Jaylen Adams says the Sydney Kings must learn to love being atop their rivals' hit-list as they set their sights on a rare NBL three-peat.
After guiding Sydney to a drought-breaking title and winning NBL MVP in his first season two years ago, the American ex-NBA guard embarked on stints abroad playing in Europe and China.
The Kings won a second consecutive championship while he was away and paid a hefty price for sustained success; coach Chase Buford, key locals Xavier Cooks and Dejan Vasiljevic, and all three of their imports left to pursue overseas opportunities in the off-season.
With a three-peat at stake, Sydney needed to stabilise their back-court, and turned to the man responsible for directing traffic in the early days of their dynasty.
"Jaylen's someone who we were intent on bringing back as quickly as we could following the success he had in that first year," Kings chief executive Chris Pongrass told AAP.
"It was something that developed continually over time. We stayed in contact while he was playing overseas, he had great relationships with both the players and the staff here."
The deal eventually got over the line in the days leading up to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where the two parties met in July.
Pongrass had been in town sounding out talent and supporting Kings featuring in the league, while Adams was there to watch his brother Brendan play for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On arrival back in Australia, Adams found the Kings would be the hunted, not the hunters, in NBL24.
"I remember the first time I was here, it didn't feel like this," Adams told AAP.
"It felt like we were almost the underdogs."
The bookmakers have the Kings and Melbourne United as the two favourites to lift the NBL trophy this season, with the latter's roster headlined by a rejuvenated Matthew Dellavedova.
Champion centre Jo Lual-Acuil, who returns to Melbourne this season, spoke last month of the similarities between the current United outfit and the 2021 championship-winning side.
There will be no shortage of other challengers hoping to spoil the Kings' three-peat.
Last season's runners-up the New Zealand Breakers appear to have recruited shrewdly again, while the Tasmania JackJumpers and Cairns Taipans have retained key men who helped them to the play-offs last year.
"It's an honour to have the target on your back. It means you've accomplished something in the past," Adams said.
"You've got to enjoy it."
Adams, one of the NBL's best clutch players in his last stint, predicted he would again thrive under the bright lights.
"Basketball is a kid's game, I've been playing it since I was seven or eight years old, there's no real pressure about the sport that you work at every single day," he said.
"There's more pressure in life than that. I just enjoy the game.
"It's something I've been working at for 20-something years."
