Prather embraces feeling good physically again

When Casey Prather joined the Brisbane Bullets last season, he hoped he could get back to the basketball he's now showing in NBL25 but there were no guarantees and that's why he is embracing every moment.

Prather joined the Bullets for the last seven games of NBL24 with an eye to the future, but at the same time after a tough run with knee injuries in recent years there was doubts even in his own mind if he could get back to his best.

His best had already proven to make him one of the NBL's elite players in three championships he had won firstly with the Perth Wildcats and then Melbourne United before then also winning an MVP award playing in Israel in 2021.

However, he hadn’t played a game of professional basketball since June 2021 when he made his Bullets debut back on January 7 this year after a horror run of knee injuries.

It had been a long and gruelling journey back for the now 33-year-old, but there were positive signs in those seven appearances to close NBL24 and then he put in a power of work in the off-season.

He also became a father for the first time along with wife Arianna and now continues to show that he is physically feeling good right through NBL25, his body is back strong and healthy, and on Friday night in Perth he did all could to keep the Bullets in the contest.

Prather put up 31 points for the game to go with seven rebounds and three assists on the back of shooting 11/15 fro the field, 4/6 from three-point territory and 5/6 from the free-throw line.

What Prather continues to show is that his body is feeling better than he ever thought it might ever get back to in that two and-a-half years he was sidelined. It makes him feel thankful just to be back out on the court doing what he does best.

"It feels amazing to be feeling how I am physically after everything I've been through. Any time I can go out there and do the thing that I love the most, it's a great feeling," Prather said.

"I'm just very blessed to be able to continue playing basketball and my body's feeling good, and I've taken all the steps in order to get my body right. So now it's just a matter of showcasing it and getting some more wins for this team."

Prather was feeling good back on one of his former home floors last Friday night with the 31 points in Perth, but it wasn’t so much he was trying to prove a point or put up big numbers or anything.

All he cared about was trying to give the Bullets a chance to win a game and pick up some of the slack with Tyrell Harrison, Josh Bannan, Tohi Smith-Milner, Jarred Bairstow and Deng Adel all sidelined.

"I'm just trying to win, I keep trying to say that after every game and I'm just a winner," he said.

"That's all I want to do and the ball was dropping for me in this game but unfortunately we didn’t get it done. It definitely felt good to go out there and to play up to my ability."

While Prather was feeling good last Friday in Perth, he also enjoyed seeing some younger teammates get greater opportunities.

That included a first career start for Rocco Zikarsky on his way to 13 points and eight rebounds while Josh Kunen, Tristan Devers and Kye Savage all scored their first career NBL points along the way.

"Those guys are definitely a big part of this group and they come into practice each and every day bringing that hunger that fight," Prather said.

"Just being out there with them and allowing them to get in rhythm and finally getting some touches in a game, it was just great to see."