CJ Bruton

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Calvin Bruton Jr.

Position	Guard
Nickname	CJ
Height	188cm
Weight	88kg
Team	Brisbane Bullets (NBL)
Nationality	Australia
Born	December 13, 1975 Wichita, Kansas, USA
Junior Association	Perry Lakes
College/University	Indian Hills Junior College
NBL Debut	1994
Previous NBL Clubs	Perth Wildcats 1994 Brisbane Bullets 1998 Wollongong Hawks 1999-2000 Canberra Cannons 2002-2003 Sydney Kings 2004-2006
NBL Championships	2004, 2005, 2007
Career Highlights	NBL's Most Improved Player (1999) Current Boomers Squad Member Played professionally in Venezuela Played in the CBA and International Basketball League in the USA

Calvin Thomas Bruton Jr. (born December 13, 1975 in Wichita, Kansas) is a professional basketball player in the National Basketball League of Australia and is more commonly known by the name CJ Bruton. CJ has played for numerous NBL teams over his career. He debuted with the Perth Wildcats in 1994, which made him ineligble to play in the NCAA and so upon returning to the USA he competed in the NJCAA for Indian Hills Junior College. While there he won a NJCAA National Championship with Indian Hills JC and was named as a NJCAA All-American. In 1997 he was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the NBA Draft, but was not signed by the team.

Upon returning to the NBL in 1998, CJ played for the Brisbane Bullets for one season before heading to Wollongong to play for the Hawks until 2000. CJ then played for the Canberra Cannons with his father, Cal Bruton, as head coach. In 2003 the Canberra Cannons folded and instead of relocating with the club to Newcastle, CJ began a successful stint with the Sydney Kings. In his time in Sydney CJ would win two championships and co-captain the Kings with Jason Smith. This successful tenure also lead to him being selected in the Boomers squad for the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

In 2006 he had an unsuccseful try-out with NBA team the cleveland Cavaliers, he attended the veterans training camp with fellow aussie Chris Anstey. This try-out almost forced him to miss the 2006 basketball world championships. CJ did eventually compete in the championships

Bruton has since returned to the Brisbane Bullets for the 2006/07 NBL season and remains a member of the Boomers squad for the upcoming 2006 FIBA World Championships.

In 2006 he was named as head coach for the QABL South West Metro Pirates.

[edit] Family

Calvin Bruton Jr. is married to dancer Jessica Strong. He is also the son of Calvin Bruton Sr., former player and hall of fame inductee of the NBL and the current head coach of the West Sydney Razorbacks.