Former Adelaide 36ers coach CJ Bruton breaks his silence as he chases next job

CJ Bruton has spoken to the media for the first time since he was sacked by the Adelaide 36ers, revealing unfulfilled ambitions and what life was like in his time at the franchise.

Six-time NBL championship legend CJ Bruton has broken his silence, speaking for the first time since he was dismissed as coach by the Adelaide 36ers.

And he says the door is open for an NBL return, as either a head coach or assistant.

The ever-positive 500-game NBL great acknowledged the challenging circumstances that led to his December dismissal, but said he was delighting in the silver lining of spending more time with his family.

“It’s been good to be around my family more, since the break,” Bruton told CODE Sports in Brisbane, where he is supporting teenage son Rio in his pursuits for South Australia Metro at the Basketball Australia U18 National Championships.

“I’ve been able to put some work into my son and, to watch him grow, just in a short period of time, like any player, you’re proud of seeing them be able to put it on the floor and produce when they get called on.”

CJ Bruton was dismissed by the 36ers in December. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Bruton said despite myriad difficulties he’d faced throughout his tenure in Adelaide — from a revolving door of imports to backroom barneys — he looks back on his maiden top-level head coaching job as “enjoyable”.

“It was a tough time in Adelaide, but it was definitely enjoyable,” he said.

“There’s ups and downs in everything that we go through in life.

“It was (enjoyable) figuring things out on the fly and trying to find new ways to keep your team going.”

Bruton’s coaching stint in Adelaide never really took off. He missed the playoffs in both full seasons and won just 40 per cent of his 67 games, finishing with a record of 27-40.

Younger sons Roc and Diggy have also loved having dad around after the 365-day pressures of being an NBL coach for the past three years.

“I get to focus on my two little ones and this is good time spent with them when they don’t see their dad very often,” CJ Bruton said.

“It’s been a little rough on them because of my off-season since I got to Adelaide — it hasn’t really been an off-season.

“We didn’t have a general manager (of basketball) the whole time (he was in Adelaide), so you’ve got to go do certain things and be in certain meetings and you’re often out and about and it’s like ‘when’s your time for your family?’.

“Your season’s coming around again and, before you know it, they’re back at school.

“My family, all over the globe, I’ve let them know we were all good before it happened and we’re all good now.”

CJ Bruton still looks back on his time with the 36ers positively. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

CJ still has the coaching bug, revealing NBL clubs had reached out to him in the weeks after his 36ers’ exit.

“I did hear from an NBL team when I did get let go but it wasn’t right for me at that point in time,” CJ Bruton said.

“I do want to be a head coach again but I’m not afraid to go back to being an assistant. Clearly I’d like to think I can deliver and do that very well.

“I’ve got a few opportunities overseas — I’d like to be in the NBL but there’s not much because there’s only 10 teams, so I might have to ply my trade overseas.

“The door is open. My wife has been saying to me ‘if you don’t put it out there, no one will know’.

“Whatever opportunities are there, I’ll look at it, talk to my family and see what’s best for us.”

Originally published as Former Adelaide 36ers coach CJ Bruton breaks his silence as he chases next job