Kody Stattmann
July 31, 2022
Izayah Le’afa
- Nationality: NZL
- Date of Birth: 7/11/96
- Place of Birth: Lower Hutt (New Zealand)
- Position: GRD
- Height (CM): 188
- Weight (KG): 92
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Sacramento State (2016-2020)
- NBL DEBUT: 29/01/21
- AGE AT DEBUT: 24
- LAST NBL GAME: 7/02/25
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 28
- NBL History: South East Melbourne 2021-22 | New Zealand 2023-24, 2026 | Sydney 2025
- Championships: 0
- None
#N/A
Izayah Le’Afa currently plays for the New Zealand Breakers and has played 166 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 6.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists since entering the league in 2021.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
New Zealand Breakers – 2 Year Deal (2025-27)
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 29 | New Zealand | 13-20 (7) | 15 | 229.9 | 52 | 24 | 25 | 20 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 24 | 16 | 62 | 26% | 11 | 49 | 22% | 9 | 10 | 90% | 39% | 35% | 14 |
| 2024-25 | 28 | Sydney | 16-13 (5) | 29 | 1.0 | 106 | 57 | 58 | 48 | 9 | 19 | 10 | 18 | 49 | 33 | 122 | 27% | 27 | 101 | 27% | 13 | 15 | 87% | 41% | 38% | 23 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | New Zealand | 13-15 (6) | 30 | 1.0 | 225 | 53 | 47 | 6 | 47 | 37 | 6 | 21 | 74 | 75 | 216 | 35% | 58 | 174 | 33% | 17 | 23 | 74% | 50% | 48% | 21 |
| 2022-23 | 26 | New Zealand | 18-10 (2) | 34 | 1.0 | 342 | 82 | 72 | 21 | 61 | 39 | 5 | 78 | 75 | 114 | 286 | 40% | 60 | 173 | 35% | 54 | 72 | 75% | 53% | 50% | 21 |
| 2021-22 | 25 | South East Melbourne | 15-13 (6) | 26 | 1.0 | 230 | 72 | 57 | 15 | 57 | 27 | 5 | 29 | 58 | 78 | 218 | 36% | 49 | 143 | 34% | 25 | 29 | 86% | 50% | 47% | 18 |
| 2020-21 | 24 | South East Melbourne | 19-17 (4) | 32 | 1.0 | 195 | 60 | 60 | 9 | 51 | 30 | 2 | 35 | 68 | 74 | 169 | 44% | 37 | 105 | 35% | 10 | 13 | 77% | 56% | 55% | 29 | Totals | 166 | 235 | 1150 | 348 | 319 | 119 | 229 | 162 | 34 | 189 | 348 | 390 | 1073 | 36.3% | 242 | 745 | 32.5% | 128 | 162 | 79.0% | 50% | 48% | 0 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 29 | New Zealand | 13-20 (7) | 15 | 15.3 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 26% | 0.7 | 3.3 | 22% | 0.6 | 0.7 | 90% | 39% | 35% | 14 |
| 2024-25 | 28 | Sydney | 16-13 (5) | 29 | 0.0 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 4.2 | 27% | 0.9 | 3.5 | 27% | 0.4 | 0.5 | 87% | 41% | 38% | 23 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | New Zealand | 13-15 (6) | 30 | 0.0 | 7.5 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 7.2 | 35% | 1.9 | 5.8 | 33% | 0.6 | 0.8 | 74% | 50% | 48% | 21 |
| 2022-23 | 26 | New Zealand | 18-10 (2) | 34 | 0.0 | 10.1 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 8.4 | 40% | 1.8 | 5.1 | 35% | 1.6 | 2.1 | 75% | 53% | 50% | 21 |
| 2021-22 | 25 | South East Melbourne | 15-13 (6) | 26 | 0.0 | 8.8 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 8.4 | 36% | 1.9 | 5.5 | 34% | 1.0 | 1.1 | 86% | 50% | 47% | 18 |
| 2020-21 | 24 | South East Melbourne | 19-17 (4) | 32 | 0.0 | 6.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 44% | 1.2 | 3.3 | 35% | 0.3 | 0.4 | 77% | 56% | 55% | 29 | Total | 166 | 1.4 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 6.5 | 36.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 32.5% | 1.5 | 4.5 | 79.0% | 50% | 48% | 0 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
At 16 years old, Le’Afa became the second youngest player ever to be selected to play for the New Zealand Tall Blacks (2013).
