Tim Coenraad
July 23, 2020
Michael Holyfield
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 31930
- Place of Birth: Albuquerque, New México (USA)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 211
- Weight (KG): 118
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Sam Houston State (2011–2015)
- NBL DEBUT: 42734
- AGE AT DEBUT: 29
- LAST NBL GAME: 42776
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 29
- NBL History: Illawarra 2017
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Michael Holyfield was born in Albuquerque, New México (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Michael Holyfield made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 29 years of age. He scored 14 points in his first game.
Following the Breakers’ 2016 grand final loss, chief executive Richard Clarke and coach Dean Vickerman parted ways with the organisation, with Paul Henare stepping up from assistant to take the reins as head coach, while Dillon Boucher took control of the front office as general manager.
Joining Dean Vickerman in departure was Cedric Jackson and Tai Wesley, both of whom moved across the Tasman and joined Melbourne United. While retaining Thomas Abercrombie, Corey Webster, Alex Pledger and Mika Vukona, the Breakers acquired the services of club legend Kirk Penney. With two vacant import spots, the Breakers signed Ben Woodside and Akil Mitchell. A strong New Zealand contingent also stepped up from development player roles this season, with Finn Delany, Shea Ili and Jordan Ngatai all being elevated onto the full-time roster.
An injury filled pre-season saw Shea Ili (back), Penney (calf) and Webster (hip and back) suffer injuries that would see them miss multiple games during the first half of the season. Even when Webster did return mid-season, he was never fully recovered and his production dropped from 19.6 ppg to 11.7 ppg as he battled to shake off a prolonged hip injury. After 20 games New Zealand had a total of eight wins and the ‘injury bug’ only got worse. Abercrombie (11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) and Woodside (8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.3 steals) both spent time missed games due to injury and then in January, during a loss to Cairns (81-94), Mitchell (9.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists) suffered a poke to the eye from Taipans centre Nnanna Egwu which caused his left eyeball to come out of its socket. He was rushed to hospital and although his vision was restored that night, he returned to the US to seek further specialist advice.
Webster made a valiant second return to the court before the end of the season, but under medical advisement, it was felt his injuries were too serious and he was shut down for the remainder of the season. New Zealand added import forward Paul Carter (9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) and shortly replaced a underperforming Woodside with David Stockton, the son of NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton. Stockton (8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists) lasted only 10 games before he too succumbed to injury and was replaced by another import, Kevin Dillard.
The combo of Dillard (18.1 points, 4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals) and Penney (17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) helped salvage the remainder of the Breakers’ season. The duo propelled New Zealand to a four game winning streak and revived the Breakers playoff hopes, but after back-to-back losses in round 17, they dropped to fifth place (14–14) and their playoff hopes were shattered.
Michael Holyfield played one season in the NBL. He averaged 3.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 24 | Illawarra | 15-13 (4) | 31 | 333.3 | 119 | 121 | 8 | 47 | 74 | 4 | 16 | 30 | 64 | 39 | 74 | 53% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 41 | 66 | 62% | 56% | 53% | 14 | Totals | 31 | 333 | 119 | 121 | 8 | 47 | 74 | 4 | 16 | 30 | 64 | 39 | 74 | 52.7% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 41 | 66 | 62.1% | 0.5774456522 | 0.527027027 | 15 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 24 | Illawarra | 15-13 (4) | 31 | 10.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 53% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.3 | 2.1 | 62% | 56% | 53% | 14 | Total | 31 | 10.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 1.258064516 | 2.387096774 | 52.7% | 0.01700087184 | 0.0% | 62.1% | 0.5774456522 | 0.527027027 | 15 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 15 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- China - Beijing Eastern Buck (2017), Hunan Jinjian Rice Industry (2018), Beijing Buck (2019), Changsha Wantian Yongsheng (2023), Shandong Honey Badger (2025–present) | Taiwan - Pauian (2018), Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers (2023–2025) | Hong Kong - Hong Kong Eastern (2019–2020) | Greece - Ionikos Nikaias (2021) | Israel - Hapoel Afula (2021–2022), Hapoel Hevel Modi'in (2022–2023), Maccabi Ra'anana (2025), Ironi Nahariya (2025
Michael Holyfield spent the 2016–2017 season in China with Beijing Eastern Buck in the National Basketball League (NBL), where he played 24 games and averaged 27.2 points, 23.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal, and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 64.4 percent from the field.
Holyfield spent the 2017–2018 season in China with Hunan Jinjian Rice Industry in the Chinese NBL, appearing in 35 games and averaging 18.0 points, 17.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 0.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 65.1 percent from the field.
