Huge boost for Brisbane Bullets as star import Lamar Patterson ready to announce return to Queensland

It’s been a good off-season for the Brisbane Bullets. On the back of securing a stable base at the Queensland State Netball Centre, they are now about to re-sign one of last season’s big NBL MVP candidates.

Lamar Patterson is back in Brisbane. Picture: Getty

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Brisbane are set to confirm on Wednesday that star import Lamar Patterson is returning for the 2019-20 NBL season when the Bullets will play their home games at the Queensland State Netball Centre.

Patterson’s signature will complete the bolstered Bullets roster that will share the recently opened $44 million, 5000-capacity facility at Nathan with the Queensland Firebirds and Netball Queensland.

The Bullets will use the QSNC as their training base as well as their home court after splitting their home games between the Brisbane Convention Centre and Brisbane Entertainment Centre and training at Carina since they re-entered the NBL in 2016.

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Lamar Patterson is back in Brisbane. Picture: Getty

No matter where their court is bumped together, having Patterson in the line-up is a massive shot in the arm for the Bullets.

Patterson was an NBL MVP candidate and was selected in the All-NBL First team last season after averaging 18 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game and was a genuine match-winner for Brisbane who qualified for the play-offs.

Patterson – who played in the NBA and as a gun for hire in Europe and Asia - left a cryptic message on social media about returning to Queensland.

He was a player in high demand in the off-season with overseas clubs and cashed-up NBL teams interested in his considerable services but has opted to return to the Bullets environment where he flourished.

The Bullets also secured Boomers guard Nathan Sobey in the free agency period and have added imports Taylor Braun and EJ Singler to the squad brimming with Australian and New Zealand Tall Blacks representatives.

Lamar Patterson was a huge asset for the Bullets last season.

Meanwhile, the NBL has struck a new broadcast deal with ESPN and SBS for the next two seasons.

The deal includes three free-to-air games per week on SBS with every other game on ESPN. All games will be streamed by SBS.

SBS will broadcast matches at 5.30pm (EDT) on Saturday and have a double-header on Sundays at 3pm (EDT) and 5pm (EDT). All games that start after 7.30pm (EDT) will be on ESPN.

NBL Owner and Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman said the broadcast agreement “is a huge leap forward in the coverage of the NBL and basketball across Australia”.

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