The following year he captained the Junior Tall Blacks at the FIBA Oceania Under 18 Championship (2014) and represented New Zealand at 3x3 basketball at the Summer Youth Olympics (2014).
His next oppourtunity with the Tall Blacks came at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where he was a part of the New Zealand national team that finished in 22nd place. The following year he was a part of the New Zealand squad that competed in the Asia Cup Qualifiers in February 2024.
Le’afa made the New Zealand team for the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers in November 2025.
FIBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27 | 5 | 135 | 64 | 15 | 18 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 61 | 31.1% | 11 | 39 | 28.2% | 15 | 20 | 75.0% | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% |
FIBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27 | 5 | 27.0 | 12.8 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 12.2 | 31.1% | 2.2 | 7.8 | 28.2% | 3.0 | 4.0 | 75.0% | Total | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- New Zealand - Wellington (2013-2016, 2024-2026), Southern (2020)
Leafa joined Wellington Saints for the 2013 New Zealand NBL season in New Zealand and helped the club win the championship as a 16-year-old.
In 2013, LeAfa made his NZNBL debut and helped his hometown Wellington Saints win the championship. He continued to play for Wellington until heading to the USA to play college ball in 2016.
Izayah Mauriohoohoho-Leafa remained with Wellington Saints through the 2014 season in New Zealand and the club won a second straight NZNBL championship.
Izayah Mauriohoohoho-Leafa joined Auckland Huskies for the 2020 New Zealand NBL season in New Zealand and scored 39 points against the Canterbury Rams in his final game of the season.
Following his college career, Leafa returned to play in the NZNBL with the Auckland Huskies, averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists across 13 games. He was also selected to the leagues All-Star Five member and voted NZNBL Best Defensive Player.
On the back of his breakout NZNBL season he signed with South East Melbourne in the NBL as a development player.
Izayah Mauriohoohoho-Leafa rejoined Wellington Saints for the 2025 New Zealand NBL season in New Zealand and was named the Most Outstanding NZ Guard while averaging 15.6 points and 5.9 assists across the title run.
During the 2025 NBL offseason, Izayah Le’afa suited up for the Wellington Saints in the NZNBL, where he shared the backcourt with NBL veterans Shaun Bruce and Nick Marshall. Together, the squad would go on to defeat the Southland Sharks (88-83) to win the 2025 NZNBL Championship.
Le’Afa returned to play with Wellington for the 2026 NZNBL season.
COLLEGE
Izayah Le’Afa joined Sacramento State in 2016 after playing three seasons in the New Zealand NBL, becoming the Hornets’ first-ever New Zealand-born men’s basketball player when he arrived in California.
Le’Afa played four collegiate seasons at Sacramento State from 2016–17 through 2019–20, appearing in more than 110 games across his career and establishing himself as a defensive anchor and backcourt organiser within the Big Sky Conference.
During the 2018–19 season, Le’Afa emerged as one of the league’s top perimeter defenders and was named a finalist for Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year, reflecting his reputation as a disruptive on-ball defender and play reader.
Across his Sacramento State career, Le’Afa developed into a regular starter and primary guard option, finishing his four seasons as the program’s career leader in steals, a reflection of both his defensive instincts and durability across multiple lineups and coaching rotations.
In his senior season in 2019–20, Le’Afa earned honourable mention All-Big Sky Conference recognition, while also being named to the Big Sky All-Academic Team, continuing a run of academic excellence achieved in both his junior and senior seasons.
Le’Afa was also recognised nationally for his work off the court, receiving NABC Honors Court selection for academic achievement during his junior and senior years while balancing a high-minutes role within Sacramento State’s rotation.
By the conclusion of his collegiate career in 2019–20, Le’Afa had established himself as one of the most accomplished defensive guards in Sacramento State history, combining longevity, leadership, academic recognition, and conference-level defensive honours before transitioning back into the professional ranks.
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