BIO: Brendan Teys was born in Brisbane (QLD) and began playing basketball as a junior with the South West Metro basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Brendan Teys made his NBL debut with the Gold Coast Blaze at 19 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Following a junior basketball career with the South West Metro Pirates in the Queensland Basketball League, Brendan Teys signed with the Brisbane Bullets as a development player in 2008. Unfortunately, the Bullets folded before the season commenced.

GOLD COAST BLAZE
2009/10
Teys followed former Bullets coach Joey Wright to the Gold Coast Blaze, where he saw limited playing time as a rookie, appearing in just three games.

2010/11
In the 2010/11 season, Teys averaged 2.0 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.1 assists, contributing to the Blaze’s sixth-place finish (13-15).

2011/12
During the 2011/12 season, Teys played a slightly bigger role, averaging 1.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.1 assists, as the Blaze secured third place (17-11) in the regular season.

TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES
2012/13
Following the sudden collapse of the Gold Coast Blaze, Brendan Teys joined the Townsville Crocodiles as a development player for the 2012/13 NBL season. He made two appearances during the campaign, providing depth during a turbulent season that saw the Crocs open with ten straight losses before mounting a mid-season resurgence.

Although Teys’ on-court contributions were limited, his presence at training helped bolster the team through a year of significant roster turnover and early instability. Townsville finished the season in seventh place with a 10–18 record, narrowly missing the playoffs by two games.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2013/14
In 2013, the Adelaide 36ers secured NBL championship-winning coach Joey Wright, who transformed the team from back-to-back wooden spoons to a Grand Final appearance against the Perth Wildcats. The 36ers retained key players, including Daniel Johnson (19.2 points and 6.8 rebounds), who led the team in both scoring and rebounding once again, alongside stalwarts Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie, and Jason Cadee.

The team also benefited from the return of Mitchell Creek and Luke Schenscher, both of whom had missed much of the previous season due to injury. Creek overcame a near career-ending Achilles injury, while Schenscher recovered from elbow surgery. Adelaide added BJ Anthony (via New Zealand) and 2011 NBL MVP Gary Ervin (via Townsville) to bolster their roster, along with import Jarrid Frye to strengthen the backcourt.

By Round 7, the 36ers, led by Ervin and Johnson, sat in second place on the NBL ladder with a 7–2 record, which included a 5-game winning streak. This run saw Adelaide win both of their games against the defending champion New Zealand Breakers in Auckland, their first victories over the Breakers since 2009. The 36ers also handed the previously undefeated Perth Wildcats (7-0) their first loss of the season, defeating them 91–86 in front of 6,585 fans at the Adelaide Arena—their largest home crowd since Brett Maher’s farewell in 2009.

By December, Adelaide (9-4) had already surpassed the previous season’s total of eight wins. In February, the team released Jarrid Frye (8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) due to an ankle injury and underwhelming performance, replacing him with local guard Rhys Carter, who had been playing as an import in Sweden.

Adelaide finished the regular season in second place (18-10), with Brendan Teys playing a key role off the bench, appearing in 29 games and contributing 3.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists.

In the semifinals, Adelaide faced Melbourne, where Gary Ervin led the 36ers with 27 points and 7 assists to win game one (101-85). Melbourne evened the series in game two behind a 37-point performance from Chris Goulding (98-87). However, Adelaide responded in dominant fashion in game three, blowing out the Tigers (102-63) to advance to the Grand Final.

Adelaide faced first-placed Perth in the Grand Final. In game one, Perth star James Ennis led his team with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, guiding the Wildcats to a 92–85 victory. Game two saw Adelaide bounce back, with 8,127 fans at Adelaide Arena witnessing a thrilling 89-84 win, led by Gary Ervin’s 23 points and Adam Gibson’s near triple-double (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists).

In the decisive game three, Perth’s experience came to the fore. Despite James Ennis being subdued by foul trouble, veterans Shawn Redhage and Damian Martin stepped up. Redhage scored 10 of his 16 points in the first quarter, and Martin delivered a superb defensive performance, holding Ervin to just 4 points while contributing 14 points and 6 rebounds. Perth ultimately clinched their sixth NBL title with a 93-59 victory.

