Aaron Bruce

Aaron Michael Bruce (born 19 December 1984) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played four seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for Baylor University before playing in the NBL for the Adelaide 36ers and the Sydney Kings.

Early life

Born in Birchip, Victoria, Bruce attended high school at Horsham College in nearby Horsham where he graduated in 2002.^[1] He also attended the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 2002 where he helped the AIS achieve a 20–2 SEABL regular season record and an East Conference title, but they later lost the ABA National Final.^[2]

In 2003, his future Adelaide 36ers coach Marty Clarke took over as head coach of the AIS after previously serving as an assistant coach. Bruce went on to win the 2003 Victorian Men's Player of the Year award and finished his two-year AIS stint with .826 (185/224) free throw percentage.^[3][4]

On 18 November 2003, Bruce signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for Baylor University.^[5]

College career

As a freshman at Baylor in 2004–05, Bruce was the school's most productive freshman since Lawrence Roberts in 2001–02. He started all 28 games and led the team with 34.8 minutes per game, finishing as the nation's top-scoring freshman with 18.2 points per game (highest freshman average in Big 12 history). He was named freshman All-America by Basketball Times (first team), Rivals.com (second team) and CollegeInsider.com, while earning All-Big 12 honours by the Associated Press (third team), Kansas City Star (third team) and the Lawrence Journal-World (third team). He was also named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year by Kansas City Star, San Antonio Express-News and ESPN.com's Dick Vitale, and earned USBWA All-District 7 team honours.^[3][6]

As a sophomore in 2005–06, Bruce started all 17 games during school's abbreviated 2005–06 season – Baylor was barred from playing any non-conference games in 2005–06 due to a 2003 scandal. He was named All-Big 12 honourable mention by league coaches and Associated Press, earned Academic All-Big 12 second team honours, named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honour Roll for fall 2005, and voted the Big 12's "Most Underrated Player" by opposing conference players in a poll taken by Sports Illustrated. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on the season.^[3][6]

As a junior in 2006–07, Bruce played in 29 of 31 games (missed two games due to injury), starting all 29. He was named an honourable mention All-Big 12 selection for the third straight year and was named to the Spring 2007 Big 12 Commissioner's Honour Roll. On 21 February 2007, he became the 19th Baylor player to score 1,000 points with seven points in win over Nebraska. he averaged 11.3 points, 3.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game on the season.^[3][6]

As a senior in 2007–08, Bruce had a career-low season, averaging just 8.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game^[6] but did help guide the Bears to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years. He finished his college career as one of just four Bears ever to surpass 1,000 career points and 300 career assists. His 1,330 career points were at the time the seventh-most in school history.^[7]

College statistics

Professional career

Pre-NBA draft

In April 2008, Bruce competed in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament for the Tidewater Sealants where he averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in three games. He then returned to Australia where he joined the Horsham Hornets of the Big V division three for a one-game stint on 17 May 2008. He helped Horsham defeat the McKinnon Cougars 119–88, finishing the game with 17 points, eight assists and three steals playing alongside his two brothers, Cameron and Shaun.^[8]

Summer League

After going undrafted in the 2008 NBA draft, Bruce joined the Seattle SuperSonics for the 2008 NBA Summer League where he averaged 1.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in three games.^[7][9]

Adelaide 36ers

In August 2008, Bruce signed a two-year deal with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League.^[10] He went on to win the 2009 NBL Rookie of the Year award after averaging 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 29 games.^[11]

Following the 2008–09 NBL season, Bruce decided to leave the 36ers to take time off from basketball whilst going through some personal family issues, and subsequently did not play in 2009–10, returning to the United States to finish his degree at Baylor University. On 14 August 2010, he officially graduated from Baylor, earning his undergraduate degree in psychology.^[12] During this time, he married and divorced American partner Whitney Leasley.

In December 2010, Bruce returned to the 36ers, signing with the club as an injury-replacement for Rhys Carter.^[13][14] He stuck around with the club for the rest of the 2010–11 season and in 15 games, he averaged 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.^[15]

Following the conclusion of the 2010–11 NBL season, Bruce joined the Eastern Mavericks for the 2011 Central ABL season. In 15 games for the Mavericks, he averaged 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.^[16]

Sydney Kings

On 28 May 2011, Bruce signed a one-year deal with the Sydney Kings.^[17] In Sydney, Bruce re-launched his basketball career, playing his best basketball since his standout days at Baylor. During the early part of the 2011–12 season, the Kings were in the top four fight, and Bruce was mentioned as a possible Boomer for the 2012 Olympics. However, on 12 January 2012, it was announced that Bruce had sustained a season-ending leg injury after breaking his tibia.^[18] In 17 games, he averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.^[15]

On 16 May 2012, Bruce re-signed with the Kings for the 2012–13 NBL season.^[19] In 29 games, he averaged 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.^[15]

Following the 2012–13 season, Bruce quit the league after failing to negotiate a pay raise with the Kings; the club wanted Bruce to instead take a pay cut.^[20]

International career

Bruce spent the summer of 2003 playing for the Australian junior national team that won the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Thessaloniki, Greece. He led Australia with 25 points in a 106–85 upset of Team USA, which featured Dee Brown and J. J. Redick. He was also a member of the Australian Under-21 national team in 2004.^[3]

In the summer of 2005, Bruce served as captain of the Australian Under-21 national team. They played exhibition games in Europe and Canada before participating in the World Championship in Argentina. He went on to play for the Australian Boomers that tied for ninth place at 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan. In six games, he averaged 4.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.^[3]

Personal

Bruce is the son of Steve and Julie Bruce. His mother was a national-level swimmer while two of his uncles played in the Australian Football League.^[3] He also has two younger brothers, Cameron and Shaun, both of whom are basketball players.^[20][21]

After retiring from basketball, Bruce started working at Real Staffing as a recruitment consultant for their Pharmaceutical division.^[22]

References

External links

• Eurobasket.com profile
• Baylor bio
• Aaron Bruce on Twitter