BIO: Mangok Mathiang was born in Melbourne (VIC). He later moved to the USA where he attended IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) as a teenager.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Mangok Mathiang made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 29 years of age. He scored eight points in his first game.

After two consecutive seasons of reaching the NBL semi-finals, the Illawarra Hawks experienced a significant shift with the departure of head coach Brian Goorjian, who signed with the Bay Area Dragons in the East Asia Super League. Longtime assistant coach Jacob Jackomas was promoted to head coach, tasked with maintaining the team’s success. However, the Hawks faced a tumultuous season, with a mass exodus of key players leaving only Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling as holdovers from the previous rotation. Among the departures were Duop Reath (to Lebanon), Justinian Jessup (to Spain), Antonius Cleveland (to Adelaide), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (to Melbourne), Harry Froling (to Brisbane), and the retirement of AJ Ogilvy.

To fill the gaps, Illawarra signed local talents Deng Deng (via Brisbane), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (via Perth), and Mangok Mathiang, who was returning from injury after playing in the NBL1. The roster was rounded out with imports Justin Robinson and George King.

The Hawks opened the season with a mixed start, losing to Sydney (97–106) before defeating South East Melbourne (85–72) behind Tyler Harvey’s strong 22-point performance. However, injuries plagued the team early, with Justin Robinson suffering a meniscus tear in the season opener, sidelining him for the year. Kevin White (via Perth) was signed as a short-term injury replacement. Nine games later, Illawarra released George King (10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) due to a persistent lower leg injury.

Former New Zealand guard Peyton Siva (9.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.6 steals) was signed to replace Robinson but played only 11 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. By mid-November, the Hawks were 1–9, relying heavily on Lachie Dent (4.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (4.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists), and injury replacement Davo Hickey (4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals). Former Perth Wildcats import Michael Frazier II was signed to bolster the roster.

The Hawks snapped a nine-game losing streak in December, defeating Melbourne (93–79) behind Sam Froling’s dominant 29-point performance, with Michael Frazier II (16 points) and Tyler Harvey (15 points) contributing. However, Frazier’s season was cut short after suffering a broken arm in a game against Adelaide. At the time of his injury, Frazier was Illawarra’s highest-scoring player, averaging 17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.

It wasn’t until the third-to-last game of the season that Illawarra secured another win, edging New Zealand (78–76) in a thrilling finish. Tyler Harvey (25 points and 3 steals) hit a match-winning shot in the final moments, while Mathiang (15 points and 5 rebounds) provided critical support. Despite their best efforts, the Hawks ended the season with a 3–25 record, marking the worst in the club’s history. Tyler Harvey (18.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals) led the team in scoring, Sam Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) won the team’s MVP award, and Mangok Mathiang (7.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) delivered consistent contributions over 25 games.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2023/24
After a season marred by challenges, Mangok Mathiang signed with the New Zealand Breakers for NBL24, joining a roster bolstered by key additions. The Breakers retained guard William McDowell-White and brought back Finn Delany from Germany. Alongside Mathiang, they signed Dane Pineau (via South East Melbourne) and Lithuanian prospect Mantas Rubstavicius under the NBL Next Star Program. The import trio of Barry Brown Jr., Jarrell Brantley, and Dererk Pardon was replaced by Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Zylan Cheatham, and Justinian Jessup.

New Zealand opened their season with a win against Cairns (98–87) but suffered a narrow loss to Brisbane (84–89). They then traveled to the USA to play the Phoenix Suns in an NBLxNBA exhibition game, falling just short in a 91–86 loss despite strong showings from Corey Webster (27 points) and Tai Wesley (15 points). Returning to league play, injuries and roster instability led to a five-game losing streak before they defeated Cairns (91–81) in November.

Mathiang (6.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks) provided a solid presence for the Breakers. His standout games included a 14-point, 9-rebound performance against Cairns, a 15-point, 11-rebound effort against Tasmania, and a 12-point, 13-rebound showing against Melbourne. Despite some struggles with foul trouble and limited minutes, Mathiang remained a key contributor for New Zealand.

The Breakers finished the regular season with a 13–15 record, advancing to the play-in tournament on points percentage. Mathiang played a pivotal role in their play-in win against Sydney (83–76), contributing 10 points and 9 rebounds. However, the Breakers fell short in their next game, losing to Illawarra (85–88) and missing out on the NBL semi-finals.

Mangok Mathiang played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Illawarra Hawks and the New Zealand Breakers. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 55 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (823 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.