Anthony Petrie fought valiantly for the 36ers with 20 points in the final, but Adam Gibson (8 points) and Daniel Johnson (9 points) struggled, unable to replicate their earlier performances.

Daniel Johnson won his third consecutive club MVP award and was named to the All-NBL First Team, capping a remarkable season for Adelaide despite falling just short of the championship.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2013/14
In 2013, the Adelaide 36ers brought in NBL championship-winning coach Joey Wright, who turned the team around from two consecutive last-place finishes to a Grand Final appearance against the Perth Wildcats. Adelaide kept key players, including Daniel Johnson (19.2 points, 6.8 rebounds), who led the team in scoring and rebounding, along with Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie, and Jason Cadee.

The team also welcomed back Mitchell Creek and Luke Schenscher, both returning from season-ending injuries. Creek had recovered from a serious Achilles injury, while Schenscher had undergone elbow surgery. Adelaide added BJ Anthony (via New Zealand) and 2011 NBL MVP Gary Ervin (via Townsville) to bolster their lineup, alongside import Jarrid Frye in the backcourt.

By Round 7, the 36ers, led by Ervin and Johnson, were in second place with a 7–2 record, which included a five-game winning streak. The run saw Adelaide secure their first wins over the New Zealand Breakers since 2009 and hand the previously undefeated Perth Wildcats their first loss of the season (91–86). Adelaide’s strong start put them well ahead of their previous season’s win total by December (9-4).

Jarrid Frye (8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists) was released mid-season due to inconsistent play and injury, replaced by Rhys Carter, who had been playing in Sweden. The 36ers finished the regular season in second place (18-10), with Brendan Teys contributing solid minutes off the bench, averaging 3.6 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists across 29 games.

In the semifinals, Adelaide faced Melbourne. Ervin (27 points and 7 assists) led the way in a Game 1 victory (101-85), but Melbourne forced a Game 3 with a win behind Chris Goulding’s 37 points (98-87). Adelaide responded by routing the Tigers in the deciding game (102-63) to advance to the Grand Final.

In the Grand Final series against Perth, the Wildcats claimed Game 1 (92–85) behind James Ennis (30 points, 10 rebounds). Game 2 saw Adelaide bounce back with an 89-84 win in front of their largest crowd of the season (8,127), evening the series. However, Perth’s experience came to the fore in Game 3, where Redhage and Martin helped the Wildcats secure the title (93-59).

Daniel Johnson was named to the All-NBL First Team and won his third consecutive club MVP award. Although Teys contributed reliable minutes throughout the season, Adelaide ultimately fell short of winning the championship.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2015/16
The Adelaide 36ers revamped their backcourt ahead of the 2015/16 season, signing import guards Kenyon McNeail and two-time NBL champion Ebi Ere. With Brock Motum departing for Europe and Luke Schenscher moving to Townsville, the team added young talent, including Melbourne Tigers forward Lucas Walker and guard Nathan Sobey, who had impressed coach Joey Wright during a training session with Cairns. Sobey secured a full roster spot with the 36ers and brought energy to the squad.

Daniel Johnson (15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game) continued to lead Adelaide in both scoring and rebounding, but just three games into the season, McNeail left the team due to a shoulder injury. Wright quickly sought a replacement and unearthed point guard Jerome Randle, a former NBA hopeful who had spent several years in Europe. Despite initial doubts about his size, Randle quickly proved himself under Wright’s tough love and rediscovered his passion for basketball.

Randle (23.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists) lit up the league, scoring 30 points or more in four games, including a 40-point outburst against Perth. He finished the season as the NBL’s leading scorer, becoming the first 36er to achieve this feat, and was also awarded the inaugural NBL Australia Post Fan’s MVP.

Brendan Teys contributed 3.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, working alongside Randle and Johnson as Adelaide finished the season with a 14-14 record, missing out on the playoffs and placing fifth. Despite the team’s failure to reach the postseason, Randle was named to the All-NBL First Team, with Johnson making the All-NBL Second Team.

2016/17
In the 2016 NBL off-season, Adelaide retained their star player Jerome Randle and added promising young talent to the roster, including Anthony Drmic, Majok Deng, and import forward/center Eric Jacobsen. The team also signed 18-year-old high school star Terrance Ferguson from Tulsa, Oklahoma, a top NBA prospect who chose to play in the NBL instead of attending college. Ferguson’s decision would pave the way for the NBL’s Next Stars Program.

