Bul at a gate: Adelaide move sparks new mission

Fresh off winning the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 championship with the Sydney Kings, Bul Kuol recently decided his future lay with the Adelaide 36ers.

In one of the biggest Free Agency moves this off-season, the 2024 Olympian decided to shift from one Championship Series rival to the other, in a decision that could have a big impact on the fast-approaching 2026-27 campaign.

In his first sit-down interview since this shift, the defensive wing, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury, explained the reasoning behind his decision to join the Sixers.

“It wasn't an easy decision, but for me, I'm at a point in my career where I wanted to be where I’m valued, and people still see what I can bring to the table,” Kuol told 36ers Media.

“This injury did create a hiccup, disturbed my goals, and set me back in terms of what I can do right now, but it doesn't change who I am as a basketball player.

“Adelaide, they can still see that vision, and we saw eye-to-eye in terms of my belief and what they see as well.

“They still see a player who can still do this at a high level, and that's what I believe.

“I believe I can actually use this time to basically recoup and get myself together. I haven't had that in the last two years, as I've been chasing my tail.

“I see this opportunity as a blessing because I know when I get through this, I will be a better player.”

When the South Sudanese international returns to the hardwood and makes his 36ers debut, which is slated for mid-season, it will see him team up with six-time MVP Bryce Cotton, who is a player Kuol has gone toe-to-toe with for years.

“When I first signed with Adelaide, I had to sit down and reflect on what just happened,” he said.

“The main target (Cotton) is gone now. I've been chasing him for five years, and now I'm on the same side with him. It was a bit of a shocker for me.

“He's been the face of the League, and he's been doing this for so long. He's the guy that whenever we play him, I act differently.

“The way you go at him, you've got to be locked in, so it was a big adjustment mentally to accept that I’m going to be playing with this guy now, rather than trying to hunt him down.

“But somebody else is going to show up, and that's why I love this game, because that new target, I'm going to have to figure them out and like how they tick. I’m looking forward to whose next.”

Joining Kuol on Trevor Gleeson’s NBL27 roster are Cotton, Zylan Cheatham, Flynn Cameron, Ben Griscti, Isaac Humphries, Nick Rakocevic, Keanu Rasmussen and Isaac White.

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