’s breakout season featured standout performances from Sobey (15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists), who earned the NBL’s Most Improved Player award and a spot on the All-NBL Second Team. Randle (21.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists) won the league’s MVP award and an All-NBL First Team nod, while Johnson (15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds) was also named to the All-NBL First Team. Mitch Creek (12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists) contributed significantly, and Doyle averaged 2.3 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.

Adelaide faced fourth-placed Illawarra in the semifinals, clinching game one (93-78) behind Randle’s MVP-caliber performance (26 points, 4 assists). However, Illawarra bounced back, upsetting Adelaide with wins in games two (100–94) and three (106-98) to end the 36ers’ season earlier than anticipated.

2017/18
With championship aspirations, coach Joey Wright secured the return of key Australian players, including Adam Doyle, Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Hodgson, Brendan Teys, Majok Deng, and Anthony Drmic, aiming to build upon their previous season’s success. Missing from the roster, however, was import Jerome Randle, who had been instrumental for Adelaide but ultimately departed to play in Turkey. The team brought in Shannon Shorter as his replacement, along with new imports Ramone Moore and Ronald Roberts to bolster the lineup.

In September, Adelaide traveled to Singapore for the Merlion Cup, where they went undefeated, with Doyle part of a strong rotation that led them to the tournament title over the Shanghai Sharks.

Throughout the season, Doyle played a supporting role off the bench, contributing reliable minutes and helping to facilitate the team’s high-energy playing style. Doyle’s season averages of 1.3 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists underscored his role as a steady presence, providing depth behind the main rotation players.

Adelaide faced challenges with import turnover early on, releasing Roberts due to an injury just before the season started. After multiple roster adjustments, including the addition of Josh Childress, the 36ers struggled with inconsistency early but eventually found form. Key injuries to starters like Creek and Drmic in December meant Doyle had more chances to step in and support the team through a critical stretch of games.

A pivotal moment for the 36ers came after a disappointing 19-point home loss to Cairns on Christmas Eve. This sparked a turnaround as the team went on to win 10 of their last 12 games, securing the second spot on the ladder. Doyle’s contributions off the bench helped maintain depth, providing energy and support throughout the winning stretch that secured their playoff berth.

In the semifinals, Adelaide comfortably overcame Perth, with Doyle contributing consistent minutes off the bench. His support allowed the starters to rest, which proved beneficial as Adelaide advanced to the Grand Final series against Melbourne.

The Grand Final series saw Adelaide and Melbourne trade wins through five intense games. Although Doyle’s role was limited, his bench contributions and readiness were crucial to the team’s resilience throughout the challenging series. Melbourne ultimately claimed the championship in Game 5, with Chris Goulding named Finals MVP, but Doyle’s season represented a valuable year of growth and experience in a high-stakes environment, establishing him as a trusted role player within the 36ers lineup.

2018/19
After a narrow miss at the NBL championship in the previous season, Adelaide entered a rebuilding phase, with several key players departing. Most notably, second-leading scorer Mitch Creek left to pursue an NBA career after prolonged negotiations between Adelaide and Basketball Australia.

During the 2018 off-season, Creek was allowed to play in Germany with the understanding that he would return to Adelaide. However, strong performances there caught the attention of the Brooklyn Nets, who signed him to their G-League team. Adelaide then filed an injunction to prevent Basketball Australia from approving Creek’s NBA deal without compensation, but after some backlash, a resolution allowed Creek to pursue his NBA aspirations.

Other departures included Shannon Shorter (to Japan), Josh Childress (retired), and Matthew Hodgson (to Brisbane). To fill these gaps, Adelaide signed import Jacob Wiley (via Germany) as Creek’s replacement and added point guard Adris De León for scoring and playmaking duties. Young talents Harry Froling and Jack McVeigh also joined straight out of college, infusing the team with fresh energy.

Despite the changes, Adelaide retained several key players, including Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, Adam Doyle, Brendan Teys, and Ramone Moore. Leading scorer Daniel Johnson returned as well and took over as team captain, succeeding Creek.

Adelaide’s season started with a loss to Perth (91–99) in Round 1, but they bounced back with a road win over the Sydney Kings (94–83) in their next game. In Round 3, Sobey produced one of the season’s standout moments, recording a triple-double (22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists) in a victory over Cairns (91–83).

However, Adelaide then faced four consecutive losses, starting with a defeat to New Zealand (114–94) and ending with a narrow loss to Brisbane (93–90) in Round 4. Key injuries, including a calf injury to Ramone Moore, disrupted their momentum. An ultimatum was issued to De León, with the team considering roster changes if they didn’t turn things around in the next game against Sydney.

De León delivered 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in 25 minutes, but Adelaide fell to Sydney by 12 points, marking their fourth straight loss. Shortly after, De León (7.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) was released, and Demitrius Conger, a former Illawarra import, was signed as his replacement. With Moore still sidelined, Adelaide also brought in Shaun Bruce, who had been unsigned after three seasons in Cairns, to complete the roster.

Adelaide’s inconsistency continued. After back-to-back wins against Cairns (109–95) and Illawarra (120–109) in Round 7, they lost a close home game to Illawarra (86–87). Although they defeated Brisbane (101–91) in Round 9, another loss to Illawarra (90–93) soon followed. Adelaide finally found rhythm in Round 14, securing four consecutive victories, including a crucial win over Perth (97–84) and a dominant win over Sydney (119–99). Unfortunately, inconsistency returned, with heavy losses to Melbourne (114–91) in Round 16 and an overtime defeat to Brisbane (98–87 OT) in Round 17, which ultimately hindered their playoff hopes.

Adam Doyle (3.1 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) had a steady season, providing valuable minutes off the bench. His standout performances included a 9-point, 3-steal outing in a win over Illawarra (109–95) on 9 Dec 2018, and an 8-point, 2-rebound, 1-assist game in a victory over Sydney (19 Jan 2019). Doyle’s effort and energy proved beneficial to Adelaide’s rotation.

Throughout the season, Adelaide’s struggles with inconsistency were compounded by injuries and roster changes. The 36ers managed to hit a stride in Round 14 with four straight wins, but further challenges led to significant losses late in the season, including their worst defeat at the hands of Melbourne in Round 16 (114–91) and an overtime loss to Brisbane in Round 17 (98–87 OT).

In addition to Doyle, Daniel Johnson (17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) and Nathan Sobey (16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) were named to the All-NBL Second Team. Other key players included Jacob Wiley (12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1 assist), Demitrius Conger (11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists), Anthony Drmic (9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), and Harry Froling (7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds), who claimed the NBL Rookie of the Year award.

Adelaide hovered between fourth and fifth for much of the second half of the season, ultimately finishing equal with Brisbane at 14-14. However, the Bullets advanced to the playoffs due to a higher points percentage, bringing Adelaide’s season to an end in fifth place. Doyle’s solid contributions off the bench underscored his role as a dependable piece of Adelaide’s core moving forward.

Adam Doyle played four seasons the Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 2.3 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.9 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.