Despite low expectations, Adelaide quickly emerged as a contender. Early season injuries to Mitch Creek (ankle) and Daniel Johnson (hamstring) led to a slow start, with the 36ers dropping to the bottom of the ladder after a heavy loss to Brisbane (87-105) in Round 7. However, a fully fit squad saw Adelaide surge back, winning eight consecutive games and rising to the top of the standings by mid-season. By Round 16, the 36ers had locked in first place, having won 14 of their last 15 games. Despite losing their last four games of the regular season, Adelaide finished in first place with a 17-11 record.

Nathan Sobey (15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steals) made a massive leap in his second year with Adelaide, filling in for Creek during his absence and remaining in the starting lineup upon Creek’s return. Sobey’s breakthrough earned him the NBL’s Most Improved Player award and a spot on the All-NBL Second Team. Randle (21.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists) led the team in scoring once again and was named the NBL’s Most Valuable Player, only the second player in 36ers history to earn the honour, joining Mark Davis.

Daniel Johnson (15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds) was also selected to the All-NBL First Team, while Creek continued to improve, averaging 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds. Teys averaged 5.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, playing a key supporting role for the 36ers.

Adelaide entered the playoffs as the top seed and faced Illawarra in the semifinals. After winning game one (93-78), led by a stellar 26-point effort from Randle, the 36ers were upset by Illawarra in games two (100–94) and three (106-98), bringing an abrupt end to their season despite high expectations.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2017/18
After finishing first with a 17-11 record the previous season before being eliminated by Illawarra in the semifinals, coach Joey Wright retained all eight Australian players from the 2016/17 roster—Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Hodgson, Brendan Teys, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic and Adam Doyle—and looked to go one step further. Reigning NBL MVP Jerome Randle (to Bahçeşehir), Terrance Ferguson (to Oklahoma City) and Eric Jacobsen (to Fukuoka) departed, with Shannon Shorter signed to replace Randle and Ramone Moore (via Melbourne) and Ronald Roberts added as Adelaide’s other imports.

During the off-season, the new captain underwent knee surgery which ended his 2017 QBL season with South West Metro, but he recovered in time for the NBL season. In June, he was named Adelaide captain after Creek stepped down from the role while pursuing an NBA opportunity with Utah, saying, “It’s a huge honour for me to be named as the 36ers captain.” Wright described him as “a glue guy” who understood what Adelaide wanted on both ends of the floor. The 36ers then travelled to Singapore for the Merlion Cup, going undefeated and defeating the Shanghai Sharks in the final. Roberts was released immediately before the NBL season after the club cited a knee injury, although Roberts responded publicly that he was “100 percent fine.”

Adelaide opened the season against Melbourne at Titanium Security Arena on October 5, where the new captain played nine minutes and recorded one assist as Sobey (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Drmic (17 points and 5 rebounds) led the 36ers, but Casper Ware (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists) carried United to a 99-97 win.

Teys (1.9 points across 30 games) served as Adelaide’s captain but saw his playing time fall to nine minutes per game and came off the bench throughout the season. No in-season injury was reported as the reason for his non-appearances.

Adelaide’s import situation continued to change when Alan Wiggins (2 points and 4 rebounds across 1 game) was signed following Roberts’ departure but broke his arm in his NBL debut against Melbourne and required surgery. Former Sydney Kings star Josh Childress (via Denver; 12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds across 27 games) was subsequently signed to fill the import position. Despite the changes, Adelaide struggled for consistency and won only half of its first 16 games. Randle (19.6 points and 5.3 assists across 17 games) later left Turkey after claiming his salary had not been paid on time and enquired about returning to Adelaide, but with the roster already finalised he instead signed with Sydney. Injuries also hit the local group, with Creek (14.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 31 games) ruled out for approximately three weeks after tearing a small muscle from the bone around his hamstring and Drmic (6.7 points across 27 games) sidelined with a left knee MCL sprain.

With Adelaide undermanned on Christmas Eve, Teys (2 points) played 16 minutes as Childress (20 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Hodgson (12 points and 4 rebounds) led the 36ers, but Cameron Gliddon (27 points and 2 steals) carried Cairns to a 94-75 victory at Titanium Security Arena. The 19-point defeat left Adelaide at 8-8 but became the turning point in its season.

