Shaun Bruce set for milestone 300th NBL game

There is no easy road to 300 games in any professional sport, but for Sydney veteran and two-time champion, that path has been rockier than most.

Bruce will play his 300^th NBL game when the Kings take on the Wildcats on Friday night, and while he’s forged a role as Sydney’s leader and go-to guard from the bench in recent seasons, he was very nearly out of the league for good as recently as 2019.

The 32-year-old has become synonymous with the Kings due to his contribution to their championship run, but prior to his time in the Harbour City he spent four seasons with the Taipans and two with the Bullets before a short injury-replacement stint with Adelaide in 2019.

“The people closest to me are the ones that deserve the recognition, honestly,” Bruce told Kings Media ahead of the milestone game.

“From everything mum and dad have sacrificed to make this possible, to the support I get from my fiancée, Vee.

“I’m not here without them and I’m glad we’ve been able to share all the moments together.”

In a swipe of poetic justice, Bruce made his NBL debut for the Taipans against the club with which he has become so entwined with.

He played just over one minute and registered a solitary foul in a 20-point win over the Kings, and scored his first NBL points against Adelaide in the very next fixture.

The only other players still active in the NBL from that Taipans side are New Zealand’s Cam Gliddon and Tasmania’s Clint Steindl.

“As a kid I dreamt of playing one game, and I remember that first one since yesterday.

“I’m really grateful to have played in the NBL for this long.

“I’m really proud of myself for finding a way to get to this point and ride the wave of highs and lows.

“It’s been a fun journey.”

Bruce’s 300^th game will come against the Perth Wildcats on Friday, December 1 at 9:30pm AEDT, live on ESPN via Kayo.