Sports fans living in and around Syracuse know how popular college basketball is in the local area. This is only natural for people in this part of New York, who enjoy watching the Syracuse Orange basketball team.
Of course, basketball fans in Syracuse also love to keep tabs on NBA news, and track how sides like the Knicks or Nets are doing. It can also be interesting to dig into this league’s history and look at who is the tallest NBA player ever, or which teams competed in the first NBA game.
One recent piece of news that made headlines was the signing of former NBA pro Jonah Bolden by New Zealand-based NBL side the NZ Breakers. But what is there to know about this deal?
Bolden signs one-year contact with NZ Breakers
Recent news saw power forward Jonah Bolden sign a one-year contract with the NZ Breakers for the upcoming NBL season in Australia. Although his new team might be based in Auckland, they actually play in Australia’s top basketball league, and this will see Bolden on court for them in the NBL.
This deal comes after the player had returned from a period in the NBA to play for NBL side the Sydney Kings during the previous campaign. Bolden’s latest contract means he is set to continue his new NBL career and hopefully carry on the fine form he showed for Sydney.
Fans of his new team will certainly be keen to see him post similar stats to those of last season, where he averaged 8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Although it is never easy for players to replicate their previous achievements in a new environment with new teammates, Bolden will be looking forward to the challenge this brings.
Bolden staying sharp in NBL offseason
The 28-year-old player is not resting on his laurels during the NBL offseason and currently turns out for Capitanes de Arecibo of the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. This is good news for the Breakers, as it means he should come into NBL25 sharp and up to speed.
While there is always the danger of him picking up an injury before he makes his debut for the Auckland-based team, Breakers fans will be keeping their fingers crossed this doesn’t happen. Bolden has shown he has the talent to not only do well in the Australian pro basketball league but also has the skills to make it in the NBA. As a result, he could be a valuable player for them in the coming year.
Jonah Bolden and the NBA
Syracuse’s ties to Team USA are well known but the side has also provided plenty of players to the NBA over time. Although Jonah Bolden is not one of them, his background in this league is still interesting to read and helps put his NZ Breakers contract in context.
The player’s first foray into the NBA saw the 76ers sign Bolden in 2018. He made his debut in October 2018 against the Celtics, before having multiple assignments with the Delaware Blue Jackets in his rookie campaign. Although he made the 76ers playoff rotation in 2019, he was subsequently signed by the Suns on a 10-day contract in early 2020.
A decent debut for the Suns saw him score six points and seven rebounds in a win over Golden State. Bolden went on to play in two more matches for the Suns but was not signed on another short-term contract by them.
Following this, the player made the somewhat surprising decision, aged 25, to retire from pro basketball and focus on cryptocurrency investment. The lure of basketball proved too much to resist, however, and he signed with the Kings in June 2023 for the 23/24 NBL season.
Bolden move by the NZ Breakers
The signing of Jonah Bolden is the latest in a flurry of transfer activity by the NZ Breakers. It makes him the side’s sixth signing for NBL25 and sees him set to join up with new teammates such as Dane Pineau. With the record the Breakers have for reviving careers and helping players reach their true potential, it seems that this move should work out not only for them but also Bolden himself.
Former Breakers coach Mody Maor seemed to hint at this when the deal was initially struck, and it underlines how this team appeals to players who are chasing something in their career. Bolden would certainly seem to fall into this category and be keen to build on his experiences in the NBA and his spell at the Kings.
