BIO: Keanu Rasmussen was born in Adelaide (SA)

NBL EXPERIENCE

Keanu Rasmussen made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

After a second disappointing season under coach CJ Bruton, several changes were made to Adelaide’s roster. Despite imports Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland both being contracted for a second season, they were allowed to exit their deals and pursue opportunities overseas.

Anthony Drmic (to Tasmania), Ian Clark (to Melbourne), and Kai Sotto (to Japan) all headed elsewhere, but perhaps the most significant loss for 36ers fans was the decision not to bring back big man Daniel Johnson after 13 years with the club.

Former Sixers Jason Cadee (via Brisbane), Isaac Humphries (via Melbourne), and import Jacob Wiley all returned to provide much-needed leadership. Keanu Rasmussen was signed as a development player, getting the opportunity to play for his hometown 36ers. Bruton expressed faith in the young talent, seeing potential in him for future seasons.

“I can see Keanu plying his trade as a development player and making his way into a roster spot down the track,” Bruton said. “He has the basketball IQ and skill set that can transition to the NBL level.”

Other additions to the squad included Trentyn Flowers (Next Stars program), AFL convert Alex Starling, and imports Trey Kell (via South East Melbourne) and Jamaal Franklin. Franklin’s stint was short-lived, as he was released during the NBL Blitz, which led to Rasmussen being temporarily promoted to the main roster while the club sought a replacement.

Adelaide’s slow start (1-4) prompted the signing of DJ Vasiljevic, who had parted ways with Sydney to pursue a brief NBA stint with Washington. Following his arrival, Rasmussen returned to the developmental program.

Vasiljevic (19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) provided a scoring boost, but after a crushing loss to Tasmania, shooting only 29% from the field and 2-11 from three-point range, Bruton was dismissed. The team sat at 4-9 when assistant coach Scott Ninnis took over, leading to a resurgence in January (5-1), reviving Adelaide’s playoff hopes.

Adelaide finished as the second-best rebounding team in the league (43.5 rebounds per game), but their three-point shooting remained a struggle, ranking last at 29.9%.

Kell (17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists) and Humphries (15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks) both had standout seasons, with Wiley (10.5 points, 7.2 rebounds) leading in rebounding.

The 36ers narrowly missed the Play-In Tournament (12-16), with Rasmussen appearing in four games, scoring four points, and gaining valuable experience for the future.

Keanu Rasmussen currently plays for the Adelaide 36ers and has played 5 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 0.8 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0 assists since entering the league in 2023.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Adelaide 36ers – 1 Year Deal (2024-25)

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.