The New Zealand Breakers have signed former NBA centre Mangok Mathiang for the upcoming Australian NBL season.
Mathiang, 30, has been hailed by Breakers coach Mody Maor as the "most underrated player coming into the NBL this season."
The 6'10" South-Sudanese Australian played four games for the Charlotte Hornets in 2017-18, and most recently turned out for Hapoel Eilat in Israel.
Mathiang also boasts NBL experience, playing for Illawarra Hawks last season, where he averaged 7.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1 block per game.
His decision to leave the Hawks for Israel paid off immediately, becoming an imposing figure under the rim, averaging a double-double, including 14 rebounds a game.
Maor believes Mathiang's best is yet to come, and expects him to push for end-of-season awards.
"Mangok has completely healed from the leg injury that hampered him for two seasons," he said.
"It was clear that playing last season for Illawarra, he was rounding into form before heading to the Middle East. In the last couple of months, Mangok has dominated the Israeli League.
"If he produces the type of numbers for us that he's been posting in Israel, then we are talking about a strong candidate for NBL Defensive Player of the Year."
"Mangok has impacted winning in every contract of his professional career. In his first year overseas, he led Cremona to 2nd place in the Italian league and its first Italian Cup. After some roster instability in Turkey, Mangok's presence turned the team's season around.
"In Israel, Mangok's dominance completely changed his team's defence which was the critical factor in them avoiding relegation.
"This and Mangok's competitive fire are what lead me to expect him to produce a 'Defensive Player of the Year Season' for the Breakers."
Mangok is the seventh Breakers player confirmed for the 2023-24 season, joining Tom Abercrombie, Will McDowell-White, Izayah Le'afa, Cam Gliddon, Dan Fotu, and Tom Vodanovich.
