Quentin Peterson
December 16, 2025
Jonah Bolden
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 2/1/96
- Place of Birth: Melbourne (VIC)
- Position: F/C
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 102
- Junior Assoc: NSW - Sydney
- College: UCLA (2014–2016)
- NBL DEBUT: 30/09/23
- AGE AT DEBUT: 27
- LAST NBL GAME: 5/02/25
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 29
- NBL History: Sydney 2024 | New Zealand 2025 | Illawarra 2026
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Jonah Anthony Bolden was born in Melbourne and raised in Sydney where he began playing basketball for the Bankstown Bruins at five years of age.
As a teenager, he attended Homebush Boys High School and was first selected to represent his home state of New South Wales at the 2013 Basketball Australia Under 18 National Championships. Bolden led the NSW Metro state team to the national final by averaging 18 ppg and 13 rpg throughout the competition, , which also led to his selection for Australia’s Under 19 team later that year.
In August 2013, he relocated to the United States to play as a senior at Findlay College Prep, a private preparatory school in Henderson, Nevada, near Las Vegas. However, his high school eligibility expired after his first semester and he transferred midseason to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire.
FAMILY:
NBL EXPERIENCE
Jonah Bolden made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 27 years of age. He scored three points in his first game.
After defeating New Zealand in five games to win back-to-back championships, Sydney entered NBL24 attempting to become the first team since its own 2003-05 squad to win three consecutive titles. Reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks (to Washington) and DJ Vasiljevic (to Washington) left to pursue NBA opportunities, while Derrick Walton Jr, Justin Simon and Tim Soares headed overseas and championship coach Chase Buford departed before eventually joining Milwaukee. Jordan Hunter remained as the only returning starter, with G-League championship-winning coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah taking over and adding former NBL MVP Jaylen Adams, DJ Hogg (via Cairns), Denzel Valentine (via Maine), Next Star Alex Toohey and Jonah Bolden.
Bolden signed a one-year deal with Sydney in June, returning to professional basketball for the first time since playing for the Phoenix Suns in 2020. He had stepped away from basketball at 25 to focus on his family and business interests, including cryptocurrency firm Bolden Ventures. Sydney had first explored bringing him to the Kings several years earlier and, after his long absence, put him through multiple workouts, a scrimmage and physical testing before completing the deal. The move also saw Bolden follow his father Bruce, who played for Sydney between 1995 and 1998.
“I’m excited to join the Kings. First and foremost I get to represent the city I grew up in.”
Bolden made his NBL debut against Illawarra at WIN Entertainment Centre on September 30, where Bolden (3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) played 10 minutes off the bench as Sydney won 96-81. Noi (23 points and 4 rebounds) and Adams (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Kings, while Tyler Harvey (19 points and 3 steals) was Illawarra’s leading scorer.
Bolden (8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds across 28 games) spent much of the season working himself back into basketball form after more than three years away from professional competition. Used primarily off the bench behind Hunter, he provided rebounding, size and the ability to stretch the floor, with his impact becoming more consistent as the opening weeks progressed.
Bolden (12 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks) produced his first major all-round performance against Brisbane on October 13, helping Sydney defeat the Bullets 113-102 at Nissan Arena. Adams (26 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Toohey (18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block) led the Kings offensively, while Nathan Sobey (26 points and 7 rebounds) was Brisbane’s best. Bolden was particularly influential during Sydney’s strong second quarter and hit a late three-pointer after Brisbane had reduced the margin to eight.
His best scoring game came at RAC Arena on December 1, where Bolden (28 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) shot 10-of-12 from the field and 7-of-8 from three in just 22 minutes off the bench. Adams (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Hogg (20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) also produced strong games, but Bryce Cotton (41 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) scored 28 points after half-time as Perth defeated Sydney 114-105.
