{"id":181444,"date":"2026-03-13T10:27:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=181444"},"modified":"2026-03-13T10:27:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:27:20","slug":"sydney-kings-torrey-craig-prepping-nba-return-wants-championship-ring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/03\/13\/sydney-kings-torrey-craig-prepping-nba-return-wants-championship-ring\/","title":{"rendered":"Sydney Kings’ Torrey Craig Prepping For NBA Return, Wants Ring"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been 301 days since Sydney Kings forward Torrey Craig<\/a> last played an NBA game. If all goes as planned, the NBL standout will be able to end that schneid over the next few months.<\/p>\n

Sydney Kings’ Torrey Craig Prepping For NBA Return, Wants Ring<\/h2>\n

In an interview with Australia’s CODE Sports, Craig revealed that he and his management team have been receiving calls from NBA franchises (h\/t NBL.com.au<\/a>). Though he didn’t go so far as to unveil the identity of those organizations, a combination of factors lends credence to the belief that they’re a playoff contender. That being said, although the South Carolina native’s ultimate goal is to make it back stateside, Craig is “focused on the Kings first…”<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to make sure that we win a championship,” he says.<\/p>\n

His Career Has Gone Better Overseas<\/h3>\n

Of note, Craig has taken part in 80 NBA playoff games, suiting up for the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics in those seasons. With the Nuggets and Suns, he made it as far as the Western Conference Finals. Though the Celtics only made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they were the reigning NBA champions. Looking at Craig’s NBA career from this perspective, he’s been close to the confetti but it’s never rained on him.<\/p>\n

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Sep 22, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives against Denver Nuggets forward Torrey Craig (3) during the first half of game three of the Western Conference Finals of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Winning the NBL’s Dr. John Raschke Trophy may not be quite as gratifying as lifting the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Trophy. That’s likely to be particularly true for an American-born player who has never won a state-level or national-level championship in the United States of America. All the same, it’s been 10 years since Craig’s first and only national title. Furthermore, when Craig secured that ring, he was playing for the New Zealand NBL’s Wellington Saints. Therefore, it’s likely that Craig meant exactly what he said.<\/p>\n

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Torrey Craig with the step back \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8<\/p>\n

Watch live on ESPN \ud83d\udcfa pic.twitter.com\/2YHXTslKfg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBL (@NBL) March 11, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n