Brisbane Bullets forward Mitch Young making a big impact with his hometown team in the NBL

PODCAST: Brisbane Bullets Mitch Young has provided a boost off the bench for the team this season and still pinches himself about representing his hometown team.

BRISBANE was buzzing when National Basketball League executive director Larry Kestelman announced the Bullets were coming back last September.

But there was one person who was more excited than most

A southeast Queensland product who developed his skills at the Logan Thunder and Brisbane State High School. He then went on to bigger and better things on the US college basketball scene playing alongside NBA star and good friend Matthew Dellavedova at St Mary’s in California.

Returning to Australia to start his professional career in the NBL, he started at the Cairns Taipans before moving to Townsville to play for Crocodiles, where he made a major impact in a young but exciting roster under Shawn Dennis until the club folded at the end of the season.

However, the unfortunate demise of the Crocodiles opened the door for Mitch Young to finally wear the Bullets uniform, an achievement he dreamt of since he was playing in the junior ranks.

And the 26-year-old is making the most of it.

Young said he still pinched himself about the fact he was playing for the team he grew up idolising.

“I definitely do, I love getting up every day and coming to practice and going through the process and putting on that Bullets jersey, it’s just awesome

In a front line, which includes former NBA player Cameron Bairstow, NBL star Daniel Kickert as well as two-time champion Tom Jervis and NBL veteran Anthony Petrie, Young has proved he can contribute the Bullets success by bringing energy and hustle off the bench.

NBL Round 2: Brisbane Bullets vs Adelaide 36ers, at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Brisbane's Mitch Young controls posession. Picture: Peter Cronin

The 206cm forward has had several big games in limited minutes this season including 10 points in seven minutes in Round 2 against Adelaide, eight points and seven rebounds in the season opener against Perth and his best game yet with 14 points and six rebounds against New Zealand last week.

“I think I’ve just been able to finish well around the rim and been able to come in and be really aggressive and bring energy,” Young said.

“On this team, if you get to the right spots, guys will find you.

“I’m feeling good, I’m pretty happy with the way I’ve been playing, coming in playing hard, setting good screens, getting on the offensive rebounds.

“Going against these guys at training has definitely helped me, obviously our front court is loaded, we’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of experience and we’ve got a lot of versatility with bigs that play different ways so going against those guys every day has definitely helped me improve.”

The same energy and boost Young has provided off the bench so far this season will be needed when the Bullets host the Sydney Kings tonight then travel north to take on the Cairns Taipans on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s clash with Cairns will be the first time Bullets import Torrey Craig and Shaun Bruce have faced their former team.