Sydney’s 7-3 start gradually disappeared as the Kings struggled defensively from Round 8 onwards, giving up 100 points on nine occasions. Adams (19.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) led the team in scoring and assists, with Hogg (14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.3 blocks), Valentine (12.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists), Hunter (10.3 points and 7 rebounds), Galloway (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals), Noi (10 points and 4.5 rebounds), Toohey (8 points and 4 rebounds) and Glover (5.3 points) filling out the main rotation. Adams was named Kings MVP and Players’ Player, Hunter received Defensive Player of the Year and Members’ MVP honours, while Toohey received the Michael Wrublewski Coaches’ Award.
Sydney entered its final regular-season game needing a win over South East Melbourne to guarantee a place in the post-season, with Bolden (10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) moving into the starting lineup. Hogg (25 points and 7 rebounds) and Adams (24 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney, while Owen Foxwell (16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) was the Phoenix’s leading scorer as the Kings won 122-67. The 55-point margin was the largest victory in Sydney history and by any NBL team during the 40-minute era, with the Kings finishing fifth with a 13-15 record.
Sydney hosted New Zealand in the Play-In Qualifier at Qudos Bank Arena, where Bolden (0 points and 6 rebounds) missed all five of his field goal attempts. Adams (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Hogg (17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Sydney, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (34 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Zylan Cheatham (18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals) led New Zealand to an 83-76 win.
ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2025/26
After defeating Melbourne in five games to win its first championship in 24 years, Illawarra entered NBL26 as defending champions under coach Justin Tatum. Trey Kell III (to Toyama), Darius Days (to San-en), Lachlan Olbrich (to Chicago) and Hyunjung Lee (to Nagasaki) departed, while Tatum added JaVale McGee (via Bayamón), Jonah Bolden (via Arecibo), Jackson Ball (via Hawke’s Bay), Biwali Bayles (via Nyon), Johny Narkle (via Geraldton) and JaQuori McLaughlin (via Jakarta), with Sam Froling unavailable while recovering from the Achilles injury suffered during the previous Grand Final series.
The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal after spending NBL25 with New Zealand and then playing in Puerto Rico. The former Philadelphia and Phoenix forward joined his third NBL club and was expected to give Illawarra a long and versatile frontcourt beside McGee while Froling remained sidelined.
A foot injury kept him out of the season opener at the WIN Entertainment Centre on September 27, where McGee (32 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Harvey (19 points and 6 assists) led Illawarra, while Bryce Hamilton (21 points and 6 rebounds) was Tasmania’s best as the JackJumpers defeated the Hawks 91-86.
Bolden (4.4 points and 5.5 rebounds across 8 games) appeared only eight times, coming off the bench in his first six games before moving into the starting lineup for his final two appearances.
His best scoring game came against Brisbane at the WIN Entertainment Centre on October 11, where Bolden (11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) made four of six shots as Illawarra collected its first win of the season with a 116-89 victory. Harvey (22 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals) and McGee (13 points and 12 rebounds) led the Hawks, while Casey Prather (28 points) was Brisbane’s leading scorer.
After appearing in only eight games, he sustained an Achilles tendon injury during training over the FIBA break and underwent surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. McLaughlin (7.7 points and 4 assists across 3 games) had already been released following Illawarra’s 0-3 start, with Quentin Peterson (via Xinjiang) signed as his replacement.
McGee (19.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks) and Harvey (16.9 points and 3.6 assists) led Illawarra’s offence, while Peterson (15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), William Hickey (12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists), Froling (11 points and 6.7 rebounds across 15 games), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (8 points), Daniel Grida (6.3 points), Mason Peatling (6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds) and Todd Blanchfield (5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds) were the other main contributors. McGee was named club MVP, Grida received the Most Improved Player and Players’ Player awards, Swaka Lo Buluk was named Defensive Player of the Year and Kobe McDowell-White (1 point across 5 games) collected the Coaches’ Award.
With Bolden sidelined, Illawarra finished eighth with a 13-20 record and missed the postseason by one win. The Hawks closed the season in Hobart on February 18, where Harvey (21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Peterson (20 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Illawarra, while Josh Bannan (17 points and 4 rebounds) was Tasmania’s best as the Hawks defeated the JackJumpers 103-70.
