Why the record breaking Sydney Kings sit proudly with NBA and Olympic success for Shane Heal
As Sydney prepare to honour one of its proudest moments of the nineties, Shane Heal recounts his memories of the highest scoring team in Kings history and how that record breaking season sits up with his NBA and Boomers success.
Shane Heal has countless memories across his stellar career, but the 1996 season will forever sit at the top as his favourite.
And it’s not solely because of his iconic three-point scoring barrage against a star-studded American Dream Team prior to the Atlanta Olympics.
Heal dropped 28 points – including an impressive 8 of 13 from three-point range. His heated clash with USA star Charles Barkley also created global headlines.
The world-class shooting performance also paved the way for the diminutive guard to secure his first NBA contract – a three-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For all the highlights, the 1996 season possesses particularly fond memories for Heal due to his record-breaking maiden NBL season with the Sydney Kings.
The ‘96 Kings remain the highest scoring team in franchise history after averaging a whopping 108.8 points a game.
The men in black, courtesy of a bold new singlet design to signify a new era in the Harbour City, put on a scoring show.
Heal moved to Sydney from Melbourne to join forces with a new-look Kings side led by star signing Melvin Thomas and American import Isaac Burton.
Together the trio proved to be unstoppable, helping the team set franchise records that still exist for the regular season in FG (51.6%) and three point percentage (41.2%).
What a display of shooting by the Hammer!!! No wonder the NBA came calling... 🔥🔥🔥 @ShaneHealpic.twitter.com/j0Og6pE1kx
— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) March 7, 2023
Midway through the ‘96 season, the Kings led the NBL with a strong 11-3 record. They won their first eight home games and in one stretch won nine straight games overall, averaging 120.4 points per game over that span.
“It was a great year – I loved it,” Heal reflects with a grin.
“Isaac Burton could be my favourite teammate that I’ve ever played with.
“We just had a great combination. He was a defensive specialist, but he could really shoot and we played well together.
“As an athlete and a guy – he was the perfect NBL player.
“Bolden and Thomas could also shoot, so we had four guys who could score and coach Alan Black let us play.
“I loved playing for Alan. He was such a good players’ coach.”
Brad Rosen was a fresh-faced rookie on the star-studded Sydney side in ‘96. Rosen lapped up every moment playing alongside established names like Heal, Bolden and Thomas as the Kings dominated the NBL.
“It was amazing,” Rosen said.
“I remember there were games when we had 70 to 80 points at halftime.
“The mindset was simple. Get the stop and run the floor. Go and have some fun and Shane (Heal) and Ice (Burton) were phenomenal.
“I really enjoyed that season, but I didn’t realise how good it was until years later because I never made the playoffs after that season in my career.”
Just when the Kings looked set to cruise to the ‘96 NBL championship, the Atlanta Games intervened.
The NBL competition was reduced to two games for three rounds while the Olympics were on to allow stars like Heal, Andrew Gaze, Andrew Vlahov, Mark Bradtke and Sam Mackinnon to represent the Boomers.
He's been forgotten over the years but Shane Heal could play. I will never forget him playing for Australia and giving team USA all they could handle.
— Frosty Bias â˜˜ï¸ (@FrostyBias) July 29, 2021
I bet Charles Barkley remembers him! pic.twitter.com/6Uvxg6WlN2
Unfortunately for Sydney, the break took the sting out of the team’s campaign.
The Kings finished the regular season in fifth before losing to Canberra in the quarter-finals.
Upon reflection, Heal concedes Sydney missed a valuable opportunity to potentially win a championship in ‘96 given their hot start to the season.
“We got hurt that year because of the Olympics,” he said.
“It was a real disruption the break because we started off so strongly and we were all disappointed with the way it finished.”
Fortunately for Heal, ‘96 ended on a high with his first NBA contract.
He revealed he received interest from up to five teams during the Atlanta Olympics.
Normally players like to put aside any contract news to focus solely on performing at the Games, but Heal was different.
“I was speaking to my agent every day,” he said.
“He’d tell me Atlanta and LA Lakers are really keen and want you to come in. I wanted more information because it inspired and motivated me to go out and perform.
“I knew guys were watching me, so I had to go to work.”
At Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, the Kings will honour the ‘96 Kings side as part of Heritage Round when they take on the Brisbane Bullets.
The current crop will don the famous black singlets for the big occasion.
Sydney’s uniforms started out with the traditional gold or purple and white for away, but former owner
Mike Wrublewski wanted to bring a new jersey in to signify a new Kings era after the retirements of foundation members Damian Keogh and Mark Dalton.
THROWIN' BACK TO '96 👑
— Sydney Kings (@SydneyKings) November 19, 2024
The Sydney Kings will turn back the clock and honour the club's 1996 team during the NBL's Heritage Round.
📰: https://t.co/L50i7U0RSu
From 10am Wednesday, fans can purchase their own jersey via our club store âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/NzDHmptxtO#TakeTheThronepic.twitter.com/RZJAFAOhs2
The black singlet has a special place in Heal’s heart – as does Wrublewki’s significant influence on the franchise.
“I loved Mike - I loved everything about him,” he said.
“What he put together and Sydney was perfect for me.
“It was a big city, good people, passionate and high profile. That was my first season there and I finished as the only Sydney Kings player that has had their number retired.
“That black singlet from ‘96 is still my favourite Kings singlet.
“I’d actually recommend the current players wear it more often. It looks fantastic.”
NBL SUNDAY:
SYDNEY KINGS (3rd) VS BRISBANE BULLETS (5th) AT QUDOS BANK ARENA FROM 4.30PM (AEDT)
DID YOU KNOW: NBA scouts from the LA Clippers, Utah Jazz and the Toronto Raptors will be at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday to watch NBL Next Stars Alex Toohey (Kings) and Rocco Zikarsky (Bullets) as they look to be selected in the 2025 NBA draft
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