36ers lock in Humphries replacement

The Adelaide 36ers have strengthened their frontcourt, signing former NBA centre Mangok Mathiang for the remainder of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season.

The 208cm big man, who’s played with the Illawarra Hawks and New Zealand Breakers previously, joins the Sixers following the retirement of Isaac Humphries.

“We didn’t want to rush the process of finding a replacement player,” 36ers General Manager of Basketball Operations Matt Weston said.

“We wanted to bring in someone of really high value, and in Mangok we have that.

“He brings experience in the League, big-time experience in Europe, Asia and Africa, as well as in the international space, and he’s going to play the role we’re after.

“We need that guy off the bench who does the hard yards.

“That means rebounding, setting screens, defending, and putting heat on the rim.

“Those are the four things we’re looking for, and we know Mangok can provide.

“He’s got great size and physical presence, and, per minute, his rebounding numbers are about the same as Nick Rakocevic’s, so that will help us control the glass on both ends.”

Prior to his time in the NBL, the Melbourne-born talent spent four seasons at the University of Louisville and the 2017–18 NBA campaign with the Charlotte Hornets.

As well as playing in the United States, the South Sudanese international has played in Italy, Turkey, Israel, China and most recently Rwanda, where he played for the RSSB Tigers in the Basketball Africa League.

In May, Mathiang scored 11 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in the BAL Final, helping his side to championship success, and he was named the competition’s Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year.

Mathiang is in the mix to make his Sixers debut when Adelaide travels to John Cain Arena on Saturday to face South East Melbourne.

That Round 6 fixture tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN, 9 (in Melbourne and Adelaide), 9Go! and 9Now.