Brave Brock is king of 36ers mountain for a 'special day'

• Brock Birmingham signed a one-day deal with the Adelaide 36ers
• He had his right leg amputated two weeks ago and is already back playing
• Birmingham announced Bryce Cotton as the club's captain for NBL27

Brock Birmingham had his right leg amputated a fortnight ago.

This week he signed with the Adelaide 36ers, sat in on their team meetings, and stood in front of the playing group to announce Bryce Cotton as captain for the Hungry Jack's NBL27 season.

He is 10 years old, and the contract ran for a day.

The signing came about after his family contacted the club to tell them about a basketball-mad North Adelaide Rockets junior who had just made a decision most adults would struggle with. Brock was  diagnosed with fibular hemimelia, a condition in which the fibula is missing or fails to grow at the same rate as the rest of the leg. It meant a childhood of surgeries, including a leg lengthening operation three years ago, and when complications followed that surgery the family faced a choice.

"It was a little nerve-wracking," Brock told Adelaide 36ers of the decision to amputate.

"But it was the better option because my ankle wasn't very good and my leg was just not good so it was the best idea to amputate it because I could have a more sporty life and keep playing basketball."

Two weeks on he is already back on a court, and he has plans for what happens once he is fitted with a prosthetic leg. He intends to return to the Rockets and keep playing with his under-12 side.

This was never a farewell to the game. It was a decision made in order to stay in it.

The day itself had the shape of a real signing. Brock joined the playing group at training, was given a seat in team meetings, and was handed the job of announcing the club's captain, which is how a room full of professional athletes found out that Cotton will lead them this season.

His own highlight, though, was somewhere else entirely, and it had nothing to do with the captaincy or the contract.

"The best part was probably meeting Zylan Cheatham because he's my favourite player," he said.

"He's athletic, funny, and he can dunk.

"He gave me a pair of his shoes and a signature on my little cast. It was just a really special day for me."

Proud mum Stacey described the experience as "incredible".

"I think given the circumstances and the thoughts that go through your head as a parent to see your child in a situation like we have, to be able to be here today and to meet Zylan Cheatham, his favourite NBL and 36ers player, would have meant the world to him today," she said.

"He said to us earlier that it's been the best day of his life and that's the cherry on the cake for us.

"All we want to see as parents is for our children to be happy and just being able to be included in things and feel the joy that all kids should feel.

"It's just been such a humbling experience to be here today amongst the guys and the coaches here at the 36ers. It's just been so incredible. I'm speechless."

What strikes her most, watching the past fortnight from the closest possible distance, is how little has changed in her son.

"It's pretty incredible to see him still being that fun, energetic, go get-it kid that he was prior to the amputation," she said.

"I think that mentality that he has and the determination that he has within himself is what will take him where he needs to be, and I just can't wait to see his future unfold."

Brock will be back at the North Adelaide Rockets soon enough, playing under-12s on a prosthetic leg, and the 36ers will have a season to get on with.

The Adelaide 36ers open their NBL27 campaign against Melbourne United on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 7.30pm (AEST).