NBL Tribunal Needs Overhaul After a Decade of Inconsistencies
September 16, 2024
Demitrius Conger
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 29/05/90
- Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York (USA)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 198
- Weight (KG): 93
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: St. Bonaventure (2009–2013)
- NBL DEBUT: 6/10/17
- AGE AT DEBUT: 27
- LAST NBL GAME: 15/02/19
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 28
- NBL History: Illawarra 2018 | Adelaide 2019
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Demitrius Conger was born in Brooklyn, New York (USA). He spent three years at Covenant Christian Academy in Cumming, Georgia. He averaged 18 points per game as a junior in 2007/08 en route to leading the Crusaders to a 20–9 record and a National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) Elite League Championship.
As a senior in 2008/09, he averaged 24 points per game and was named to the NACA All-Tournament team.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Demitrius Conger made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 27 years of age. He scored 16 points in his first game.
On August 11, 2017, Demitrius Conger signed with the Illawarra Hawks for the 2017–18 NBL season. Conger made an immediate impact, playing 27 games and averaging 19.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals. The Hawks were on track to make the playoffs, but a mid-season incident saw Conger receive a striking charge after a hard screen on Kings forward Brad Newley. This suspension led to the Hawks dropping both games during Conger’s absence, ultimately finishing in fifth place (12–16), needing just one more win to qualify for the playoffs.
Conger’s stellar performance saw him finish second in league MVP voting and earn a spot on the All-NBL First Team.
Breaking news. @illawarrahawks forward Demitrius Conger suspended for striking Brad Newley in #SYDatILL. More at https://t.co/ytaJ12pjyw #NBL18 pic.twitter.com/ULFJuh72bj— NBL (@NBL) November 20, 2017
ADELAIDE 36ERS
2018/19
After narrowly missing out on the NBL championship the previous season, Adelaide entered a rebuilding phase following the departure of several key players, including Mitch Creek, who left to pursue an NBA career. Creek was initially granted permission by the 36ers to play in Germany with the understanding he’d return, but after a strong showing, he attracted the attention of the Brooklyn Nets, signing with their G-League affiliate. Adelaide filed an injunction against Basketball Australia to negotiate compensation but ultimately resolved the issue to allow Creek’s NBA aspirations to continue.
Other departures included Shannon Shorter (to Japan), Josh Childress (retired), and Matthew Hodgson (to Brisbane). Adelaide bolstered their roster with the addition of Jacob Wiley (via Germany) and point guard Adris De León. They also brought in college prospects Harry Froling and Jack McVeigh.
Returning players included Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, Adam Doyle, Brendan Teys, Ramone Moore, and team captain Daniel Johnson. Adelaide’s season opener saw them lose to Perth (91–99), but they rebounded with a road win over the Sydney Kings (94–83) in their next game. Sobey recorded a triple-double in Round 3 against Cairns (91–83) with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, one of the season’s standout moments.
Adelaide then hit a rough patch, losing four consecutive games, including a loss to New Zealand (114–94) and Brisbane (93–90). An ultimatum was issued to De León, who struggled to deliver consistent performances. After four losses in a row, De León was released, and Adelaide signed Demitrius Conger as his replacement. Moore’s calf injury kept him sidelined, prompting the 36ers to also sign Shaun Bruce as additional support.
Conger’s season included strong performances, with highlights such as a 25-point, 4-rebound, and 3-assist game against Brisbane (94–98) on January 12, 2019, where he shot 10/16 from the field, including 2/5 from beyond the arc. In a win over Illawarra (101–100) on November 25, he scored 22 points, adding 4 rebounds and 6 assists, shooting 8 of 15 from the field. Another standout was a 19-point, 3-rebound, 6-assist performance against Illawarra on January 10, where he shot 7/8 from the floor, displaying his efficiency and playmaking abilities.
Adelaide managed to find some rhythm in Round 14, winning four consecutive games, including a significant victory over Perth (97–84) and a commanding win against Sydney (119–99). However, their inconsistency returned, and critical losses to Melbourne (114–91) and Brisbane (98–87 OT) ultimately cost them a playoff spot.
Conger finished the season averaging 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Despite his impact, Adelaide’s playoff hopes were dashed as they finished fifth, tied with Brisbane at 14-14 but falling short due to points percentage. Alongside Conger, Daniel Johnson (17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) and Nathan Sobey (16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Other key players included Jacob Wiley (12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1 assist), Anthony Drmic (9.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), and NBL Rookie of the Year Harry Froling (7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds).