Teys (14 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) produced his best game of the season against Cairns at Titanium Security Arena on January 11, making five of nine field goals and four of six three-pointers without committing a turnover as Adelaide defeated the Taipans 100-90. Shorter (21 points) and Moore (19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) provided support, while Alex Loughton (19 points and 4 rebounds) led Cairns as the victory moved Adelaide into a four-way tie at the top of the ladder with 12 wins.

Teys was later handed a two-game suspension for unduly rough play following a fourth-quarter incident against Perth on February 2. He challenged the ruling and had the charge downgraded from high impact to medium impact, reducing the suspension to one game and ruling him out of Adelaide’s February 11 game against Illawarra.

Teys (4 points) returned to contribute in Adelaide’s final regular-season game against Brisbane on February 17, where Deng (20 points and 3 steals) and Creek (16 points and 6 rebounds) led the 36ers to a 105-82 victory, while Travis Trice (20 points) led the Bullets. Adelaide won 10 of its final 12 games to finish second with an 18-10 record.

Johnson (15.8 points and 6.8 rebounds across 35 games) led Adelaide in scoring, with Shorter (13.3 points, 5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals across 34 games), Sobey (12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3 assists across 35 games), Moore (11.3 points and 3 rebounds across 32 games) and Deng (7.5 points across 34 games) providing further scoring alongside Creek, Childress and Drmic. Johnson was selected to the All-NBL First Team, Creek earned All-NBL Second Team honours and the Fans MVP award, while Moore was named the NBL’s Best Sixth Man.

Adelaide opened the semifinals against defending champion Perth at Titanium Security Arena, where Teys (3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) played five minutes as Childress (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals), Creek (20 points and 11 rebounds) and Shorter (18 points and 7 assists) led the 36ers to a 109-74 victory, while Bryce Cotton (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Perth. The 35-point margin handed the Wildcats the second-biggest finals defeat in club history.

Game two moved to Perth Arena, where Teys (0 points) played the final 29 seconds as Childress (25 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block), Creek (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Sobey (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Adelaide, while Cotton (31 points) and Angus Brandt (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth. The 36ers recovered from an 18-point deficit and were still five points behind with 54 seconds remaining before winning 89-88, sweeping the series 2-0 and advancing to their first Grand Final since 2014.

The Grand Final series opened at Hisense Arena, where Teys (0 points) played three minutes as Johnson (18 points and 5 rebounds), Shorter (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals) and Creek (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Adelaide, but Chris Goulding (26 points and 4 rebounds) and Ware (20 points) carried Melbourne to a 107-96 victory. Wright was later fined $5000 for comments made about the officiating following game one.

Adelaide levelled the series at Titanium Security Arena with a 110-95 game two victory, where Teys (0 points) played one minute as Deng (18 points and 6 rebounds), Moore (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Creek (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the 36ers, while Casey Prather (20 points and 7 rebounds) and Goulding (19 points and 2 steals) led Melbourne. The win came at a significant cost when Childress (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 block) suffered a shoulder injury during the fourth quarter that ruled him out for the remainder of the series.

Game three returned to Hisense Arena, where Teys (0 points and 1 rebound) played three minutes as Johnson (20 points and 3 assists), Moore (18 points and 2 steals) and Deng (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Adelaide, while Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Goulding (15 points and 2 steals) helped Melbourne win 101-98. Sobey (9 points and 4 assists) was ejected following a halftime clash with Prather that sparked an all-in melee, while Deng missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds as United took a 2-1 series lead.

Facing elimination in game four, Teys did not play as Adelaide raced to a 55-31 halftime lead before Melbourne mounted a second-half comeback. Johnson (21 points and 9 rebounds), Sobey (16 points and 4 rebounds) and Shorter (14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) helped the 36ers hold on for a 90-81 victory, while Prather (23 points and 7 rebounds) and Goulding (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Melbourne as Adelaide levelled the series at 2-2.

