Leaner, More Focused Froling Ready to Bounce Back in Brisbane

Brisbane Bullets signing Harry Froling is entering the 2020/21 NBL season with a leaner body and a better mindset after a disappointing 2019.

After winning the NBL’s Rookie of the Year award in the 2018/19 season, Froling earned NBA workouts with the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings.

Instead of those workouts being a launching pad into the NBA, Froling didn’t make the league and then had a down NBL20 campaign with the Adelaide 36ers.

Froling has had a period of reflection and is now looking forward to his fresh start in Brisbane, where he can use the lessons he learnt in America and Adelaide to his advantage.

“I think going over there and the experience of working out with guys like Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo, that sort of stuff helped,” Froling told Gibbo Goes One-On-One Driven By MG.

“Just being super locked in with all the NBA stuff and my goals and my dreams, and then obviously I let myself go a little bit. I didn’t handle that well, my second year in Adelaide, with where my headspace was at.

“Being a professional I wasn’t great at that, so realistically I’ve looked myself in the mirror and I understand that.

“That’s the biggest thing this year and the difference is the professionalism, just being in Brisbane, it’s black and white again, it’s do this and do that, I’m out here trying to handle my business and I’m in a good headspace.

“Even though it wasn’t the year I expected, I didn’t make the NBA off the bat, I think I’ve learned a lot and I could have handled myself better that second year and it’s just good to be out here with a fresh start and get rolling again.”

While the NBA is still Froling’s ultimate ambition, his full focus is currently on winning the QSL championship and having a bounce back campaign with the Bullets.  

The 22 year-old has worked on dropping weight during the offseason and averaged 28.7 points and 17.2 rebounds with the RedCity Roar in the QSL.

“I want to be over there (in the NBA) in the next few years but realistically I know I’ve got to have a couple of good years over here in the NBL,” Froling said.

“I’ve already been working on my body and dropped about 10 kilos since last year and still working on trying to drop 5-10 more. That’s a big thing I’m trying to do before the start of the season.

“It’s just all about playing in the now, that’s the biggest thing, I’m not worried about getting back in the NBA, getting overseas and all of that, right now I’m locked in with Brisbane.

“If you start looking too far ahead you get caught up and that’s what I started doing a little bit in Adelaide. With all the stuff going on I started looking off into the fairyland.

“It’s good to be here and I’m locked in on the now and I’m ready to go and excited to get playing again.”

Froling was drawn to the Bullets due to their strong interest in him and the pre-existing connections he has at the club.

Currently in preseason training with his new teammates, Froling is loving his time in Brisbane and can’t wait for the season to tip-off.

“I think go where you’re wanted,” Froling said.

“I didn’t want to wait around too long and Brisbane came knocking, like we want you now, send the contract through and I spoke to (GM Basketball Sam Mackinnon) who I have a great relationship with, spoke to Andrej (Lemanis) who I’ve had a good relationship with when I was with the Boomers and back at the AIS, and it just felt right.

“Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve loved it. They’ve all been good to me and being around the boys I think I’ve started off by leaving a pretty good impression and maturing a bit and growing up a little bit from Adelaide.

“(Nathan) Sobey and all those guys who knew me from Adelaide, I think they’ve seen I’ve grown up a little bit and all that, so I think that’s been a big thing for me this year.

“Just going where you’re wanted and I’m loving it.”

Listen to the Gibbo Goes One-On-One podcast driven by MG every Wednesday night at 6:30pm AEDT, as Adam Gibson is joined by a special guest each week. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.