Atem Atem
- Nationality: AUS/SSD
- Date of Birth: 24/12/91
- Place of Birth: Bor (South Sudan)
- Position: PF
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): #N/A
- Junior Assoc: NSW - Illawarra
- College: Northern Oklahoma College (2012–2013)
- NBL DEBUT: 10/10/14
- AGE AT DEBUT: 22
- LAST NBL GAME: 23/10/14
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 22
- NBL History: Adelaide 2015
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Atem was born in Bor, South Sudan.
He and his family spent four years in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya before moving to Sydney, Australia, where he was introduced to basketball by his high school teacher.
He started to take the sport seriously when he was offered a scholarship to Illawarra Sports High School in Wollongong, and From there, he earned a scholarship to Northern Oklahoma College in the United States.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Atem Atem made his NBL debut with the Adelaide 36ers at 22 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.
Adelaide returned from its 2014 Grand Final appearance with Joey Wright again in charge and a changed roster. Daniel Johnson (to Zielona Góra), Gary Ervin (to Wollongong), Jason Cadee (to Sydney) and Rhys Carter (to New Zealand) departed, while Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie, Luke Schenscher, Mitchell Creek, Brendan Teys and BJ Anthony remained. Jamar Wilson (via Cairns), Daequon Montreal, Peter Crawford (via Townsville) and Tom Daly joined the senior group, with Atem Atem entering the 36ers’ development program after playing with Ipswich in the Queensland Basketball League.
Atem made his NBL debut against Cairns on October 10 and went scoreless as the Taipans defeated Adelaide 97-87. Wilson (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Creek (16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the 36ers, while Wilbekin (23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) paced Cairns.
Atem (0 points across 4 games) remained in a development role throughout his only NBL season. Atem’s final NBL game came against Wollongong on October 23, when Atem (0 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists in 34 seconds) appeared late in Adelaide’s 94-73 victory. Gibson (18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Schenscher (14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) led the 36ers, while Ervin (26 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) was the Hawks’ leading performer.
The 36ers later recovered from a 7-11 start to their second half of the campaign by winning 10 consecutive games and finishing third with a 17-11 record. Wilson (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists across 26 games) finished as Adelaide’s leading scorer and won the Mark Davis Trophy, Motum (17.5 points and 7.1 rebounds across 24 games) earned All-NBL First Team selection, while Creek (11.2 points and 4.4 rebounds across 26 games) and Gibson (10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 30 games) remained important parts of Wright’s rotation.
Atem did not appear when Adelaide met New Zealand in the semifinals, where they eliminated the 36ers in a 2-0 semifinal sweep.
Atem Atem played one season in the NBL.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 23 | Adelaide | 17-11 (3) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Totals | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0% | 0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 23 | Adelaide | 17-11 (3) | 4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0 | Total | 4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0% | 0% | 0 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Goldfields 2017 | Shepparton 2019 | Northside 2021
Atem made his Australian state league debut in 2014, playing a handful of games for the Ipswich Force in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL).
He spent the majority of the year with the Forces Southern Basketball League (SBL) affiliate team and was named the MVP of the SBL team.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Across four games in the 2017 qualifiers, Atem averaged 9.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in 30.2 minutes per game, with his event totals listed at 39 points and 37 rebounds while shooting 15-for-38 from the field, 4-for-15 on three-pointers, and 5-for-7 at the foul line, and he was credited with 4 assists and 3 steals across the window.
His game log in that March stretch included a 9-point, 9-rebound, 2-assist performance in 31 minutes against Egypt on 12 March 2017, a 6-point, 9-rebound outing against Kenya on 14 March, a 20-point, 8-rebound game against Rwanda on 15 March, and a 4-point, 11-rebound, 2-assist effort in the classification game against Kenya on 17 March 2017, and he appeared alongside other South Sudan players from that same qualifying roster such as Teny Bak Puot and Riak Bol Bol, with Simon Mayen Malok also listed among South Sudan participants in the event records.
Major international databases and player pages checked for Atem Atem’s career history did not verify any club stints outside Australia and the United States, so the only non-USA and non-Australia tenure that could be confirmed from the available records was his South Sudan national team appearance in the 2017 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers.
COLLEGE
Atem played college basketball at Northern Oklahoma College during the 2012–13 season, joining the Jets’ men’s basketball program in the NJCAA Division I ranks (Northern Oklahoma College–Enid).
Atem was on the 2012/13 roster at North Oklahoma College, but he was forced to redshirt the season, which made him rethink his commitment and ultimately led to him deciding not to return to the program for the 2013/14 season.
With the redshirt year meaning he did not log official game statistics for the 2012–13 season, his U.S. college experience is primarily documented as a rostered, non-participating year before returning to Australia rather than continuing into a second season at Northern Oklahoma College.
COACHING HISTORY
Atem Atem moved into basketball coaching alongside his playing career and has coached the St James College senior girls basketball team.
Atem has also provided individual and small-group basketball coaching focused on fundamentals, shooting and ball handling.
In 2026, St James College confirmed Atem would continue coaching sport at the school on a casual basis.
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