 Bruton won an NBL championship with the Brisbane Bullets in 1985, was a two-time member of the All-NBL First Team while playing for the Geelong Supercats and was named NBL Coach of the Year while he was a player-coach for the Supercats in 1982.He also won a second NBL championship while coaching the Perth Wildcats in 1990.As a result, Bruton became one of the first inductees into the NBL Hall of Fame when it opened in 1998.