'Driven by hurt': Wells aims to deliver in NBL27

This season’s Adelaide 36ers were just seconds from ending their 24-year Championship drought against Sydney on Sunday, but it wasn’t to be after a late surge by the Kings.

Since then, all members of the 36ers organisation have been reflecting on what could have been.

Big man Isaac Humphries said ‘the rollercoaster defeat was still raw’ and would take some time to process, while head coach Mike Wells is still figuring out how his team didn’t walk off Qudos Bank Arena as champions.

“The guys were phenomenal, we played to win that thing. I thought we had it in the regulation, and if we make one more play, then we probably end up being the champions. Unfortunately, the ball didn't bounce our way,” Wells said to SEN’s The Run Home with Kymbo and Chad.

“We did so many good things, and we had that thing coordinated out. I was doing the math and possessions in my head.

“Up by four with 41 seconds to go, you still need to make one more or two more plays, but we just didn't make the play that I thought we were going to make.

“I really wanted to get it across the line for those guys. I love the group. I thought we competed all year and thought we'd blocked out all the external noise.

“Internally, we were a solid group that kept getting better as the year went on. We just wanted to win that championship, and it’s emotional when you come up a little short. I'm still stinging, and it hurts.”

With the NBL26 season now in the rear-view mirror, Wells and the 36ers will start focusing on the year ahead.

And despite the external noise surrounding his future, Wells, who said this pain will drive the club in NBL27, committed to a third year in the City of Churches.

“I'm never the guy that's in charge of that [deciding if I’ll be back as coach], that would be a question for Grant [Kelley], Nic Barbato and Matt Weston,’ Wells said.

“I know that in the 18 months that I've been here, there's been a lot of external noise, but I think that we organised and structured this group last off-season and came very close to winning a championship.

“We’re super proud of that, but the foundation has been laid for future success. We'll now move forward and keep trying to build for winning a championship as long as I'm the head coach.”

With Wells committing himself to the club, the 36ers' core is already in place for the 2026-27 season, with six-time MVP Bryce Cotton, Zylan Cheatham, Cameron, Isaac Humphries, Dejan Vasiljevic, Rakocevic, Isaac White, Ben Griscti and Michael Harris (club option) all contracted.

The club will now set out to add some more weapons to help get them over the hump and win their first title in 2002.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the group and what we accomplished in the Playoffs,” he said.

“But discussions are going on this week and next, as we head into off-season mode, about how we can improve this group.

“That's what we'll focus on, bringing this group back together and see if we can bring that trophy home to Adelaide and South Australia.”