BIO: Madut grew up in Blacktown Sydney before moving to the United States where he attended DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Florida). He then earned a scholarship to play for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in the NCAA.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Junior Madut made his NBL debut with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at 25 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

After finishing sixth with a 15-13 record and missing the finals the previous season, South East Melbourne retained coach Simon Mitchell and a core group featuring Mitch Creek, Ryan Broekhoff, Kyle Adnam, Reuben Te Rangi, Dane Pineau, Tohi Smith-Milner and Owen Foxwell. Xavier Munford (to Hapoel Tel Aviv), Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’Afa (to New Zealand), Cameron Gliddon (to New Zealand) and Adam Gibson (retired) departed, while Gary Browne (via Piratas de Quebradillas), Trey Kell III (via Olimpia Milano), Alan Williams (via Lokomotiv Kuban), Junior Madut (via Hawaii), Grant Anticevich (via California) and Anzac Rissetto (via Franklin Bulls) were added. Zhou Qi later made a late decision to return, giving the Phoenix another centre alongside Williams.

The former Hawaii guard signed a two-year deal with a club option on the second season, returning to an organisation where he had previously spent eight months as a training player during the 2019 preseason. “It’s been a long time coming … It’s a full-circle moment,” he said.

South East Melbourne opened the season against Tasmania at John Cain Arena without Browne, Kell III, Broekhoff or Qi. The rookie (4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) started his regular-season debut, while Adnam (30 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal), Creek (23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) and Williams (12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists) led the Phoenix to an 84-79 victory. Jack McVeigh (20 points and 5 rebounds) was Tasmania’s leading scorer.

Madut (4 points and 2.3 rebounds across 28 games) appeared in all 28 regular-season games, made 11 starts and did not miss a game through injury, illness or suspension. Injuries to Browne, Kell III and Broekhoff created opportunities for him early in the season, while his length, athleticism and defensive effort allowed him to play across the guard and forward positions. Mitchell continued working with Madut, Foxwell and Anticevich on their defensive positioning and consistency throughout the season. “You’ve got to reward that consistency at practice,” Mitchell said.

His best performance came in his second regular-season game against Illawarra at the WIN Entertainment Centre on October 6, where Madut (21 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) made 9-of-15 field goals and played almost 35 minutes. Williams (13 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) and Creek (12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) were South East Melbourne’s other leading contributors, while Tyler Harvey (22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra to an 85-72 victory. Madut produced a chase-down block, altered another shot and then made a corner three-pointer during his breakout performance. “I’m not too happy we lost, but a game like that is good for me personally, building my confidence,” Madut said.

Madut received another starting opportunity against Brisbane at Nissan Arena on December 21, finishing with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal while making 4-of-6 field goals. Creek (29 points and 5 rebounds) and Kell III (17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) helped the Phoenix lead by as many as 31 points and win 104-77, while Nathan Sobey (31 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) was Brisbane’s leading scorer.

Creek (23.4 points and 7 rebounds across 29 games) produced the highest-scoring season of his career, finished third in MVP voting, earned All-NBL First Team honours and won the Phoenix MVP award. Williams (16.6 points and 9.9 rebounds across 28 games) led the NBL in rebounding, while Browne (12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.5 steals across 20 games) led the league in assists. Kell III (12.5 points and 3.8 rebounds across 24 games) missed five regular-season games through rib and knee injuries, while Broekhoff (10.3 points and 4.1 rebounds across 20 games) missed nine through separate hamstring, hip and groin injuries.

Adnam (8.4 points across 27 games) moved between the starting lineup and bench as the Phoenix’s guards returned, while Qi (6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds across 9 games) returned to China for family reasons in December. Te Rangi (5.1 points and 3 rebounds across 29 games) provided experienced forward depth, while Madut and Foxwell (3.8 points and 1.2 steals across 17 games) received larger roles whenever South East Melbourne’s perimeter rotation was depleted.

The Phoenix climbed as high as second on the ladder but fell to fifth after losing five of their final eight regular-season games. South East Melbourne finished with a 15-13 record after going 11-3 at home and 4-10 away.

