One-punch victim Harry Froling signs two-year NBL deal with Illawarra to seal epic comeback

Harry Froling is officially an NBL player again – after signing a two-year deal just 24 months after being told he would never play basketball again after a horrific one-punch attack.

Harry Froling is officially back in the NBL – just two years after being told he’d never play basketball again following a horrific one-punch attack.

As revealed by Code Sports last month, Froling has joined reigning champions the Illawarra Hawks on a two-year deal.

The former NBL Rookie of the Year will initially be an injury-replacement for his younger brother Sam, who has been ruled out with a season-ending Achilles.

Froling’s Illawarra signing caps off an incredible comeback following his life-threatening one-punch attack in Wollongong in 2023.

‘MEANT TO DIE’: FROLING’S INSPIRATIONAL COMEBACK

The big man was left with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, prompting doctors to declare his career was over.

Former Bullets NBL Player Harry Froling, Zillmere. Picture: Liam Kidston

Froling dropped into a state of depression, piling on weight as he sat on the couch at home feeling sorry for himself.

He showcased impressive resilience to fight back from the head injury and return to basketball this year via a stint with the Taranaki Airs in the NZNBL.

Froling averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and shot 30 per cent from deep on nearly six attempts per game in 10 matches before parting ways with the Airs last month.

In mid-May, he penned a deal to play NBL1 with the Melbourne Tigers and has excelled in his five games thus far.

He is averaging 23.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

Froling’s return to the NBL is incredible given the doubts he had after life-saving brain surgery.

Harry Froling (L, playing for the Brisbane Bullets) and brother Sam Froling of the Hawks go head to head in 2022. Picture: Getty

The big man detailed the depths he dropped to in an exclusive interview with this masthead last December.

His weight ballooned to 158kg, he had no income, a six-month wait to process the disability pension and his self-esteem was at rock bottom.

“It’s definitely the darkest place I’ve ever been in,” Froling recalled.

“I wouldn’t say I was suicidal, but I definitely had thoughts where I thought it would be easier not to go through this and to not be here.

“I did have times when I thought, ‘f*** this, I don’t want to be here, this is s**t and I’d rather not be around’.

“I was depressed and I got to the point where I was damaging my relationships with people. I was having issues with mum and dad, relatives and friends. I was just a bad person to be around.

“I was the victim, but I also had that victim’s mentality. It just got to the point where I had to start to look in the mirror.”

Originally published as One-punch victim Harry Froling signs two-year NBL deal with Illawarra to seal epic comeback