The Reason Jonah Bolden Returned to Basketball

Jonah Bolden may have stepped away from the realm of professional basketball for a few years, but says he always felt he could come back to the sport.

Bolden initially walked away from the sport back in 2020 following a successful stint in the NBA with Philadelphia and then three further games with Phoenix.

He also represented the Boomers, won two titles in Israel and was named as the ABA League’s Top Prospect prior to stepping away aged 25.

Now 27, back at the Sydney Kings, Bolden believes the itch to compete at the highest level was always likely to return.

“It’s a thing I knew I needed to take some time away to take some thoughts, be with myself, travel a little bit, get with family I hadn’t seen in so long,” Bolden told The Marketplace. “I never officially retired, so I knew at some point I would get that itch.

“It’s something I know is in my membrane and has been really, truly, deeply ingrained in me since birth, so I knew I wasn’t going to go too far away.

“Coming back and approaching it at that professional level is something I’m really excited about.

“I think it’ll truly sink in when I’m there in the uniform with the guys, in the arena hearing it and getting goosebumps ready to play.”

Melbourne-born Bolden grew up watching his father, Bruce, play in the NBL.

When he was born, his father was already playing for the Sydney Kings, and by the time Jonah was two Bruce had moved to the now defunct West Sydney Razorbacks.

With top-level basketball experience running through his blood, Bolden says he’s been working towards his return to the court for over half a year.

“The process in and of itself, I think, has been the last six months in terms of coming back pro,” he said.

“It’s really been a thing of getting the itch of being back around the game, playing with guys and getting myself back on court and doing more workouts.

“After one workout last month it was like ‘let’s do this again’, because I was really seeing my body bounce back.

“There’s no better place to do it, I feel like, than home.”

Bolden and the Kings will get their NBL24 season underway against local rivals Illawarra on Saturday, September 30.