Rucker: Off-Season Moves Set to Benefit Veteran Sobey

The Phoenix have been one of the busiest players in the free agency period and are nearing a full-roster ahead of the pre-season, with just one import spot to fill.

Sobey, who came to the Heartland after a successful five-year stint at the Brisbane Bullets, is looking for his first championship and Rucker believes the way that South East Melbourne’s roster is shaping could be most helpful to the 34-year-old.

“The way the roster has shaped, Nathan Sobey is the one that’s in a great situation to excel,” Rucker told NBL’s The Marketplace.

“(Import guard and Phoenix recruit) Derrick Walton Jr is a stabiliser, and who is that going to impact the most in this lineup and perhaps in the competition? That’s one man, Nathan Sobey.”

Sobey and Walton Jr look likely to form a significant part of Mike Kelly’s starting lineup, with Jordan Hunter, Joe Wieskamp and Phoenix foundation player Mitch Creek looming as the most probable fellow starters.

Rucker had high praise for 2021 All-NBL First Team recipient Sobey who last reached a championship series in 2018 with the Adelaide 36ers.

“He’s one of the most talented and athletic players in the competition, when that guy gets cooking, there’s very few players that can reach the heights he can.”

Pre-season will commence on August 1 to start the beginning of an exciting new season for the Phoenix.