Matur Marial Maker (born 1 January 1998) is a South Sudanese-born Australian

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player for

CS Maristes CS Maristes, formerly known as Champville Club SC (), is a Lebanese basketball team from Dik El Mehdi, Lebanon. The team competes in the Lebanese Basketball League. Since its establishment in 1967, the team has been affiliated with the Collèg ...

of the

Lebanese Basketball League The Lebanese Basketball League is recognized as the top-tier professional men's basketball list of basketball leagues, league in Lebanon. It is organized annually as a national championship with playoffs and a national cup by the Lebanese Basketb ...

. He moved to Australia in his childhood and played for various prep schools in Canada and the United States, before forgoing

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

. He won an NBL championship with the

Sydney Kings The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales, and play their home games at Qudos Ba ...

in 2022.

Early life

Maker was born in what is now known as

South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...

on 1 January 1998, joinng his older brother

Thon Maker Thon Marial Maker (born 25 February 1997) is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for the Al Riyadi Club Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball Federation. He attended high school at Orangeville District Secondary School (Onta ...

. In Matur's early childhood, his uncle, a local administrator, helped the family flee to

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

amid a

civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

in their home country. They then settled in

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

, Western Australia as refugees when Maker was four years of age but continued making occasional visits to South Sudan. Matur first started playing soccer at Grayhounds soccer club, a club where many south Sudanese kids played for and alongside his brother Thon. At age 13, Matur was discovered by basketball scout Edward Smith and began living with him in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, before moving to the United States. After his parents were satisfied by the decision, Matur was allowed to join his brother in high school and Smith eventually became their

legal guardian A legal guardian is a person who has been appointed by a court or otherwise has the legal authority (and the corresponding duty) to make decisions relevant to the personal and property interests of another person who is deemed incompetent, ca ...

High school career

Maker began playing high school basketball as a freshman at

Carlisle School Carlisle School is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school located in the Axton community of Martinsville, Virginia, United States. Established in 1968, Carlisle serves day school students in grades Pre-kindergarten through twelf ...

Martinsville, Virginia Martinsville is an Political subdivisions of Virginia#Independent cities, independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 13, ...

, where he joined Thon, a sophomore, in the middle of the season. His guardian Edward Smith, who the brothers lived with in a two-storey house, was an assistant coach for the team at the time. According to Smith, Matur's arrival at Carlisle helped Thon better acclimate to the United States. During his freshman season, Matur was considered one of the best high school players in the country at the

small forward The small forward (SF), also known as the three, is one of the five Basketball position, positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than Power forward (basketball), power forwards and Cent ...

position. He helped Carlisle win a state championship and played with Team Loaded VA of the

Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...

(AAU). For his sophomore year, Maker transferred from Carlisle, with Hopewell Academy in

Cary, North Carolina Cary is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, Wake, Chatham County, North Carolina, Chatham, and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is part of the Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh-Cary, NC M ...

and

Orangeville Prep The Athlete Institute is an athletic centre located in Mono, Ontario. It is made up of three facilities, the training centre, residence and the fieldhouse. The Institute is home to The Orangeville Prep Basketball Academy, who compete in the Ontar ...

Orangeville, Ontario Orangeville (Canada 2021 Census population of 30,167) is a town in south-central Ontario, Canada, and the seat of Dufferin County. History The first patent of land was issued to Ezekiel Benson, a land surveyor, on August 7, 1820. That was fol ...

as potential destinations. In September 2014, Maker and his brother enrolled at Orangeville Prep, where they played under head coach Larry Blunt and with fellow top prospect

Jamal Murray Jamal Murray (born February 23, 1997) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Canadian national team and played one season of college basketball fo ...

. He was named Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA) second-team all-star. In 2016–17, Maker moved to The Tech Academy in

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in northern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of the St. Mary's River directly across from its "twin city," Sault Ste. Marie, in the state of Michigan. The city's population was 72,051 at the 2021 census, makin ...

, where he was coached by his guardian Edward Smith and became teammates with cousin Makur Makur. With the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

having selected Thon at the

2016 NBA draft The 2016 NBA draft was held on June 23, 2016, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was televised nationally in the U.S. by ESPN, and was live streamed for the first time in NBA draft history by The Vertical. National Basketball Association (NBA) ...