Jonah Bolden currently plays for the Illawarra Hawks and has played 60 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 6.9 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists since entering the league in 2023.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
Illawarra Hawks – 1 Year Deal (2026-27)
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 | 30 | Illawarra | 13-20 (8) | 8 | 126.7 | 35 | 44 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 26 | 54% | 0 | 8 | 0% | 7 | 10 | 70% | 57% | 54% | 11 |
| 2024-25 | 29 | New Zealand | 10-19 (9) | 24 | 454.8 | 144 | 138 | 30 | 28 | 110 | 14 | 12 | 25 | 62 | 55 | 128 | 43% | 22 | 81 | 27% | 12 | 20 | 60% | 52% | 52% | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 28 | Sydney | 13-15 (5) | 28 | 504.3 | 238 | 178 | 32 | 61 | 117 | 22 | 19 | 34 | 82 | 86 | 181 | 48% | 35 | 92 | 38% | 31 | 50 | 62% | 58% | 57% | 28 | Totals | 60 | 1086 | 417 | 360 | 66 | 104 | 256 | 41 | 38 | 69 | 161 | 155 | 335 | 46.3% | 57 | 181 | 31.5% | 50 | 80 | 62.5% | 56% | 55% | 28 |
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 | 30 | Illawarra | 13-20 (8) | 8 | 15.8 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 54% | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0% | 0.9 | 1.3 | 70% | 57% | 54% | 11 |
| 2024-25 | 29 | New Zealand | 10-19 (9) | 24 | 19.0 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 43% | 0.9 | 3.4 | 27% | 0.5 | 0.8 | 60% | 52% | 52% | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 28 | Sydney | 13-15 (5) | 28 | 18.0 | 8.5 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 48% | 1.3 | 3.3 | 38% | 1.1 | 1.8 | 62% | 58% | 57% | 28 | Total | 60 | 18.1 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 46.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 31.5% | 1.0 | 3.0 | 62.5% | 56% | 55% | 28 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 28 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Sydney Comets (2013)
Bolden joined the Sydney Comets for the 2013 BNSW Under 18 Men Division 1 season, and he helped the Comets win the title with a 76–60 grand final victory over Bankstown Bruins while earning grand final MVP honours wearing No. 14.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
At 17 years of age, after his outstanding performance in the national championships in 2023, Bolden was selected to represent Australia at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championships, becoming the youngest player ever to do so. He played in eight of the nine games that Australia competed in, averaging 2.6 points and 2.9 rebounds while playing 10.1 minutes per game.
Bolden was a part of the Australian Boomers team that played against USA at Marvel Stadium in 2019 but left the team afterwards and was replaced by David Barlow.
He also played for the Australia national under-19 basketball team in the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.
NBA EXPERIENCE
Jonah Bolden was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with pick #36 in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Bolden played a season-and-a-half with the Philadelphia 76ers before joining the Phoenix Suns.
Bolden played 51 games in the NBA. He averaged 4.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- July 10, 2013: Traded by the New York Knicks (as a future 2017 2nd round draft pick) with Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, a 2014 2nd round draft pick (Xavier Thames was later selected) and a 2016 1st round draft pick (Jakob Pöltl was later selected) to the Toronto Raptors for Andrea Bargnani.
-
July 10, 2014: Traded by the Toronto Raptors (as a future 2017 2nd round draft pick) with Steve Novak to the Utah Jazz for Diante Garrett.
-
August 26, 2016: Traded by the Utah Jazz (as a future 2017 2nd round draft pick) with Tibor Pleiß and a 2017 2nd round draft pick (Alpha Kaba was later selected) to the Philadelphia 76ers for Kendall Marshall.
-
June 22, 2017: Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round (36th pick) of the 2017 NBA Draft.
-
July 25, 2018: Signed a multi-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers
February 7, 2020: Waived by the Philadelphia 76ers.
