Basketball: Bullets announce first signings for ANBL return

Adam Gibson playing for the Brisbane Bullets. Photo / Getty Images

The Brisbane Bullets are poised to announce more player signings next week after unveiling Adam Gibson and Daniel Kickert as their first recruits for their comeback NBL season.

Gibson, who spent the past four seasons with the Adelaide 36ers, has signed for three years while former Melbourne United big man Kickert has penned a two-year deal.

"I think their signing sends a very clear message right from the outset that we're fully determined to put together a playing roster that is going to be highly competitive in our return to the NBL," chief executive Mitchell Murphy said.

But it is just the start for the Andrej Lemanis-coached Bullets, who are deep in negotiations with several other players and are set to reveal further additions to the team in the coming days.

For Gibson it is a return to where it all started.

The 29-year-old Tasmanian made his professional debut in Brisbane in 2005, won the NBL title with them two years later and was there until the club's dying days, when former owner Eddy Groves' childcare empire collapsed and the club eventually dissolved, robbing the competition of one of its most iconic franchises.

"I always wanted to come back to Brisbane and I've got no doubt that if Brisbane had have stayed around this whole time I'd be a one club player," Gibson said.

"When the opportunity arose I was definitely excited and jumped at it with open arms."

Gibson said he was thrilled to have signed alongside Kickert, who made last season's All-NBL First Team and enjoyed a successful eight-year career in Europe before joining Melbourne in 2014.

"Having Kicks on board to start this whole thing is massive - I think the best big man in the league last year," Gibson said.

"Just having him there starts us on the right track and with some future signings to come, within time, we're definitely going to have a great base."

Murphy said the Bullets intend to fill all three of their import spots and will make an announcement regarding the team's training base - one of the key decisions to be reached in Brisbane's NBL rebirth - by the end of the month.

"It's a mammoth task to rebuild this club in a short space of time but we're in a very, very good position at the moment," Murphy said.