Keli Leaupepe only feels hunger, not heartbreak, after being forced to watch the Sydney Kings' NBL triumph from the sidelines.
Long-term injuries meant Leaupepe, Bul Kuol and Tyler Robertson missed the gripping best-of-five championship series against Adelaide that culminated in the Kings' 113-101 overtime victory in Sunday's decider.
Burly centre Leaupepe is perhaps the hardest luck story of all, having sat out the whole campaign after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the pre-season NBL Blitz tournament.
But the 25-year-old was all smiles in the aftermath of the Kings' game-five triumph at Qudos Bank Arena.
"I wish I was out there with them but I'm pumped to get back," Leaupepe told AAP.
"I'm hungrier than ever."
Asked whether watching from the sidelines felt bittersweet, Leaupepe was adamant.
"Not at all," he said.
"Obviously I'd love to be out there, but I'd love to win a championship whether I'm out there or not."
Injured players on a title-winning NBL roster still receive a championship ring in recognition of their contributions to the side's season.
"They're a big part of this team," Kings forward Kouat Noi told AAP.
"Even though they're not playing, they're just on the bench, the energy, the guidance for the guys that haven't been here before was huge."
It's a frightening prospect that the Kings, the league's dominant team for much of the season, could improve if everyone is fit for the 2026/27 campaign.
Key men Xavier Cooks, Jaylin Galloway and Matthew Dellavedova are all under contract, while Kuol, Leaupepe, Robertson and Noi have contract options to stay put.
Championship series MVP Kendric Davis has already indicated his desire to sign a new deal unless a maiden NBA stint comes to fruition.
Galloway said this season's injuries "for sure" provided motivation for the Kings to replicate their championship success in the next campaign.
"That's not even our full team and the fact that we made it all the way, it just speaks volumes how talented of a group we are," he told AAP.
