Australian refugee Thon Maker nominates for NBA draft

BEN Simmons won’t be the only Australian featuring at the pointy end of the NBA Draft after this teenage giant decided it’s time.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - JUNE 15: Thon Maker #101 shoots a free throw during the NBPA Top 100 Camp on June 15, 2013 at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Getty Images)

AUSTRALIAN refugee Thon Maker is set to join Ben Simmons in the NBA draft next year after making the gutsy decision to skip his college career.

The 19-year-old giant’s unique history means he is expected to be declared draft eligible by the NBA, despite having never played above high school level.

The Sudanese-born rising star, whose 2.16m frame marks him as a potential first-round draft pick, is technically eligible for the draft because of his decision to complete a fifth year of high school at Orangeville District Secondary School in Canada.

However, it is far from certain. Maker was originally expected to play one season of College basketball in the United States before declaring for the draft next year.

Talent.

Now he could join Ben Simmons as a first-round pick, according to some NBA draft experts.

Maker is an intriguing seven-footer who has been making the rounds as a top high school prospect for the last few years.

But instead of going to college for a season or playing professionally overseas to bide his time until the NBA comes calling, Maker’s situation is one that he hopes will land him in the field of eligible candidates for the NBA Draft as early as 2016.

Maker officially announced his decision in a short video for Bleacher Report.

B/R Exclusive: 5-Star @ThonMaker14 will apply to enter the NBA draft; NBA must determine eligibilityhttps://t.co/431FiCTnzW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 4, 2016

Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress said the NBA has never had to decide on an eligibility case like Maker’s before.

“The 19-year old Maker believes he has a strong case to be considered draft eligible, since he reportedly graduated high school in Canada in June of 2015, and is now technically in his fifth year of high school,” Givony reported.

His feet may or may not be touching the floor.

The official NBA collective bargaining agreement rule states that a player can be eligible for selection in the NBA Draft if “the player is or will be at least nineteen years of age during the calendar year in which the Draft is held, and, at least one NBA Season has elapsed since the player’s graduation from high school”.

On paper, Maker may technically meet the stated requirements, even if there may be a “spirit of the law” issue surrounding that fifth year of school.

But this is all still extremely complicated given Maker’s particular set of circumstances, and considering the fact that NBA commissioner Adam Silver is on record as saying he actually wants to see the age limit increased, it’s tough to predict how things will ultimately turn out.

Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis has already declared Maker is not in his plans for this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but has met with the talented centre several times during his trips to the United States in recent years.

Lemanis visited Boomers stars, including Simmons, Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellevadova, Joe Ingles, Cameron Bairstow, Aron Baynes and Dante Exum, during a month-long visit in February, but did not meet with Maker.

“It’s one of those ones we’ll continue to build over the course of time,” he said of Maker’s Boomers future.

Originally published as Australian refugee Thon Maker nominates for NBA draft