Miscellaneous
CJ Bruton is Assistant Coach of the Brisbane Bullets in the NBL, where he had a long career with 516 games. CJ played in the last Bullets championship win in 2007, adding another NBL title to a playing resume that also included two titles with the Sydney Kings and three NBL titles with the New Zealand Breakers (6 NBL titles in total). He is one of the most awarded players in NBL history: Grand Final MVP (2012); 2× All-NBL First Team (2006, 2009); All-NBL Second Team (2008); 2× All-NBL Third Team (2004, 2007); NBL Most Improved Player (1999) and the Gaze Medal (2005).CJ first played in the NBL at age 18 with the Perth Wildcats, before taking the opportunity to attend college at Indian Hills (1995-97). He was a second round pick in the 1997 NBA draft, picked 52nd overall selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies. His draft rights were later traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in a draft night trade.CJ played for the Australian Boomers in the mens team from 2006-2008 at both Commonwealth and Olympic games. CJ started his coaching career with the South West Metro Pirates in the Queensland Basketball League (2007), the Brisbane Spartans in SEABL 2015-16, and from 2016, he linked with his former coach at the Breakers and former Boomers Head Coach, Andrej Lemanis, joining the Bullets coaching ranks as they re-entered the NBL competition in 2016/17.CJ is locally involved in basketball in Brisbane, coaching in the 2020 Qld State League (QSL) with the Southern Districts Spartans, and won the title with his open boys high school team (Church of England Grammar School) to the 2020 Champion Basketball Schools of Qld tournament.In this interview, CJ discusses the highlights of his playing career, the challenges college hoops presented, and some of the insights into the Bullets review of the 2019-20 season, and preparations for the upcoming 2021 NBL season. You can follow the Brisbane Bullets on their website https://www.brisbanebullets.com.au/