Adelaide’s new era demands sacrifice

It’s a lineup that oozes talent, but the real question is whether they can buy in as one.

With Cotton, Harrell, Cheatham and Vasiljevic, Adelaide’s offensive firepower is unmatched.

But chasing a championship will require one thing above all else: sacrifice.

“We were tenth in the league midway through the year (NBL26) on defence. We sat down and asked, what do we really want? That needs to be addressed from day one,” DJ Vasiljevic said on NBL Now.

“All the championships I’ve won with Sydney, we were either first or second in defence. That’s it. Defence wins championships. We protect the paint, close out on threes, rotate properly. That’s the biggest thing we have to work on.”

“The big thing will be defence. That’s what Mike will harp on during pre-season.”

Vasiljevic says the 36ers have enough experience, nous and a history of winning to adapt to any situation.

“That’s what it’s about… adding a championship to the resume. I’ve won two, I know what it takes and how it feels. Bryce has won it too. That’s where we start and build from.

“One day it’ll be Bryce’s night, one day Cheatham’s, one day Trezz’s.

“Harrell is a fan favourite, an unstoppable force. Then there’s Silent Cheatham, a high flyer. We didn’t see his best at the Breakers due to injury. It feels like this team’s potential is limitless.

“It reminds me of Sydney in my first year. Everyone played their part. If it was someone’s night, we went to them. We filled the spots we needed to.”

Having a player dubbed the “biggest free agency signing of all time” can’t be understated either.

“Bryce will lead and we’ll follow his lead,” Vasiljevic said.

“When we signed Bryce, I didn’t believe it. I thought Matt Weston was cracking a joke with me on a Thursday night. He is, in my opinion, the greatest player to ever touch the floor in the NBL.

“The amount of gravity he pulls to himself, if you double-team him or load to the ball, there are still people around who can make shots and score.

“Everyone’s going to question our defence, but at the end of the day we want to win. You’re only defined by championships, not MVPs or All-NBL teams. We’ll lock in.”

Those questions will keep coming until the 36ers get their shot to prove it on court - but one thing’s certain: they’re going to be fun to watch.

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