The deciding game five returned to Hisense Arena, where Teys (0 points) played two minutes as Shorter (20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals), Johnson (17 points and 8 rebounds) and Creek (15 points and 10 rebounds) led Adelaide, while Goulding (23 points and 4 rebounds), Ware (23 points) and Prather (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 steals) led Melbourne. Goulding was named Grand Final MVP after averaging 19.6 points and 3.6 rebounds across the five games, while Prather collected his third consecutive NBL championship as Melbourne defeated Adelaide 100-82 to win the series 3-2.

2018/19
After falling one win short of the NBL championship the previous season, Adelaide was forced into rebuilding mode following the departure of second-leading scorer Mitch Creek (to Long Island Nets). During the off-season, Creek had been given approval to play in Germany with the understanding he would return, but his performances overseas attracted NBA interest. Adelaide filed an injunction to prevent Basketball Australia approving his move without compensation before the two parties eventually reached a resolution allowing Creek to pursue his NBA dream.

Other departures included Shannon Shorter (to Japan), Josh Childress (retired) and Matthew Hodgson (to Brisbane). Coach Joey Wright added Jacob Wiley (via Germany) to help replace Creek, point guard Adris De León (via Metros de Santiago), Harry Froling (via Marquette) and Jack McVeigh (via Nebraska), while Daniel Johnson took over as captain. Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, Adam Doyle, Brendan Teys and Ramone Moore all returned.

Teys re-signed with Adelaide on a one-year deal on August 1, extending his stay with the 36ers for another season.

Adelaide opened the season at home against Perth on October 11, where Teys (5 points and 1 rebound) came off the bench, but the Wildcats won 99-91. Johnson (23 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block) and Sobey (20 points and 6 assists) led Adelaide, while Bryce Cotton (22 points and 5 assists) was Perth’s leading scorer.

Teys (3.5 points across 28 games) remained part of Adelaide’s guard rotation and appeared in every game, meaning he did not miss any games through injury.

Teys’ best game of the season came against Sydney on October 19, where he made five of six shots, including all four of his three-point attempts, and finished with 14 points and 2 rebounds as Adelaide defeated the Kings 106-101. De León (21 points and 6 assists) and Johnson (20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, while Brad Newley (23 points and 5 rebounds) led Sydney.

Adelaide then fell into a four-game losing streak while Moore (9.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists across 19 games) missed four games with a left calf injury. De León (7.7 points across 9 games) was released following Adelaide’s fourth consecutive loss and Conger (11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds across 19 games) (via Le Mans) was signed as his replacement. Adelaide later found some form by winning four consecutive games during December.

Teys matched his season-high against New Zealand on January 4, making five of seven shots and three three-pointers to finish with 14 points and 2 rebounds, but the Breakers defeated Adelaide 104-96. Sobey (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Moore (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the 36ers, while Shawn Long (28 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks) starred for New Zealand.

Six days later, Teys (0 points and 2 rebounds) started against Illawarra in his 200th NBL game as Adelaide defeated the Hawks 102-96 in Wollongong. Sobey (23 points and 6 assists) and Moore (22 points and 5 assists) led the 36ers, while Brian Conklin (22 points) was Illawarra’s leading scorer.

Moore re-injured the same calf against Brisbane two days later and was placed on the long-term injury list, with Bruce (2.4 points across 7 games) (via Wellington) signed as his injury replacement. Moore recovered ahead of schedule and returned after missing five games.

Johnson (17 points and 6.8 rebounds across 28 games) and Sobey (16.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 28 games) were Adelaide’s leading scorers and both earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Wiley (12.3 points and 4.9 rebounds across 28 games), Drmic (9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds across 28 games), Froling (7.9 points and 4.6 rebounds across 28 games) and Deng (7.6 points across 28 games) were the team’s other major contributors, with Froling named NBL Rookie of the Year. Johnson was named Adelaide’s MVP, Sobey received the Most Defensive Player and Members Choice awards, Wiley received the Coaches Choice Award and McVeigh (3.4 points across 20 games) was named Most Improved Player.

Adelaide travelled to Perth for its final game on February 15 knowing a win would guarantee a playoff berth, where Teys (0 points) played 4:26 off the bench as the 36ers led by as many as 16 points during the first half before Perth recovered to win 93-85. Johnson (23 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Drmic (18 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals) led Adelaide, while Cotton (29 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led Perth. Brisbane advanced to the playoffs on points percentage, leaving Adelaide fifth with a 14-14 record.