, the transfer allowed Matur to live closer to his brother. In April 2017, Maker competed in the

BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game The Cwench All Canadian Games are a pair of annual all-star basketball games, each featuring rosters composed of Canada's top senior high school players for that school year. Both games are played as a doubleheader; the first game featuring the top ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, where he was named most valuable player. In the game, he recorded 25 points and six rebounds, shooting 8-of-11 from the field, playing only 12 minutes. At an

adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...

Nations event in August, he averaged 26 points and seven rebounds for the Asia Pacific team. Maker played a

postgraduate season A postgraduate (PG) year is an extra year of secondary coursework at a boarding school following high school graduation, but before entering college. It is a gap year option intended for students who either have not applied or were not admitte ...

of basketball at Mississauga Prep in

Mississauga Mississauga is a Canadian city in the province of Ontario. Situated on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, it borders Toronto (Etobicoke) to the east, Brampton to the north, Milton to the northwest, ...

, Ontario for 2017–18. By 2018, he was averaging 25.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.7 steals. On 5 January 2018, Maker declared intentions to bypass college and enter the

2018 NBA draft The 2018 NBA Draft was held on June 21, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including internationa ...

, attempting to follow a similar path as his brother in 2016. He drew attention from scouts on 11 January, when he notched 45 points, 20 rebounds, two blocks and three steals in a 95–85 defeat to GTA Prep. However, due to a lack of attention on his name during the

process, he withdrew his name from the 2018 NBA draft on the 11 June international deadline.

Professional career

Union Neuchâtel (2018)

On 7 August 2018, Maker signed with

Union Neuchâtel Union Neuchâtel Basket, commonly known as Union Neuchâtel, is a Swiss basketball club based in Neuchâtel. It plays in the Swiss Basketball League (SBL), the top tier basketball division in Switzerland. The club has won one trophy, the Swiss C ...

of the

Swiss Basketball League The Swiss Basketball League, also known as SB League or SBL, is the top-tier professional club basketball league in Switzerland. It is organized by Swiss Basketball. The winners of the SBL are crowned Swiss national basketball champions. Curren ...

. In four games, he averaged 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Zlatorog Laško (2018–2019)

On 30 December 2018, Maker signed with Zlatorog Laško of the

Slovenian Basketball League The Slovenian Basketball League (), abbreviated as 1. SKL and known as the Liga OTP banka due to sponsorship reasons, is the top-level professional men's basketball league in Slovenia. The league is operated by the Basketball Federation of Slove ...

. Maker played 17 games with Zlatorog and averaged 13 ppg, 10 rpg and lead his team to the playoffs.

Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2019–2020)

On 19 October 2019, Maker signed with the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

of the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

, but was waived the next day. Following this, Maker was added to the roster of the Rockets'

NBA G League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is a professional basketball league in North America that serves as the Minor league#Basketball, developmental league of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league comprises 31 teams; as of ...

affiliate, the

Rio Grande Valley Vipers The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Edinburg, Texas, and are affiliated with the Houston Rockets. The Vipers play their home games at the Bert Ogden Arena. The Vipers have won f ...

Sydney Kings (2021–2022)

Maker joined the Denver Nuggets for the

2021 NBA Summer League The 2021 NBA Summer League was an off-season competition held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) at the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada on the campus of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The summer league c ...

. On 27 August 2021, Maker signed with the

for the

2021–22 NBL season The 2021–22 NBL season was the 44th season of the National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. A total of ten teams contested the 2021–22 season, which commenced on 3 December 2021. Australian broadcast rights to the season ...

Canterbury Rams (2022)

In May 2022, Maker played three games with the

Canterbury Rams The Canterbury Rams are a New Zealand professional men's basketball team based in Christchurch. The Rams compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Cowles Stadium. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as Th ...

during the

2022 New Zealand NBL season The 2022 NBL season was the 41st season of the National Basketball League. For the second year in a row, the league fielded 10 teams, with the only changes being the rebrand of the Auckland Huskies to Auckland Tuatara and Taranaki Mountainairs t ...

