BIO: Lamb moved to Rochester, New York at a young age. He attended Greece Athena High School in nearby Greece, New York, where he competed on the basketball team under coach Jim Johnson. As a junior, Lamb averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds per game in leading the team to the Class A state final. He was the only returning starter as a senior and posted 30 points and 17 rebounds per game. Lamb led the team to a number-one ranking in New York and an appearance in the Section V Class AI final. He was one of the finalists for New York Mr. Basketball and was twice named Greater Rochester Player of the Year.

FAMILY: Lamb is the son of Rolando and Angela Lamb and is the third of four siblings. His father is a pastor, and a former college basketball player who famously scored a game-winning buzzer-beater for Virginia Commonwealth against Northeastern in the 1984 NCAA tournament. He was also selected with the 53rd pick in the 1985 NBA draft, though he never played in the NBA. His brother, Zach, played college basketball for Cal State Bakersfield.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Anthony Lamb made his NBL debut with the New Zealand Breakers at 25 years of age. He scored 15 points in his first game.

The primary focus of the Breakers’ off-season was re-signing promising guard William McDowell-White, with Finn Delany, who had spent the previous season playing in Germany, also returning to the club. The Breakers retained much of their core group, including Cameron Gliddon, Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’Afa, and captain Thomas Abercrombie. They bolstered their roster by adding Mangok Mathiang (via Illawarra), Dane Pineau (via South East Melbourne), and Lithuanian prospect Mantas Rubštavičius under the NBL Next Stars Program. Coach Mody Maor then finalized the roster by replacing outgoing imports Barry Brown Jr. (to China), Jarrell Brantley (to France), and Dererk Pardon (to Italy) with Justinian Jessup, who returned to the NBL after a year in the G-League, Zylan Cheatham (via Germany), and Anthony Lamb (via the NBA). Lamb signed with the Breakers as a crucial addition to their backcourt.

New Zealand started their season with a win against Cairns (98–87) and a narrow loss to Brisbane (84–89) before heading to the USA to play against the Phoenix Suns in the NBLxNBA exhibition game. Lamb quickly established himself as a key player, contributing significantly during the preseason and throughout the regular season. Despite the team facing multiple injuries, Lamb averaged 19.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, showcasing his scoring prowess and leadership. In the exhibition match against the Suns, he was instrumental in keeping the game competitive.

Upon returning from the USA, New Zealand faced challenges due to injuries, roster changes, and inconsistent play, extending their losing streak to five games before securing a win over Cairns (91–81). Lamb’s ability to score and create opportunities for his teammates was evident as he helped the team regain momentum. In January, New Zealand found themselves at 8–12, at the bottom of the ladder after three consecutive losses. However, they turned things around by winning five of their last seven games, finishing with a 13–15 record, equal with Sydney and Brisbane. Due to points percentage, Sydney (fifth) and New Zealand (sixth) advanced to the play-in tournament, while Brisbane (seventh) was eliminated.

Anthony Lamb provided a significant scoring presence for the Breakers. His standout performances included a 31-point, 3-rebound, and 2-assist game in a victory against South East Melbourne on 20 January 2024. He also delivered a 29-point, 4-rebound, and 3-assist effort against Sydney on 5 November 2023, and another strong showing with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist in a game against Cairns on 15 December 2023. Lamb’s experience and scoring ability were crucial for the Breakers during key matchups throughout the season.

Alongside Lamb, the Breakers were led offensively by Parker Jackson-Cartwright (20.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists) and saw strong contributions from Zylan Cheatham (15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), Mantas Rubštavičius (9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), and William McDowell-White (9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists). In several games, Lamb (19 points), Mauriohooho-Le’Afa (14 points and 4 assists), McDowell-White (14 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Jackson-Cartwright (13 points and 7 assists), and Rubštavičius (11 points) all scored in double figures.

In the play-in tournament, New Zealand faced Sydney and secured a hard-fought win (83–76). The victory was led by Jackson-Cartwright’s 34 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds, with Mangok Mathiang adding 10 points and 9 rebounds. In the second play-in game against Illawarra, Jackson-Cartwright (19 points and 9 assists) and Lamb (12 points and 9 rebounds) delivered solid performances. However, the inconsistency that had affected the Breakers throughout the season resurfaced, and they narrowly lost by three points (85–88), missing out on an NBL semi-final berth.

Anthony Lamb played one season in the NBL. He averaged 19.4 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 22 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.