Brisbane Bullets star Nathan Sobey eyes win against former side Adelaide 36ers in first game at new stadium
Nathan Sobey spent four seasons with the Adelaide 36ers, going from promising youngster to Australian representative. Now he is back in town, hoping to defeat his former side in its new arena.
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Plenty has changed in Nathan Sobey’s life since he last played an NBL game in Adelaide – not merely the fact he is no longer a member of the 36ers.
Sobey, 29, has also become a father to nine-week-old daughter Harley, been part of the Boomers’ World Cup tilt and settled in Brisbane with his wife, CC.
Leaving Adelaide “wasn’t the easiest move” for the Warrnambool-raised guard, who grew up on the 36ers and went from promising youngster to bona fide star in four seasons at the club.
But the chance to develop his game under Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis at Brisbane was too good to pass up.
Now he is back in SA as a member of the Bullets and will be chasing a win against his former side at the 36ers’ new home, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, on Saturday night.
“It (Adelaide) was the first place that my wife had come out to from the States, and it really became home for us,” Sobey, who has signed a three-year contract with Brisbane, tells The Advertiser.
“I’ve got a lot of friends and family down there, and it’s a place that will be with us for the rest of our lives.
“But with that being said, it’s been a great move up here and we’re really enjoying my time up in Brisbane.
“The group has been awesome and really making us welcome and feel good.”
Sobey finished with Adelaide in February, joined French club Strasbourg in March, signed with the Bullets in April and was back in SA for 36ers star Daniel Johnson’s wedding in June.
August was a huge month for him, starting with Harley’s birth and ending in China for the World Cup with the Boomers.
Fatherhood has led to a lot less sleep for Sobey but he is loving being a dad.
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“Obviously CC does a lot of the work, I just sit back a lot of the time, but it’s awesome,” he says.
“Obviously coming home after practice, there’s not as much relaxation and chilling out anymore, I’ve got daddy duties now.”
The World Cup was also a learning experience for Sobey, who had limited minutes playing behind NBA guards Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova.
Australia looked on track for its first medal after the US was surprisingly knocked out, only to finish fourth in a “very, very disappointing” result.
“Throughout the whole tournament we were right there and that’s just the way the ball rolls sometimes,” he says.
Sobey missed some of Brisbane’s pre-season while he was overseas so building chemistry took time but the Bullets have moved to a 2-1 record to start the campaign.
He believes the 36ers are also adjusting after their trip to Utah and does not read a lot into Adelaide’s 22-point loss to Sydney in its opening game last weekend.
“They were going to have to blow out some cobwebs,” he says.
“They showed some signs in the second half and we’re going to have to be ready to go.
“It should be a good contest, it’s a new arena for Adelaide and I’m really looking forward to coming down there to get a win.”