Shaun Bruce

Shaun Bruce
No. 7 – Sydney Kings
PositionGuard
LeagueNBL
Personal information
Born (1991-01-13) 13 January 1991 (age 33)
NationalityAustralian
Listed height192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight87 kg (192 lb)
Career information
Playing career2010–present
Career history
2010–2013Ballarat Miners
2012–2016Cairns Taipans
2014–2015Cairns Marlins
2016–2017Mackay Meteors
2016–2018Brisbane Bullets
2018Wellington Saints
2018Westports Malaysia Dragons
2019Adelaide 36ers
2019Rockhampton Rockets
2019–presentSydney Kings
2021;
2023–2024		Logan Thunder
Career highlights and awards

Shaun Bruce (born 13 January 1991) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He began his NBL career in 2012 and has played for the Cairns Taipans, Brisbane Bullets, Adelaide 36ers and Sydney Kings. He helped the Kings win back-to-back NBL championships in 2022 and 2023.

Early life

Bruce hails from Horsham, Victoria.[1] He grew up playing for the Horsham Hornets.[2][3]

Basketball career

NBL

In January 2012, Bruce had a training stint with the Melbourne Tigers of the National Basketball League.[4]

Bruce joined the Cairns Taipans as a development player for the 2012–13 NBL season.[5] He subsequently won the inaugural Aron Baynes Award for Most Outstanding Athlete.[6]

In August 2013, Bruce signed a full-time contract with the Taipans for the 2013–14 season.[7][8][9] He re-signed with the club for the 2014–15 season in April 2014.[10] On 31 December 2014, he recorded his first double-digit scoring game of his NBL career with 12 points against the Adelaide 36ers.[11] He helped the Taipans reach the 2015 NBL grand final series.[12]

On 19 June 2015, Bruce re-signed with the Taipans for the 2015–16 season.[13] He received more playing time in December 2015 due to injuries to teammates Markel Starks and Stephen Weigh.[14] He had 17 points against the Sydney Kings of 2 January 2016.[15]

On 29 April 2016, Bruce signed a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets.[16][17] On 27 January 2017, he scored a season-high 13 points in an 80–77 loss to Melbourne United.[18] He missed the start of the 2017–18 NBL season with the ankle injury.[19][20] On 28 October 2017, he scored a season-high 13 points in an 87–85 win over Melbourne United.[21] In 27 games, he averaged 3.0 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.[22]

In November 2018, Bruce played one game as a stand-in import for the Westports Malaysia Dragons of the ASEAN Basketball League.[23][24] In January 2019, he joined the Adelaide 36ers as a replacement for injured import Ramone Moore.[25] In seven games to finish the 2018–19 NBL season, he averaged 2.4 points per game.[26]

On 26 April 2019, Bruce signed with the Sydney Kings for the 2019–20 NBL season.[27] He played a key role off the bench and averaged career highs while stepping up in the absence of the injured Kevin Lisch.[28] On 15 June 2020, Bruce re-signed with the Kings on a two-year deal.[29] In February 2021, he played his 200th NBL game.[30]

In the 2021–22 NBL season, Bruce played his 250th NBL game[31] and helped the Kings win the NBL championship.[32] On 23 May 2022, Bruce re-signed with the Kings on a two-year deal.[33] He helped the Kings win back-to-back championships in 2022–23.[34] In December 2023, Bruce played his 300th NBL game.[35]

On 12 March 2024, Bruce re-signed with the Kings on a two-year deal.[36] On 13 October 2024, he recorded 21 points and four assists while making all six three-point attempts in a 99–76 win over the Cairns Taipans.[37]

Australian state leagues and NZNBL

In 2010, Bruce joined the Ballarat Miners of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).[38][39][40] In 2011, he won the SEABL East Golden Hands Award, which is calculated by adding a player's assists and steals and subtracting their turnovers.[41][42] He played a third season with the Miners in 2012.[4] With the Miners in 2013,[43] he missed eight games during the season with a torn quadriceps.[44][45]

Bruce played for the Cairns Marlins of the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) during the 2014 season, earning All-League Team honours.[46] He re-joined the Marlins for the 2015 QBL season.[47]

Bruce joined the Mackay Meteors for the 2016 QBL season.[48][49] He was named QBL Player of the Week for round six.[50] He averaged 20.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 18 games.[51] He was subsequently named to the QBL All-League Team.[52] He re-joined the Meteors for the 2017 QBL season.[53] He recorded two triple-doubles[54][55][56][57] and two Player of the Week awards.[58][59] He helped the Meteors reach the QBL grand final series, but he injured his ankle in game one and the team lost 2–1 to the Townsville Heat.[60] He was subsequently named the QBL MVP.[61][62] In 19 games, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game.[63]

