C. J. Bruton
Bruton played for numerous NBL teams over his career: Perth Wildcats, Brisbane Bullets, Wollongong Hawks, Canberra Cannons, Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers.Bruton was a second round selection of the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1997 NBA draft and traded to the Portland Trail Blazers but did not make the team's roster.In 1997, he led Indian Hills to the school's first championship and was named as an NJCAA All-American and the MVP of the 1997 national tournament.[8] After spending training camp and preseason with the Portland Trail Blazers,[7] Bruton joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce for the 2000–01 CBA season.[9][10] Bruton signed for the cashed-up Brisbane Bullets for the 2006–07 NBL season, joining a star-studded team that also featured Mark Bradtke, Sam Mackinnon, Dusty Rychart, Stephen Black and Adam Gibson.The Bullets won the NBL Pre-Season Blitz held at Coffs Harbour, with Bruton being MVP of the mini-tournament and part of the All-Star Five.The Bullets won the last 18 matches in the regular season, and with three more wins to start the playoffs, set a new NBL record of 21 straight victories.After winning through to a best-of-three semi-final series against the defending champion Melbourne Tigers, the Breakers suffered the same fate as Bruton's Bullets a year ago, swept 2–0.Bruton then would go on to become the only player to win five NBL titles when the Breakers won a hard-fought grand final against Perth Wildcats.[16] On 12 April 2013, the Breakers recorded their third NBL championship, sweeping the Perth Wildcats 2–0 in the grand final series, thus winning his sixth title.In front of a huge Breakers' crowd at Vector Arena with family and friends in attendance, he recorded 11 points, 3 assists and 1 rebound in what was his 516th NBL game.[27] In September 2015, Bruton was appointed assistant coach and Basketball Operations Manager of the Brisbane Bullets for the team's return season in 2016–17.