NBL championship winner Alex Pledger has revealed his cancer fight

Four-time NBL championship winner Alex Pledger has revealed his cancer fight and vowed to beat the disease.

Veteran centre Alex Pledger has vowed to use all the determination he displayed during four NBL championships to win his battle with colorectal cancer and return to the basketball court.

Pledger, who has played 263 games with the New Zealand Breakers and Melbourne United, is ready for the fight of his life following his cancer diagnosis.

The New Zealand Tall Blacks representative didn’t sign with an NBL club this season after a two-year stint with United as he dealt with five months of feeling unwell.

Pledger visited numerous medical professionals in New Zealand who ran a series of tests all of which came back inconclusive.

He was admitted to hospital last week after becoming ill, where the cancer diagnosis was provided following further specialist tests.

The thoughts of the basketball community are with @Alex_Pledger after he was diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer last week.

Pledger begins his fight this week with radiotherapy commencing. We're with you, Chief. pic.twitter.com/HoaGxiAz9q

— The NBL (@NBL) March 29, 2021

It is believed Pledger has been battling the condition for several years, but he refuses to give in and remains optimistic about reviving his career.

“Obviously this has been a shock, but early tests are showing positive signs and I’m feeling really good about our plan to beat this,” Pledger said.

“I feel extremely lucky that this has been discovered at the stage that it has. “I’m really grateful for the medical team, my family and the wonderful support I’m already receiving from the basketball community.

“I’m looking forward to the future and hopefully getting back on court.”

Pledger will begin radiotherapy over the next week, with his initial treatment plan expected to go for six weeks.