Aron Baynes Comeback Complete

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Aron Baynes’ miraculous return to basketball has been realised through a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets.

Baynes is one of Australia’s greatest ever basketballers and has enjoyed a decorated career in the NBA and with the Australian Boomers.

The 35-year-old suffered a career-threatening spinal cord injury during the Tokyo Olympics, but wants to make it back to the NBA after diligently attacking his rehabilitation program.

“We’ve seen time and time again, players using the NBL as a springboard to get into, or back into, the NBA,” Hungry Jack’s NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said.

“This signing is further evidence of the recognition of the NBL’s strong standing in world basketball as a legitimate and proven pathway to the NBA.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After 11 months of rehab, including learning how to walk again, <a href="https://twitter.com/aronbaynes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aronbaynes</a> is back at full strength and ready to set his trademark screens in the NBA again.<br><br>It's an absolutely incredible comeback story, and we can't wait to see what's next for the Boomers BIG man. <a href="https://t.co/FkBm8zD91L">pic.twitter.com/FkBm8zD91L</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1545555520580636672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Baynes played 522 NBA games across nine years with the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors. He won an NBA Championship with the Spurs in 2014.

While playing for the Suns in March 2020, Baynes scored a career-high 37 points, while nailing nine-three pointers. He and 2018 NBA MVP James Harden are the only players in NBA history with 35+ points, 15+ rebounds and nine three-pointers in a game.

Baynes represented Australia at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics, and was a member of the historic bronze medal winning Boomers in Tokyo.

“Aron is one of the most respected and successful figures in Australian basketball and has a lot of great basketball ahead of him,” Loeliger added.

“The world will be watching his comeback through the NBL and we believe signing with the Bullets gives Aron the best chance at returning to the NBA.

“Our season enables Aron to progressively work back into shape and be primed for the end of the NBL season, which coincides with the final stages of the NBA season.

“We saw Andrew Bogut sign with the Golden State Warriors in 2019 after his MVP winning NBL season with the Sydney Kings, which provides the perfect model for Aron.

“Aron joins several Australian NBA players who have returned to the NBL, and we look forward to him dominating for the Bullets.”

Aron Baynes career highlights
522 NBA games
9 years in the NBA
NBA Champion (2014)
NBA career-High of 37 points
Tied most three-point makes in a game for the Phoenix Suns (9)
Most three-point makes in a game by a centre (9)
Baynes and James Harden only players in NBA history with 35+ points, 15+ rebounds and 9 threes in a game
Tokyo Olympic Bronze Medal
3x Olympian (2012, 2016, 2020)