South East Melbourne completed the regular season against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on January 29, where Madut (4 points) started before playing less than nine minutes. Creek (29 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) and Kell III (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) kept the Phoenix close, while Xavier Cooks (16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists) recorded a triple-double as Sydney won 111-106 and sent South East Melbourne into a home Play-In Qualifier against Perth.

Madut was unused during the Play-In Qualifier at John Cain Arena, where South East Melbourne led Perth by 13 points early in the fourth quarter. Creek (24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal), Browne (20 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Williams (16 points, 17 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block), Kell III (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) and Te Rangi (14 points and 9 rebounds) led the Phoenix, while Broekhoff (5 points) returned from his groin injury but was limited to 14 minutes. Bryce Cotton (26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals), Brady Manek (24 points) and TaShawn Thomas (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists) helped Perth outscore South East Melbourne 41-23 during the final quarter and eliminate the Phoenix 106-99.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
2023/24
Tasmania entered its third NBL season after finishing fourth at 16-12 and falling to New Zealand in the NBL23 playoffs. Scott Roth retained captain Clint Steindl alongside Jack McVeigh, Will Magnay, Fabijan Krslovic, Sean MacDonald and Jarred Bairstow, while Sam McDaniel (to Brisbane), Isaac White (to Brisbane), Matt Kenyon (to South East Melbourne), Jarrad Weeks (retired), Josh Magette and Rashard Kelly departed. Milton Doyle re-signed, with Anthony Drmic (via Adelaide), Marcus Lee (via Melbourne), Jordon Crawford (via Büyükçekmece), Majok Deng (via Cairns) and Junior Madut (via South East Melbourne) joining the roster.

The guard had first trained with South East Melbourne during the 2019 pre-season before earning his first NBL contract in 2022. Following his rookie season he produced a 50-point NBL1 East game for Norths Bears against Penrith, then represented South Sudan at the nation’s first FIBA World Cup before joining Tasmania. The JackJumpers had tracked him since he impressed against them in two pre-season games the previous year and signed him to a two-year deal. “I feel like my strengths will really complement the guys already there and the strong roster they’re putting together,” he said.

“It feels like they’re building something really special, and I’m excited to immerse myself in the program and be part of that.”

Tasmania opened its season at RAC Arena on September 29, where Madut (5 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) played 13 minutes off the bench in his best game of the season, but Perth defeated the JackJumpers 101-95, with McVeigh (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Doyle (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) leading Tasmania while Jordan Usher (35 points) starred for the Wildcats.

Madut (1.6 points across 11 games) remained at the end of the rotation, with most of his minutes coming early in the season. When Deng suffered an ankle injury, Tasmania signed Tom Vodanovich (via FiberXers) on January 5 and deactivated Madut’s contract. “Junior is a fantastic young guy who has a really promising future. His attitude and work ethic has been fantastic, however we have decided to bring in a bigger body option to cover injuries,” Roth said. Madut (to Kauhajoen Karhu) signed in Finland on January 21.

McVeigh (17.3 points and 5.9 rebounds across 37 games), Crawford (16.1 points and 3.2 assists across 37 games), Doyle (15.7 points, 5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals across 36 games) and Magnay (10.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 27 games) led Tasmania to third place at 16-12, with MacDonald (8 points across 37 games), Deng (7.5 points across 26 games), Drmic (6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds across 37 games) and Lee (6.1 points and 5.4 rebounds across 34 games) providing further support. McVeigh and Doyle were selected to the All-NBL Second Team, McVeigh was named the JackJumpers’ MVP and MacDonald won the NBL Most Improved Player award.

With Madut no longer on the active roster, Tasmania reached the Championship Series and defeated Melbourne United 83-81 in Game Five at John Cain Arena, with Crawford (32 points and 6 rebounds), McVeigh (14 points and 8 rebounds), Magnay (11 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Doyle (11 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals) leading the JackJumpers, while Jo Lual-Acuil (14 points and 6 rebounds), Luke Travers (13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Matthew Dellavedova (13 points and 7 assists), Chris Goulding (13 points and 2 steals) and Shea Ili (11 points and 4 rebounds) led Melbourne, with McVeigh named Grand Final MVP as Tasmania won its first NBL championship.

Junior Madut played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Tasmania JackJumpers and the South East Melbourne Phoenix. He averaged 3.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 39 NBL games.