2019/20
After finishing 14-14 and missing the playoffs on points percentage the previous season, Adelaide reshaped its roster following the departures of Nathan Sobey (to Brisbane), Jacob Wiley (to Spain), Majok Deng (to Cairns), Demitrius Conger (to Spain) and Shaun Bruce (to Sydney). Joey Wright remained as head coach, with Daniel Johnson, Anthony Drmic, Ramone Moore, Harry Froling, Jack McVeigh and Brendan Teys returning, while Eric Griffin (via Israel), Kevin White (via Illawarra), Daniel Dillon (via Paris), Obi Kyei (via Spain), Alex Mudronja (via Saint Mary’s) and Deshon Taylor (via Fresno State) were added. Taylor was released before the regular season when former NBL MVP Jerome Randle (via Sydney) became available and returned to Adelaide on a two-year deal.

Teys re-signed with Adelaide on a two-year deal and was named co-captain alongside White during the club’s pre-season trip to Salt Lake City, returning to the leadership role after captaining Adelaide to the 2018 Grand Final. “To get the opportunity to represent such a great club again is a great blessing for me,” said Teys.

Adelaide opened its season against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on October 12, where Teys (3 points and 1 steal) played nine minutes from the bench, while Johnson (26 points and 7 rebounds) and Randle (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the 36ers. Newley (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Sydney to a 102-80 win.

Teys (5.2 points across 27 games) began the season coming off the bench before moving into the starting lineup during November and starting 18 games. Adelaide recovered from its opening loss to improve to 3-1 before four consecutive defeats dropped the 36ers to 3-5 and began an inconsistent season spent fighting around the playoff positions. Teys appeared in 27 of Adelaide’s 28 games, missing only the November 24 game against New Zealand, with no injury reported as the reason for his absence.

Teys’ best game of the season came against Brisbane at Nissan Arena on November 22, where the Brisbane-born guard played in front of friends and family and made 9-of-10 shots to finish with 22 points, 3 assists, and 1 steal, one point short of his career high. Drmic (25 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Randle (25 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) also scored 25 points, but Patterson (27 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) scored a put-back and-one in the closing seconds as Brisbane defeated Adelaide 106-104, leaving the 36ers 4-6.

Teys produced another important performance against defending champion Perth at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on January 1, finishing with 13 points and 2 steals as Adelaide recovered after surrendering a 13-point lead to win 100-97. Griffin (24 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Drmic (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the 36ers, while White (23 points and 6 rebounds) led Perth as the victory moved Adelaide from eighth to fifth on the ladder.

Randle (19.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) led Adelaide in scoring and assists, while Johnson (18.1 points and 8.3 rebounds), Griffin (14 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Drmic (10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds), Moore (7.8 points), Froling (7.3 points and 3.5 rebounds) and McVeigh (6 points) were the other major contributors. Adelaide reached 11-11 with six games remaining but lost five of its final six games and fell out of playoff contention.

Already out of playoff contention, Adelaide finished its season against Perth at RAC Arena on February 15 in Wright’s 500th game as an NBL head coach. Teys (4 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) played 23 minutes, while Johnson (18 points and 11 rebounds) and McVeigh (16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Adelaide and Kay (23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led Perth to a 94-79 win as the 36ers finished seventh with a 12-16 record.

2020/21
After missing the playoffs with a 12-16 record the previous season, Adelaide parted ways with long-time coach Joey Wright despite time remaining on his contract, with his departure coming amid several issues with players. Former Perth assistant Conner Henry was appointed as his replacement, while co-captain Kevin White (to Perth), Harry Froling (to Brisbane) and Obi Kyei, who requested a release to pursue his business interests, departed. Jack McVeigh, Daniel Dillon, Alex Mudronja and Brendan Teys remained, with the veteran guard entering the second season of the two-year deal he had signed in 2019. The coaching change also ended his long association with Wright, who had previously coached him at both Gold Coast and Adelaide.

Adelaide added highly-rated Next Star Josh Giddey (via NBA Global Academy), Sunday Dech (via Illawarra) and former NBA guard Donald Sloan (via Baskets Bonn) to the backcourt, while Daniel Johnson signed a new three-year deal and Isaac Humphries (via Lakeland) and Keanu Pinder (via Warsaw) strengthened the frontcourt. Tony Crocker (via Pinar Karsiyaka) was signed as the team’s second import to complete the main roster.

