BIO: Hunter Clarke was born in Adelaide (SA) Clarke received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2018. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Hunter Clarke made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 21 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Hunter Clarke joined the Brisbane Bullets for the 2022/23 NBL season on a development player deal, joining a team that had undergone significant changes after finishing second to last the previous year. The Bullets bolstered their roster with high-profile signings, including Boomers center Aron Baynes and veteran NBA guard Tyler Johnson, both of whom previously played together for the Phoenix Suns. Local talent such as Harry Froling, Gorjok Gak, and DJ Mitchell also joined the squad, alongside returning players Jason Cadee, Tyrell Harrison, Tanner Krebs, and captain Nathan Sobey.

The Bullets’ offseason acquisitions led to optimism from media and fans, with some predicting a top-four finish. However, there were lingering concerns about the health of Sobey, who was returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for much of the previous season, and Baynes, who was attempting a comeback after a neck injury sustained during the Tokyo Olympics nearly ended his career.

The season began disastrously for Brisbane, who lost their first six games. Baynes (11.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) struggled to regain his NBA-level dominance, while Sobey (15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) recorded his lowest point and rebound averages in five years. The team’s performance failed to meet expectations, and pressure began to mount.

Brisbane broke their losing streak with back-to-back victories over Illawarra. The first win (82-56) was powered by Baynes, who delivered a dominant 17-point, 14-rebound performance. The second victory (86-61) was driven by Sobey, who set career highs with 14 first-quarter points and 22 first-half points. These consecutive wins marked the first time Brisbane had won back-to-back games by 25 points or more since February 2007.

A narrow 74-72 victory over Tasmania extended the Bullets’ winning streak to three games, providing a glimmer of hope for the season. However, inconsistency returned, and the Bullets made significant changes. Underperforming import Devondrick Walker (9.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) was released and replaced by Andrew White (7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists). Additionally, head coach James Duncan was fired, with General Manager Sam Mackinnon stepping in as interim coach for three games before Greg Vanderjagt took over for the remainder of the season.

Despite these changes, the Bullets’ season continued to unravel. Brisbane finished the season with an 8-20 record, placing second last for the second consecutive year. Three of their eight victories came against Illawarra, who endured their worst season in franchise history.

Hunter Clarke appeared in just four games during the season, failing to register a point.

Hunter Clarke played one season in the NBL.

Dan Boyce (817 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.