Holyfield spent part of the 2018–2019 season in Taiwan with Pauian in the Taiwan League, playing eight games and averaging 11.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game.
Holyfield spent the 2019 season in China with Beijing Buck in the Chinese NBL, recording 24.8 points, 21.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game across 21 games while shooting 62.1 percent from the field.
Holyfield spent the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 seasons with Hong Kong Eastern in the ASEAN Basketball League, producing 15.5 points and 16.4 rebounds per game in 10 games in 2018–2019 and 12.7 points and 14.6 rebounds per game in 10 games in 2019–2020 while serving as a high-usage interior scorer and rebounder in ABL play.
Holyfield spent the latter portion of the 2020–2021 season in Greece with Ionikos Nikaias in the Greek Basket League, where he played 12 games and averaged 6.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game.
Holyfield moved to Israel for the 2021–2022 season with Hapoel Afula in the National League, and in his debut against Elitzur Ashkelon he posted 11 points and 12 rebounds, later adding the Israeli National League Cup winner honour in 2021 during his time in the country while sharing the roster with teammates including Keron DeShields and Tomer Porat.
Holyfield continued in Israel across the 2022–2023 season with Hapoel Hevel Modiin, maintaining his National League career in a frontcourt role before returning to Asia for subsequent stints.
Holyfield spent part of the 2023 season back in China with Changsha Wantian Yongsheng, adding another Chinese NBL stop to his resume before shifting to Taiwan’s top tier again.
Holyfield spent the 2023–2024 season in Taiwan with Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers, averaging 10.93 points and 10.71 rebounds per game in 28 regular-season appearances, then elevating to 14.50 points and 15.17 rebounds per game across six playoff games alongside imports Earl Clark, Deyonta Davis, and Michael Efevberha, before re-signing with the club on 21 August 2024 and later having his contract terminated on 13 March 2025.
Holyfield joined Israel’s National League again in 2025 with Maccabi Raanana, where he was listed on a roster that included Yogev Ohayon, Tyler Wideman, and Jimmy Hall, and he later had a separate 2025 National League stint with Ironi Nahariya.
Holyfield moved back to China in 2025, signing with Shandong Honey Badger in the Chinese NBL to continue his overseas club career in Asia.
COLLEGE
Michael Holyfield played college basketball at Sam Houston State from 2011–12 through 2014–15, joining the Bearkats out of Manzano High School after signing a national letter of intent on November 17, 2010 to play for head coach Jason Hooten.
As a freshman in 2011–12, Holyfield appeared in 27 games and finished with 107 points (4.0 per game) and 100 rebounds (3.7 per game) while shooting 42-for-75 from the field (56.0%) and 23-for-51 from the free-throw line (45.1%).
In his sophomore season (2012–13), Holyfield played 34 games and totaled 100 points (2.9 per game) with 151 rebounds (4.4 per game), shooting 40-for-84 from the floor (47.6%) and 20-for-40 at the line (50.0%), and he described continuing to adjust to the physicality and foul-trouble challenges that limited his consistency early in his career.
Holyfield moved into the starting lineup as a junior in 2013–14 and started all 35 games, averaging 6.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game while also averaging 1.7 blocks, and his season totals included 229 points, 235 rebounds, and 61 blocks while shooting 95-for-149 from the field (63.8%) and 39-for-72 on free throws (54.2%).
During that 2013–14 season, he posted early double-figure scoring with 12 points against Jarvis Christian, then produced a season-high 20 points with nine rebounds in a 107–104 win over Northwestern State on January 2, 2014, and he helped Sam Houston State reach a 24–11 finish and the program’s CIT run where the Bearkats beat Alabama State 71–49 in the first round before falling 77–72 to San Diego in the second round.
As a senior in 2014–15, Holyfield played 35 games with 34 starts and averaged 8.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game, producing 296 points, 283 rebounds, and a school-record 86 blocks while shooting 109-for-181 from the field (60.2%) and 78-for-126 at the line (61.9%).
He led Sam Houston in rebounds and blocked shots again as the Bearkats went 26–9 (15–3 in Southland play), reached the Southland tournament title game, and earned another CollegeInsider.com Tournament berth where they defeated UNC Wilmington 87–71 before losing to Louisiana–Lafayette 71–70 in the second round, and he finished the year by being named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year on March 9, 2015 while also earning Third Team All-Southland and selection to the Southland All-Defensive Team, with his senior season closing with him ranked second in school history in career blocks (191), first in school history in career field goal percentage (.585), and fifth in school history in career rebounds (769).
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