-
February 12, 2020: Signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 56% | 60% | 68% | 86% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 28 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| Total | 155 | 335 | 46.3% | 57 | 181 | 31.5% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 24 | Philadelphia | C | 4 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 67% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 0 | 2 | 0% | 52% | 67% |
| 2019-20 | 24 | Phoenix | C | 3 | 0 | 33 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 25% | 0 | 3 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 34% | 25% |
| 2018-19 | 23 | Philadelphia | PF | 44 | 10 | 639 | 207 | 165 | 40 | 47 | 118 | 17 | 39 | 36 | 99 | 80 | 162 | 49% | 34 | 96 | 35% | 13 | 27 | 48% | 60% | 60% | Total | 51 | 10 | 686 | 217 | 174 | 40 | 50 | 124 | 20 | 41 | 38 | 109 | 84 | 173 | 49% | 34 | 100 | 34% | 15 | 31 | 48% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 24 | Philadelphia | C | 4 | 0 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 67% | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0% | 52% | 67% |
| 2019-20 | 24 | Phoenix | C | 3 | 0 | 11.0 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 25% | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0% | 0.7 | 0.7 | 100% | 34% | 25% |
| 2018-19 | 23 | Philadelphia | PF | 44 | 10 | 14.5 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 3.7 | 49% | 0.8 | 2.2 | 35% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 48% | 60% | 60% | Total | 51 | 10 | 13.5 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 49% | 0.7 | 2.0 | 34% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 48% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Serbia - FMP (2016–2017) | Israel - Maccabi Tel Aviv (2017–2018) | Puerto Rico - Capitanes de Arecibo (2024), Cangrejeros de Santurace (2025)
Bolden started his professional career in Serbia with FMP in 2016–17, where he broke out as a versatile frontcourt scorer and rebounder and was named the ABA League Top Prospect after averaging 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game while ranking as the league’s 4th-leading rebounder across the regular season.
On 10 June 2017, Bolden signed a two-year contract with Crvena zvezda in Belgrade after his FMP season, but before playing a regular-season game for the club he was selected with the 36th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft and joined Philadelphia for the 2017 NBA Summer League in July.
Before suiting up for Crvena zvezda, Bolden’s European rights shifted again on 21 July 2017 when he signed a three-year deal with Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv, stepping straight into a EuroLeague-level environment for the 2017–18 season.
His best single-game scoring output for Maccabi came on 12 December 2017, when he poured in a season-high 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting and added 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a 98–90 win over Ironi Nahariya, producing one of his most complete two-way performances of that campaign.
Bolden finished his year in Israel with silverware, winning the 2017 Israeli League Cup and the 2018 Israeli League Championship during his lone season with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
After returning to international club basketball later in his career, Bolden signed in Puerto Rico on 19 March 2024 with Capitanes de Arecibo in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional.
COLLEGE
Jonah Bolden committed to UCLA in December 2013, choosing the Bruins over Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana, USC and SMU, and arrived as a highly rated recruit whose freshman season was impacted by eligibility complications tied to his late high-school transfer pathway from Australia.
Bolden was ruled ineligible and did not play in 2014–15, but the NCAA cleared him to practise with UCLA in January 2015, and he later underwent arthroscopic surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee in May 2015 with an expected recovery window of six to eight weeks.
Entering 2015–16, UCLA viewed Bolden as a rotation replacement for departed NBA wings Norman Powell and Kevon Looney, but his college debut was delayed after he violated unspecified team rules and was held out of the season opener, an 84–81 upset loss to Monmouth.
He made his first appearance the following game and immediately made an impact, scoring 11 points with five rebounds in an 88–83 win over Cal Poly, before making his first career start when centre Thomas Welsh was out sick against Louisiana–Lafayette in an 89–80 win.
After UCLA opened Pac-12 play 3–5 and searched for defensive improvement, Steve Alford moved Bolden into the starting group, and on February 14, 2016 he led the Bruins with a then career-high 16 points and nine rebounds in a 78–65 win over Arizona State.
UCLA finished 15–17 after losing its final five games, with Bolden appearing in 31 games and making 11 starts while averaging 4.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 21.7 minutes, and ranking third on the team with 27 blocks.
Feeling underutilised in his role, Bolden chose to leave UCLA after that sophomore season and begin a professional career despite having missed the window to declare for the 2016 NBA Draft.
AWARDS
- Israeli League champion (2018)
-
Israeli League Cup winner (2017)
-
ABA League Top Prospect (2017)
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com