The Adelaide 36ers have made one of the biggest moves of the NBL off-season by appointing Trevor Gleeson as head coach, reuniting him with superstar guard Bryce Cotton in a partnership that previously delivered multiple championships with the Perth Wildcats.
For Adelaide supporters, the announcement feels like a major turning point for a club that spent years struggling near the bottom of the standings before dramatically emerging as a title contender last season.
Gleeson replaces Mike Wells, who stepped down after leading the 36ers to the NBL grand final series. Adelaide came agonisingly close to ending its championship drought but lost the deciding game to the Sydney Kings in overtime after surrendering a late lead in the final seconds.
That painful defeat now appears to have accelerated Adelaide’s push to build a championship-winning structure around Cotton while he remains one of the league’s elite players.
Cotton transformed Adelaide immediately
Just two seasons ago, the 36ers finished ninth and missed the playoffs for a sixth straight year. Everything changed when Adelaide secured Cotton in one of the biggest player signings in modern NBL history.
The five-time MVP instantly transformed the club on and off the court. Adelaide games became among the hottest tickets in Australian basketball, while Cotton produced another dominant campaign by averaging more than 26 points per game alongside career-best numbers in assists, steals and minutes played.
According to his official Adelaide 36ers player profile, Cotton remains one of the most decorated imports the NBL has ever seen, and Adelaide’s entire championship push is being built around his leadership and scoring ability.
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Why Trevor Gleeson changes the title race
Gleeson’s arrival adds proven championship experience to a roster already capable of competing with the league’s best teams. During his time in Perth, he and Cotton helped create one of the Wildcats’ most successful eras, winning three championships in four seasons and regularly handling the pressure that comes with title expectations.
Adelaide executives openly admitted the club is focused on winning immediately. Executive chair Grant Kelley said the current roster is “built to win”, while general manager Matt Weston described Gleeson’s appointment as a major moment for the organisation.
The move also creates another emotional storyline for Perth Wildcats fans, many of whom are still frustrated after losing Cotton. Watching two club legends reunite at a major rival will only intensify attention on Adelaide throughout the season.
Swikblog recently covered the dramatic Sydney Kings overtime victory against Adelaide in the NBL Finals, a result that now looks like the catalyst behind the 36ers’ aggressive championship push.
With Cotton still performing at an elite level and Gleeson now running the sidelines, Adelaide enters the new season carrying serious expectations and genuine belief that its long wait for another NBL championship could finally end.
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