Mangok Mathiang, South Sudan international, don join Adelaide 36ers for di rest of Hungry Jack's NBL27 season. Di 34-year-old centre dey come from Rwanda, where e play for APR for Rwanda Basketball League and RSSB Tigers for Basketball Africa League.
Mathiang help Tigers win 2026 BAL championship for Kigali, e score 11 points and grab 14 rebounds for dia final win ova Angola's Petro de Luanda. E performance also earn am di Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of di Year award. "We wanted to bring in someone of really high value, and for Mangok we get that," 36ers General Manager of Basketball Operations Matt Weston tok. "We need that guy from di bench wey go do di hard work. Na im mean rebounding, set screens, defend, and put pressure for di rim."
Weston point say Mathiang's rebounding rate na one of di main things wey attract dem. "E get great size and physical presence, and per minute e rebounding numbers dey about di same as Nick Rakocevic, so dat go help us control di glass for both ends," e tok.
Di 208cm centre get plenty NBL experience, since e don play for Illawarra Hawks during NBL23 and New Zealand Breakers di next season. Former University of Louisville player, e appear for four NBA games with Charlotte Hornets for 2017-18 afta e no get drafted, and since den e don play for Italy, Turkey, Israel and China. Di 36ers go face South East Melbourne on Saturday, October 24, but dem never decide if Mathiang go play yet.
