Akoldah Gak Explained

Akoldah Gak
Number:13
Team:Cairns Taipans
Position:Small forward / power forward
League:NBL
Birth Date:12 July 2002
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height Cm:210
Weight Kg:102
High School:
Career Start:2020
Years1:2020–2023
Team1:Illawarra Hawks
Years2:2022
Team2:Illawarra Hawks (NBL1 East)
Years3:2023
Team3:Southern Districts Spartans
Years4:2023–present
Team4:Cairns Taipans
Years5:2024
Team5:West Adelaide Bearcats
Highlights:

Akoldah Gak (born 12 July 2002) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Cairns Taipans of the National Basketball League (NBL).

Early life

Gak was born in Sydney, New South Wales, to parents who had fled South Sudan and moved to Australia.[1] He attended St Dominic's College in Sydney.[2] Gak received a scholarship to attend Blair Academy in the United States in 2018 through a basketball pipeline that was established by professional basketball player and Blair alumni, Luol Deng.

Professional career

On 12 October 2020, Gak signed a three-year deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League (NBL).[3] He was rostered as a development player during the 2020–21 NBL season before he became a contracted player for the remainder of his tenure. Gak's family chose for him to develop in Australia due to the global uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic; Hawks head coach Brian Goorjian considered the assignment of a National Basketball Association (NBA) prospect to his team as a "real compliment". Gak received limited playing time during his three seasons with the Hawks.[4]

In the 2022 off-season, Gak played for the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Summer League[5] and had a one-game stint with the Illawarra Hawks in the NBL1 East.[6] In the 2023 off-season, he played for the Southern Districts Spartans in the NBL1 North.

On 10 April 2023, Gak signed a two-year deal with the Cairns Taipans.[7]

Gak joined the West Adelaide Bearcats for the 2024 NBL1 Central season. He was named the NBL1 Central U23 Player of the Year.[8]

National team career

Gak played for the Australia men's national under-19 basketball team at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.[9] In 2022, he played for the Australian Boomers in three FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.[10]

Personal life

Two of Gak's older brothers have played college basketball: Gorjok for the California Baptist Lancers and Deng for the Miami Hurricanes.[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Red . Christian . Luol Deng helps connect Australia's South Sudanese basketball pipeline . ESPN . 9 July 2021 . 5 December 2018.
  2. Web site: Basketball success for former student, Akoldah Gak . St Dominic's College . 9 July 2021 . June 2021.
  3. Web site: Hawks Sign Akoldah Gak . NBL . 9 July 2021 . 12 October 2020.
  4. Web site: NBA Aspirant Gak Signs in Cairns . NBL . 25 October 2023 . 10 April 2023.
  5. Web site: Bulls announce Summer League 2022 schedule and roster . NBA . 31 January 2023 . 30 June 2022.
  6. Web site: Akoldah Gak. Australiabasket.com. 28 April 2024. subscription.
  7. Web site: Taipans get Gak . taipans.com . 10 April 2023 . 10 April 2023.
  8. Web site: 2024 NBL1 Awards Tracker. NBL1.com.au. 22 July 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240723102612/https://nbl1.com.au/article/2024-nbl1-awards-tracker. 23 July 2024.
  9. Web site: Under 19 Men's 2021 World Cup Squad Revealed . Basketball Australia . 9 July 2021 . 3 June 2021.
  10. Web site: Akoldah Gak. FIBA. 28 April 2024.
  11. Web site: 'NBA prospect' Gak signs as Hawks' NBL development player . Illawarra Mercury . 9 July 2021 . 12 October 2020.