Shaun Bruce returns to Cairns

The Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans welcome back Shaun Bruce, who returns to the team that launched his NBL career over 12 years ago. The 35-year-old comes full circle on a two-year deal after spending the last seven seasons with the Sydney Kings.

The NBL journeyman most recently won his third Championship and has paved his way throughout the league as another Cairns success story. He was first scouted by the Club in 2012 from SEABL’s Ballarat Miners and signed as a development player.

Bruce was also part of the Taipans Academy and appeared in 17 games as a DP, with a high of seven points in 14 minutes against the Hawks.

After being elevated to the roster in 2013, Bruce re-signed in the Far North three more times, becoming a key presence off the bench in Cairns’ 2015 Grand Final push and recording consecutive 17-point performances during the 2015-16 season.

The point guard went south after signing with Brisbane in 2016-17, spending two seasons with the Bullets before joining Adelaide as an injury replacement player.

Boasting over 150 NBL appearances, his next opportunity was with Sydney (meeting then Kings assistant coach Adam Forde), which would shape the next seven years of his career.

“I first got to work with Shaun back in 2019 while at Sydney, and at that time, he had only played seven games as an injury replacement player the season before. From that point on, he established himself as a driver of culture, standards and mateship,” explained Head Coach Adam Forde.

“That approach took him from an IRP to now being one of the top players in all-time games played for Sydney. That’s a testament to him and what he brings. So, we will need all of that from him, as well as production on court.”

Across his time with the Kings, Bruce cemented himself in Sydney history with three Championships, the second-most appearances as a King (219 games), the all-time most wins with the club (136), fourth most assists (524 assists), third all-time total plus-minus (+411 points), and ninth most three-pointers (199 made triples).

Also reaching 378 games in the NBL during the 2025-26 season (65th most all-time) and his 28th post-season game on the way to the Championship, his return to Cairns marks a full-circle moment as he reunites with the Taipans and Forde.

“When people watch Shaun play, they can see he has a level of toughness and resilience to his game, but that’s the tip of the iceberg with him,” said Coach Forde.

“His mental toughness and resilience are what impress me the most. You can see his focus and work that he’s put in the off-season with Logan to do that.

“I’m asking Shaun to go another level for me this season, and I have no doubt he will do it too.”

Spending his fourth off-season with Logan in the NBL1 North, the Victorian is comfortably leading the country at 12.6 assists per game – the only player to average double-digit assists in any conference – with the guard also averaging 20.1 points and seven rebounds per outing.

Shaun Bruce joins Jack McVeigh and Reyne Smith as officially signed players to the 2026-27 Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans roster.