Demitrius Conger was electric ⚡️
Check out his best plays in the NBL 👀 pic.twitter.com/ACLeNmGpdo— NBL (@NBL) May 23, 2024
Demitrius Conger played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Illawarra Hawks and the Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 46 NBL games.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 28 | Adelaide | 14-14 (5) | 19 | 484.6 | 224 | 93 | 46 | 26 | 67 | 9 | 2 | 38 | 44 | 81 | 169 | 48% | 17 | 52 | 33% | 45 | 68 | 66% | 56% | 53% | 25 |
| 2017-18 | 27 | Illawarra | 12-16 (5) | 27 | 826.8 | 532 | 153 | 73 | 43 | 110 | 30 | 10 | 88 | 65 | 189 | 365 | 52% | 43 | 106 | 41% | 111 | 140 | 79% | 62% | 58% | 31 | Totals | 46 | 1311 | 756 | 246 | 119 | 69 | 177 | 39 | 12 | 126 | 109 | 270 | 534 | 50.6% | 60 | 158 | 38.0% | 156 | 208 | 75.0% | 60% | 56% | 31 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 28 | Adelaide | 14-14 (5) | 19 | 25.5 | 11.8 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 8.9 | 48% | 0.9 | 2.7 | 33% | 2.4 | 3.6 | 66% | 56% | 53% | 25 |
| 2017-18 | 27 | Illawarra | 12-16 (5) | 27 | 30.6 | 19.7 | 5.7 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 7.0 | 13.5 | 52% | 1.6 | 3.9 | 41% | 4.1 | 5.2 | 79% | 62% | 58% | 31 | Total | 46 | 28.5 | 16.4 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 11.6 | 50.6% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 38.0% | 1.3 | 3.4 | 75.0% | 60% | 56% | 31 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 31 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
In July 2018, Conger played for the Boston Celtics in the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Dominican Republic - Indios de San Francisco (2013) | Italy - Pallacanestro Lucca (2013–2014), Roseto Sharks (2014), Paffoni Omegna (2014–2015) | Greece - Aries Trikala (2015–2016) | Israel - Hapoel Tel Aviv (2016), Hapoel Jerusalem (2019), Hapoel Haifa (2021) | Belgium - Antwerp Giants (2016–2017), Filou Oostende (2021–2022) | Spain - Joventut Badalona (2018), Coosur Real Betis (2019–2020) | France - Le Mans Sarthe Basket (2018) | Germany - ratiopharm Ulm (2020–2021) | Turkey - Petkim Spor (2021) | Taiwan - New Taipei CTBC DEA (2022–2023) | Romania - Rapid București (2023) | Mexico - Astros de Jalisco (2023–2024), Dorados de Chihuahua (2024–2025) | Uruguay - Urunday Universitario (2025) | Kosovo - Golden Eagle Ylli (2025–2026)
After going undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft, Conger moved to the Dominican Republic for a seven-game stint with Indios de San Francisco for the 2013 Dominican Republic season, where he played seven games before moving to Italy.
Conger joined Pallacanestro Lucca for the 2013–14 Italian Serie A2 Basket season after signing on September 11, 2013, and averaged 15.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23 games before Lucca declared bankruptcy.
Conger spent the back end of the 2013–14 season training with Roseto Sharks in Italy.
Conger joined Paffoni Omegna for the 2014–15 Italian Serie A2 Basket season after signing on August 12, 2014, and averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 30 games.
Conger joined Aries Trikala for the 2015–16 Greek Basket League season after signing on August 19, 2015, and averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 17 games before leaving in early February 2016.
Conger joined Hapoel Tel Aviv for the 2015–16 Israeli Premier League season after leaving Trikala, and averaged 7.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 18 games.
Conger joined Antwerp Giants for the 2016–17 Belgian League season after signing on July 27, 2016, and averaged 11.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 42 league games while also adding 11.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 12 FIBA Europe Cup games.
Conger won the 2017 Belgian Supercup with Antwerp Giants during the 2016–17 season.
Conger joined Joventut Badalona for the 2018 Spanish Liga ACB season after signing on March 2, 2018, and averaged 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 13 games.
