Mangok Mathiang

Mangok Mathiang (pronounced MANG-go MATH-ee-ang;[1] born 8 October 1992 in Juba, Sudan) is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for Cedevita Olimpija of the ABA League. He played college basketball for the University of Louisville, being with them during their 2012-13 champion season despite not playing a single minute with the team due to NCAA regulations.

Mangok Mathiang
Mathiang on defense
Cedevita Olimpija
PositionPower forward / Center
LeagueABA League
Personal information
Born (1992-10-08) 8 October 1992
Juba, Sudan (now South Sudan)
NationalitySouth Sudanese / Australian
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight237 lb (108 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeLouisville (2013–2017)
NBA draft2017 / Undrafted
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2018Charlotte Hornets
2017–2018→Greensboro Swarm
2018–2019Vanoli Cremona
2019–2020Bahçeşehir Koleji
2020–presentCedevita Olimpija
Career highlights and awards

Early life and high school career

Mathiang was born in Juba under what is now South Sudan. At the age of five, he, his mother and five siblings fled the war-torn Sudan and moved to Egypt to set up a move to Australia. His father, Alfret, decided to stay behind in Sudan.[2] Mathiang and the rest of his family arrived in Sydney with extended family members when he was seven years old before moving to Melbourne a year later. Until he was sixteen years old, Mathiang played Australian rules football for Emmanuel College in Altona North. However, due to him being 1.98m tall, he was encouraged to start playing basketball instead, moving to the United States of America with his friend, Ran Tut, to achieve that goal.

During his junior year of high school, he played basketball for Brehm Preparatory School in Carbondale, Illinois. After that, Mathiang moved out to Bradenton, Florida to play his senior season at the IMG Academy. In his senior season, he averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game as he helped the IMG Academy get themselves a 28-2 record and become one of 11 players from the team that year to earn scholarships to NCAA teams. While Mathiang also received offers from Kansas State University, University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, Auburn University, and Central Michigan University, he ultimately chose to go to the University of Louisville for the people there.

College career

He originally was with the Louisville Cardinals during the 2012-13 season, but due to NCAA regulations relating to international players like Mathaing, he was forced to sit out his first season with the team. Despite that, he still traveled and trained with the team throughout the season, all the way into the 2013 NCAA Championship Game, where the Cardinals would win their 3rd NCAA Tournament. Throughout his NCAA career, Mathiang mostly played as a bench reserve, with him usually alternating spots as a starter at times for Louisville. During his junior season, he would be limited to playing in only 10 games total for them due to an injury that would sideline him for the majority of that season.[3] As a result of when the injury came about, he would not be deemed eligible for another redshirt season that year. His best season would be in his senior year with Louisville, where he would average 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 20.8 minutes of action per game in 33 games played.

Professional career

Charlotte Hornets (Greensboro Swarm)

After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, Mathiang played for the Charlotte Hornets during the 2017 NBA Summer League. In the five games played for the Hornets during the Orlando Summer League, he averaged 4.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game for the team off the bench. On 2 August 2017, Mathiang signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets, the same team he played with during the Summer League.[4] Under the terms of the deal, he and fellow two-way affiliate Marcus Paige will split time with the Hornets and their G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Mathiang made his professional, NBA debut on 25 October 2017 against the Denver Nuggets. In three minutes of play, he would record two rebounds in Charlotte's 110–93 win over the Nuggets. Mathiang posted 10.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for the Swarm. He was waived by the Hornets on 15 August 2018.[5]

Guerino Vanoli Basket

On 22 August 2018, Mathiang signed with Vanoli Cremona of the Lega Basket Serie A.[6] Cremona went to win its first Italian Cup ever by beating New Basket Brindisi 83–74 in the Finals.[7]

Bahçeşehir Koleji

On 11 July 2019, Mathiang signed with Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[8] He averaged 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.[9]

Cedevita Olimpija

On 10 July 2020, Mathiang signed with Cedevita Olimpija of the ABA League.[10]

National team career

Mathiang made his debut for the Australian national team in a 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifying match against Kazakhstan.[11]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2017–18 Charlotte 405.0.571–.0002.5.0.3.02.0
Career 405.0.571–.0002.5.0.3.02.0

College
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2013–14 Louisville 371414.7.528–.6193.6.4.41.43.6
2014–15 Louisville 34918.7.388–.4814.7.5.61.42.6
2015–16 Louisville 10218.8.563–.5865.7.5.71.27.1
2016–17 Louisville 331920.8.531–.6716.0.7.51.17.8
Career 1144418.0.506–.5994.8.5.51.34.8

Personal life

Mathiang is the middle child of his family, which includes four sisters and one brother. His mother, Grace, helped her children survive their journeys through Egypt and Australia during the Second Sudanese Civil War. His father, Alfret, stayed behind in Sudan during the event, and Mangok hopes to see him again.

gollark: Really? I think we were on one for a few weeks before.
gollark: Ah, hello!
gollark: It is, yes.
gollark: ++invite
gollark: >hangup

References
  1. "Mangok Mathiang - 2016-17 Men's Basketball". Louisville Cardinals.
  2. Mitchell, Peter (27 March 2013). "Mangok Mathiang could become NBA star after long journey to US college". Herald Sun. Melbourne.
  3. "Mangok Mathiang College Stats". Sports-Reference.
  4. "Hornets Sign Mathiang and Paige to Two-Way Contracts". Charlotte Hornets. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  5. "Mangok Mathiang: Waived by Charlotte". CBS Sports. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  6. "ROSTER 2018/2019: MANGOK MATHIANG È UN NUOVO GIOCATORE DELLA VANOLI BASKET CREMONA". Vanoli Basket (in Italian). 22 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  7. "PosteMobile Final Eight: per la Vanoli Cremona storico trionfo" [PosteMobile Final Eight: Historical first time for Vanoli Cremona]. legabasket.it (in Italian). 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  8. "Mangok Mathiang ve Trae Golden, Bahçeşehir Koleji'nde!". www.hurriyet.com.tr. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  9. "Cedevita Olimpija signed Mangok Mathiang". Sportando. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  10. "KK Cedevita Olimpija". www.cedevita.olimpija.com. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  11. "Aussie FIBA World Cup Qualifying 2nd Round - Group F". FIBA.com. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
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