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Sydney Kings recruit Bul Kuol is preparing to come up against former side the Cairns Taipans for the first time since joining the NBL heavyweights.
Bul Kuol says there are "no excuses" for anything but success at the Sydney Kings this season as he prepares to come up against his former NBL side Cairns for the first time.
Kuol joined the Kings as part of an all-star recruitment drive that also lured Xavier Cooks, Cam Oliver and Izayah Le'afa following a disappointing season under ousted coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah.
South Sudanese international Kuol had been open about wanting a fresh start following three years at the Taipans, with whom he won the 2021/22 NBL rookie of the year award.
A matter of weeks into his three-year deal, Kuol is noticing the move has come with extra pressure given the Kings' status as title favourites under six-time NBL championship-winning coach Brian Goorjian.
"With Sydney, you're coming to a lot of expectations," he told AAP.
"It's win or bust and they've put together a championship-calibre team, so there's really no excuses here.
"We've got the resources, we've got the place to do it, we've got the coach. It's just a matter of taking care of business now. We're the team, we're the target, we're the standard.
"Every night we're going to get our opponents' best punches. It's much more different from being an underdog."
The Kings slipped to a 3-2 record with Friday night's loss to Adelaide 36ers, having dropped their home opener against the Illawarra Hawks late last month.
But Kuol felt the Kings' high training standards under Goorjian proved the side could live up to the hype as title fancies.
"Absolutely I believe so," he said prior to the loss to the 36ers.
"The way we practice, the way we approach the game, our camaraderie, the coach and his standards and his style, just how he holds everybody accountable regardless of who you are on the squad, just those little day-to-day things, those habits.
"Those are the things that determine whether you win or not and if you're practising those things on a daily basis, and we practice hard, coach holds us to a standard, I think that gives us a really good chance."
This Sunday, the Kings host a Taipans side who have already knocked over reigning champions Tasmania and perennial heavyweights Melbourne United on a 3-2 start.
"I don't think it's ever happened before where I'm going against a team that I was a part of for a long time. I'm looking forward to it," Kuol said.
