Bullets sign import Thaddeus Delaney

Posted: Sat Aug 29, 1998 at 9:32 PM ET

The Brisbane Bullets officially added import Thaddeus Delaney to its roster yesterday with the club displaying a revamped team, uniform and logo for the new National Basketball League summer season. The Bullets received Delaney's international clearance yesterday and coach Brian Kerle expects the 205cm and 125kg centre to arrive within the next fortnight. The inaugural summer season opens with a home match on October 9 against West Sydney Razorbacks at the Convention Centre. Bullet sponsors and supporters were this week treated to a sneak preview of the $4million marketing campaign designed to repackage the league. The league will be sold with the slogan "Nothin' Better" in a widespread campaign targetted for televison and cinema. Kerle was excited by the new direction of the league and of the Bullets which he joked had such a young average they were looking for Gameboy sponsorship.

Delaney is the eighth new player at the Bullets this season, each one 23 years old or under, to form one of the youngest outfits in the club's 21-year history. The team is almost unrecognisable from last year's fourth-placed side with evergreen captain Leroy Loggins, 40, Roger Smith, 30, Mark Nash, 22, and Steve Woodberry, 30, the only survivors. Brendan Mann, 21, Phil Doherty, 22, Matt Shanahan, 22, Ben Knight, 22, Paul Scott, 21, Brendan Beak, 19, Peter Issitt, 23, and Delaney, 23, are the additions. Questions have been raised about the seven departures in the off-season, especially when semi-finalists Brisbane experienced on-court success. Kerle said the Bullets wanted to keep most players but were out-bid for Chuck Kornegay, CJ Bruton and Ben Thompson.

*This article taken directly from the AAP