Belief booming in Adelaide camp

If the pre-season play is anything to go by, the Adelaide 36ers are going to be a formidable opponent this campaign.

Newly announced co-captain Dejan Vasiljevic, who will lead the side alongside five-time MVP Bryce Cotton and big man Isaac Humphries, says he’s been impressed by the early signs.

“[Sunday versus Panathinaikos] was our first real hit-out as a full team and I thought we all played really well, to take it up to a recent champion of the EuroLeague,” Vasiljevic said on Thursday’s episode of NBL Now.

“I have a lot of belief in this group, headlined by the best player to ever step foot on a NBL floor, Bryce Cotton.

“Myself [and all our teammates] are trying to make his job easier and give him space to work I’m really excited to play alongside someone like that.

“We showed great signs against Panathinaikos and we’re all pumped and are ready to roll against a really good Brisbane Bullets team.”

While two-time NBL champion Vasiljevic and his teammates ‘feel bad’ for Montrezl Harrell, who departed the club on Thursday, they're just concentrating on what they can control and that’s winning basketball games.

“We do have Bryce, we do have Zylan [Cheatham], so we’ve recruited good players and we know we still have the group headlined by a number of great locals, that’s capable of doing what we want to do [win a championship], and that’s what our main focus has got to be,” the Australian Boomer said.

“Vibes are high in Adelaide and the whole city is excited for Sunday, which, in my opinion, is just the start of what will be a season to remember.

“It feels like now or never for us and I get goosebumps thinking about what we could achieve.”

Sunday's Round 2 fixture at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre tips off at 4.30pm AEST, live on ESPN and Channel 10.