Bullets present next steps for Bannan

By NBL Media

Photo: gogriz.com

The timing of going pro in basketball is always an interesting conundrum, especially when playing the college game.

Basketball is not like the AFL, where you’re likely to go pro at 18, or international soccer where it can be even younger. Across the world there are players making their professional debuts at 22, 23, or even 24 years of age, after pulling together successful collegiate careers.

After three seasons at the University of Montana and now at the age of 22, Josh Bannan has made the decision to begin his professional career in NBL24. The Melbournian is returning to Australia and will begin his new journey with the Brisbane Bullets.

Bannan will join the likes of Melbourne duo Flynn Cameron and Kyle Bowen, Illawarra’s Lachlan Olbrich and Cairns’ Sam Mennenga in leaving college to begin their professional careers, in what looms as an influx of the next generation of local talent ready to take the competition by storm.

Sam Waardenburg set the benchmark for collegiate players, being able to positively influence their side in NBL23, and Bannan is hoping to replicate the feat.

“I feel ready, and that’s why I’ve made this decision now,” Bannan told NBL Media. “I’ve done pretty well the last couple of years here and been successful at this level, and I was ready to take that next step.

“I feel like I can positively influence winning and the next level and try to contribute to something.

“I feel some of my skills and the things I’ve developed over here will allow me to contribute straight away.

“It’s been sort of a little while coming now, but I’ve put pen to paper and I’m excited to join Brisbane.”

The fact Bannan’s first professional contract has been “a little while coming” is a testament to the internal knowledge of his own abilities and limitations - abilities he’s honed with the Grizzlies, and limitations he’s reduced over the past three seasons.

After averaging 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists over 28 games in his first season in the NCAA, Bannan exploded in his second season to average 15.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in less than six more minutes of playing time. 

Those skills which came to the fore in that sophomore season were then refined in his junior year. His minutes jumped up to 34.2 a game, his field goal percentage improved once more to 49.9 per cent, and his three-point percentage jumped to 40.4 per cent.

He had a minor drop in points – down from 15.1 to 15.0 per game – but made up for it by averaging 3.6 assists per game across the season – up from 1.6 the season prior.

“The opportunity [to go pro] has been there a couple of times, but I felt this year I wanted to go back to Montana to win a championship. That was the goal,” Bannan said.

“We fell short of that, unfortunately, but I felt personally I was ready for this now, and readt to take the next step in my career as a basketball player.

“I think I’ve matured a lot and developed as a basketball player and also as a person, and I think Montana has given me the opportunity to do that.

“Now I think professionally is the best way to go in order to continue to get better and improve.”

That journey to getting better will be driven, largely, by a familiar face from Bannan’s basketball career - Justin Schueller.

Schueller was given the Bullets’ head coaching job off the back of impressive stints as an assistant at Melbourne United, and a decade within the Australian junior programs – including when he coached Bannan in the U17 World Cup.

That side, which finished sixth in the tournament, also included Illawarra’s Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Melbourne’s Luke Travers, and Brisbane NBL23 development player Hunter Clarke.

A team photo of the Australian U17 2018 World Cup side featuring, Josh Bannan (13) and Justin Schueller (back row, second from left). 

“My relationship with Justin was a big part of signing for the Bullets,” Bannan said.

“I played for Justin in the under 17’s, and back then I was good enough to make an Australian team, but I wasn’t particularly talented. I’ve developed a lot since then.

“I felt like the opportunity to play under him again – and what they’ve got going up there in Brisbane in terms of the way they’re preparing to develop – presented an exciting opportunity for me to be part of that rebuild, and learn from guys like [Aron] Baynes, [Nathan] Sobey, and now Mitch Norton.

“I think it’s going to be a really good place for me to begin my professional career.

“You can expect a guy who is versatile, I’m tenacious, I bring everything I’ve got every day.

“And I’m going to find a way to help my team win.”

Bannan and the Bullets open their NBL24 campaign against the Adelaide 36ers on Friday, September 29.