Nelson Giants (2023)

On 4 April 2023, Maker signed with the

Nelson Giants The Nelson Giants are a New Zealand professional men's basketball team based in Nelson, New Zealand, Nelson. The Giants compete in the National Basketball League (New Zealand), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at the T ...

for the

2023 New Zealand NBL season The 2023 NBL season was the 42nd season of the National Basketball League. For the third year in a row, the league fielded 10 teams. The regular season commenced on 6 April in Pukekohe, with the Franklin Bulls hosting the Hawke's Bay Hawks at F ...

Taipei Fubon Braves (2024)

In March 2024, Maker had a one-game stint with

Taipei Fubon Braves The Taipei Fubon Braves () are a professional basketball team that is owned by Fubon Sports & Entertainment, LLC., one of the subsidiaries under Fubon Financial Holding Co., Ltd. and currently plays in the Taiwanese P. League+. From 2014 to ...

of the P. League+.

Rockhampton Rockets (2024)

In April 2024, Maker joined the Rockhampton Rockets of the

NBL1 North NBL1 North, formerly the Queensland Basketball League (QBL), is a semi-professional basketball league in Queensland and Northern Territory, Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2020, Basketball Queensland partnered wit ...

. He was named to the NBL1 North Second Team.

Al-Ahli Jeddah (2024)

In August 2024, Maker signed with

Al-Ahli Jeddah Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club (), commonly known as Al-Ahli, is a Saudi professional football club based in Jeddah. It competes in the Saudi Pro League, the top tier of Saudi football. Al-Ahli has won 52 official championships, the third mos ...

of the

Saudi Basketball League The Saudi Basketball League (SBL) is the highest tier of men's and women's basketball in Saudi Arabia. Current clubs Men's league Women's League Former teams Champions of the Saudi Premier League The elite Championship Cup P ...

. He appeared in three games for Al-Ahli in October 2024.

CS Maristes (2025–present)

In January 2025, Maker initially signed with

Al-Nasr Al-Nassr Football Club () is a professional football club based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The club competes in the Saudi Pro League, the top tier of the Saudi football league system. Al-Nassr is one of only three clubs to have participated ...

of the

Libyan Division I Basketball League The Libyan Division I Basketball League (LBL) is the highest tier professional basketball league in Libya. It is organized by the Libyan Arab Basketball Federation. Teams * Abu Salim SC * Al Ahly Benghazi *Al Ahly Tripoli Al Ahli Sports ...

but a week later signed with

of the

Personal life

Maker's parents, who descend from the

Dinka people The Dinka people () are a Nilotes, Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Mangalla-Bor to Renk, South Sudan, Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal (region of South Sudan), Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nil ...

, still live in South Sudan and are also both very tall; his father stands and his mother stands . His brother,

, was drafted at pick 10 in the

. Another brother, Maker Maker, plays soccer for

South Melbourne FC South Melbourne Football Club is an Australian semi-professional Association football, soccer club based in suburb of Albert Park, Victoria, Albert Park, in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The club currently competes in the National P ...

's under-20 team. He has a cousin, Makur, who currently plays basketball for

Capital City Go-Go The Capital City Go-Go are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Washington, D.C., and are affiliated with the Washington Wizards. The Go-Go play their home games at the CareFirst Arena. The team is owned by Monum ...

, after having previously played for

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

. Another cousin,

Aliir Aliir Aliir Mayom Aliir (born 5 September 1994) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He formerly played for the Sydney Swans. Early life and career Aliir ...

, plays in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...

for

Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide city centre, Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is t ...

References

External links

Matur Maker
at

Eurobasket.com Eurobasket.com, also commonly referred to as "Eurobasket News", is a basketball-centered website that provides coverage of every professional and semi-professional club basketball league from around the world, as well as many amateur level lea ...

Matur Maker
at

RealGM RealGM.com is a sports website created in 2000. The site was originally a basketball site, but has since expanded its scope to provide information about American football, baseball, ice hockey and soccer. According to Alexa, the site ranked in th ...