Conger joined Le Mans Sarthe Basket for the 2018–19 French Jeep Elite season after signing on August 6, 2018, and averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists in nine league games while also posting 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in five Basketball Champions League games.
Conger joined Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2018–19 Israeli Premier League season on February 22, 2019 as injury cover for Chris Johnson, and appeared in eight total games before parting ways with the club on April 6, 2019.
Conger joined Coosur Real Betis for the 2019–20 Spanish Liga ACB season after signing a two-year deal on August 14, 2019, and averaged 8.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 23 games before leaving the club on May 15, 2020.
Conger joined ratiopharm Ulm for the 2020–21 German Basketball Bundesliga season after signing on November 24, 2020, and averaged 6.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 38 league games while also averaging 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in two EuroCup games.
Conger joined Hapoel Haifa for the 2020–21 Israeli Premier League season after leaving ratiopharm Ulm in February 2021.
Conger joined Petkim Spor for the 2021–22 Turkish Basketball Super League season after signing on August 16, 2021, and averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in eight games before parting ways on November 24, 2021.
Conger joined Filou Oostende for the 2021–22 BNXT League season after signing on December 28, 2021, and averaged 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 23 BNXT League games while also posting 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in seven Basketball Champions League games.
Conger won the 2022 Belgian League championship with Filou Oostende during the 2021–22 season.
Conger joined New Taipei CTBC DEA for the 2022–23 T1 League season after signing on December 15, 2022, and the club terminated his contract on February 21, 2023.
Conger joined Rapid București for the 2022–23 Romanian Liga Națională season after signing in 2023, and averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 20 games.
Conger joined Astros de Jalisco for the 2023–24 Mexican season after signing on November 4, 2023, and averaged 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 47 CIBACOPA games while also averaging 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 17 LNBP games.
Conger joined Dorados de Chihuahua for the 2024–25 Mexican LNBP season, and averaged 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 37 games.
Conger joined Urunday Universitario for the 2025 Uruguayan LUB season before moving to Kosovo.
Conger joined Golden Eagle Ylli for the 2025–26 Kosovo Superleague season, and through six games averaged 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.0 steal.
COLLEGE
Demitrius Conger played at St. Bonaventure from 2009–10 through 2012–13, appearing in 118 games and finishing his career with 1,206 points, 645 rebounds, 249 assists and 83 steals, totals that ranked him 26th on the school’s all-time scoring list while also making him just the third player in program history to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists.
As a freshman in 2009–10, Conger saw action in 26 games and averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per outing, with his early scoring high of 10 points coming against Savannah State on December 12 and again versus Temple in the season finale on March 12.
As a sophomore in 2010–11, Conger started all 31 games and was fourth on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game, and he produced one of the most notable games of his college career in a quadruple-overtime matchup against Ohio on December 18, 2010 when he set career highs with 23 points and 57 minutes while also posting 12 rebounds.
As a junior in 2011–12, Conger started all 32 games and averaged 12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, both second on the team to Andrew Nicholson, while leading the Bonnies with 91 offensive rebounds and 33.5 minutes per game, and he tied his then career-high of 23 points against Virginia Tech on November 27.
That 2011–12 season included a major statistical spike against Niagara on December 30, 2011 when Conger posted a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth career double-double, and he was also named Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week after a performance that featured 20 points, five assists and heavy minutes in a win over Loyola on December 18, 2011.
In March 2012, Conger helped the Bonnies win the Atlantic 10 tournament and earned Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team honours, with his biggest conference-tournament line coming in the semifinal when he recorded 22 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high eight assists to send St. Bonaventure into the championship final.
As a senior in 2012–13, Conger started all 29 games and was the only Atlantic 10 player to lead his team in points (14.3 per game), rebounds (7.1) and assists (3.2) while playing 1,057 of 1,170 possible minutes, and he delivered a season-high 26 points against Iona on December 31, 2012 while also adding eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
Later that season, Conger reached key career thresholds in a game against VCU on January 12, 2013 when he scored 19 points while hitting 4-of-6 three-pointers and in the process became part of the program’s short list of players to clear 1,000 career points and 200 assists, and he closed his final college season with 58 career double-figure scoring games, nine games of 20 points or more, and 12 career double-doubles, including four in each of his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
AWARDS
- 1x All-NBL First Team- Belgian League champion (2022)
- Belgian Supercup champion (2017)
Related
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