‘Keanu Pinder was a highly sought-after player in free agency, and we are thrilled he chose to join the 36ers. Together with Daniel Johnson and Isaac Humphries he will bring great athleticism and competitiveness to our team, and strengthen our offensive capability, which we promised our fans would be a priority for the upcoming season’ said Adelaide 36ers Chairman Grant Kelley upon signing Pinder.

Adelaide opened the season against Melbourne at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on January 15, where Teys (0 points) played four minutes off the bench as United won 89-65, with Johnson (27 points and 5 rebounds) and McVeigh (9 points) leading Adelaide, while Jo Lual-Acuil (16 points and 12 rebounds) led Melbourne.

Teys (2.5 points across 24 games) was named to Adelaide’s three-man leadership group alongside Johnson (19.4 points and 7.1 rebounds across 36 games) and Dillon (3.6 points across 30 games), with Henry sharing the captaincy responsibilities between the three veterans. Despite remaining one of Adelaide’s leaders, his playing role was dramatically reduced, averaging just 7.1 minutes per game and failing to appear in 12 games. There was no documented injury behind any of those absences, with Teys instead falling out of Henry’s regular rotation and spending long stretches on the bench, including playing only eight-and-a-half minutes in total across the ten games before May 21. He also reached his 250th NBL game during March.

“It’s been a tough season for me personally,” Teys said.

Adelaide started the season 4-2 before COVID-19 disruptions resulted in the NBL Cup being held in Melbourne, where the 36ers struggled and fell from third place to seventh. Sloan (9 points across 6 games) was moved to the bench before requesting and receiving a release, with Jeremy Kendle signed as an interim replacement before former NBA guard Brandon Paul (via Zhejiang) joined for the remainder of the season. Humphries (13.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks across 19 games) suffered a left foot injury during the NBL Cup and missed 11 consecutive games before returning, with recurring soreness in the same foot later ending his season, while Jack Purchase was signed as his injury replacement. Giddey (10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.6 assists across 28 games) was also removed from the active roster following Adelaide’s May 16 loss to Sydney to begin preparations for the NBA Draft, opening further opportunities in the guard rotation over the closing weeks.

Teys’ best and highest-scoring game of the season came against Illawarra at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on May 21, where he entered with 6:11 remaining in the third quarter and Adelaide trailing 56-33. Teys (10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) made five of seven shots and played the remainder of the game as the 36ers cut a 23-point deficit to eight before losing 81-73, with Dillon (17 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Johnson (13 points) leading Adelaide, while Sam Froling (19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals) led Illawarra.

Indigenous Round held added significance for Teys, whose wife Lori is Indigenous and whose two daughters are Indigenous Australians. Adelaide wore Indigenous uniforms designed by local Indigenous artist Shane Mankitya Cook, who also painted Teys’ game shoes for the second consecutive season. Teys raffled the shoes to raise money for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Arts in Health program, while teammate Pinder (4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds across 35 games) also played an important role in the club’s Indigenous Round celebrations.

Teys (9 points and 1 assist) made the most of another extended opportunity against Illawarra on May 30, playing 15 minutes off the bench as Adelaide attempted to fight back from a 25-point deficit before losing 97-83. Dech (15 points) and Paul (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the 36ers, while Tyler Harvey (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Illawarra.

Paul (13.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across 20 games) became one of Adelaide’s main scoring options after joining midway through the season, while Crocker (10.8 points across 32 games), McVeigh (9.4 points and 3.3 rebounds across 36 games) and Dech (8.7 points and 4.1 rebounds across 36 games) rounded out the main rotation. Johnson led Adelaide in scoring for the sixth time and shared the club MVP award with Giddey, who led the NBL in assists and was named Rookie of the Year.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Teys played what proved to be his final NBL game against Melbourne at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on June 6, where Teys (0 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals) played 19 minutes off the bench, with Crocker (27 points and 5 rebounds) and Johnson (18 points and 13 rebounds) leading Adelaide, while Jock Landale (19 points and 9 rebounds) led United to a 102-80 victory, leaving Adelaide seventh with a 13-23 record.

Brendan Teys played twelve seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Gold Coast Blaze, Townsville Crocodiles and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 258 NBL games.