Bruce played for the Wellington Saints in the 2018 New Zealand NBL season.[64] In 20 games, he averaged 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game.[65]

Bruce joined the Rockhampton Rockets for the 2019 QBL season.[66] In 20 games, he averaged 22.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 9.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game.[67]

In 2021, Bruce played for the Logan Thunder of the NBL1 North.[68] He re-joined the Thunder for the 2023 NBL1 North season[69] and earned All-NBL1 North Second Team honours.[70] He re-joined the Thunder for the 2024 NBL1 North season[71] and earned NBL1 North Second Team for the second straight year.[72]

Personal life

Bruce is the son of Steve and Julie Bruce. His mother was a national-level swimmer, while two of his uncles, Des and Stephen Ryan,[73] played in the Australian Football League (AFL).[74] He also has two older brothers, Aaron and Cameron. Aaron formerly played in the NBL, while Cameron has played many years in the lower level Victorian basketball divisions.[75]

Bruce is close friends with AFL player Jake Lloyd.[14]

References

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  2. ^ "Player statistics for Shaun Bruce – Big V". FoxSportsPulse.com. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  3. ^ Ward, Roy (29 March 2009). "Hornets fell the Giants". MailTimes.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b McCullagh-Beasy, Justine (12 January 2012). "Shaun Bruce trains with NBL Tigers". MailTimes.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  5. ^ Whelan, Melanie (14 August 2012). "Shaun Bruce signs with NBL". TheCourier.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  6. ^ Davis, Sam (12 March 2013). "Floor general Bruce eyes Orange Army promotion". ABC.net.au. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Snakes Pluck Bruce from CQUni Taipans Academy". Taipans.com. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  8. ^ O'Connor, Tim (6 August 2013). "Shaun Bruce signs with Cairns Taipans". TheCourier.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  9. ^ MacGillivray, Colin (7 August 2013). "One Bruce in, one Bruce out". MailTimes.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  10. ^ Serenc, Michael (30 April 2014). "Taipans guard Shaun Bruce re-signs with the Cairns basketball team for next season". CairnsPost.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  11. ^ Wenzel, Murray (2 January 2015). "Shaun Bruce feeling confident to shoot away as good form continues for young Cairns Taipans guard". CairnsPost.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  12. ^ Ward, Roy (6 March 2015). "Cairns Taipans guard Shaun Bruce fired up for NBL grand final series". SMH.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  13. ^ "TAIPANS RETAIN POINT GUARD SHAUN BRUCE". NBL.com.au. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  14. ^ a b Warren, Michael (27 January 2016). "In-form Bruce a Taipans beacon". CairnsPost.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  15. ^ "SNAKES FALL IN SYDNEY". Taipans.com. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
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  17. ^ McKenzie, Daniel (16 November 2017). "Meteors reach for the stars in targeting top signings". DailyMercury.com.au. Retrieved 28 December 2017. ...he's at the end of a two year deal with the Bullets.
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  26. ^ "Adelaide 36ers Stats 2018–19". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
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  28. ^ Pike, Chris (17 January 2020). "Bruce Shows Gratitude with Career-Best Form". NBL.com.au. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
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  31. ^ "Shaun Bruce celebrates major milestone". SydneyKings.com. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
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  34. ^ "Kings' Big Finish to Secure Back-to-Back Championships". NBL.com.au. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
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  37. ^ "Kings respond royally against Taipans". NBL.com.au. 13 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
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  41. ^ "2011 STATISTICAL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED". SEABL.com.au. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  42. ^ McCullagh-Beasy, Justine (6 September 2011). "Big week for Aaron and Shaun Bruce". MailTimes.com.au. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  43. ^ "SHAUN BRUCE TO PLAY ON FOR BALLARAT". SEABL.com.au. 13 December 2012. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
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  46. ^ "2014 QBL Awards Winners". QABL.basketball.net.au. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015.
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  52. ^ "2016 QBL End of Season Awards". qbl.basketballqld.com.au. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
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  73. ^ Harris, Amelia (20 June 2008). "Melbourne's Aaron Bruce looking at NBA drafting". heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  74. ^ "Aaron Bruce Bio". BaylorBears.com. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
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