Australia v Philippines basketball brawl 2018: Boomer Thon Maker opens up on kung-fu kick video

It was the Kung fu kick that turned Thon Maker into an internet sensation – and five years after going viral for his actions in the epic basket-brawl, the Aussie has admitted to a stunning new detail.

Boomers big man Thon Maker became an internet sensation as “Kung-Fu Thon” for his role in the infamous basketbrawl between Australia and the Philippines.

Speaking for the first time on the 2018 brawl, for which he received a three-game FIBA ban for his involvement, Maker has revealed he had Kung Fu lessons as a kid but maintains he acted instinctively in self defence.

“It was crazy – it was just a part of the moment,” Maker said.

“I actually did take Kung Fu when I was younger, but the kick was just natural instinct.

“All I could hear was Delly (teammate Matthew Dellavedova) yelling out from the bench on the other side of the court, ‘protect yourself’ right before I got hit in the head.

“He was back on the bench, but I could hear him while he was holding the entire bench back from entering the court.”

Thon Maker launched himself into the conflict to protect his teammates.

Maker knows that memories of the violent drama-filled incident will resurface with the Australian men’s national team set to return to The Philippines for the first time at this month’s FIBA World Cup.

The Boomers start their World Cup campaign in Japan but are expected to travel to Manila for the second round of the tournament but Maker won’t be competing this time after missing the final cut.

Maker says he showed restraint at the time because he was also worried about physically hitting out and putting his big-dollar NBA contract with the Bucks in jeopardy.

“When I got hit in the head the first instinct was to go after the player, but I literally stopped myself because I started thinking about my NBA contract, so I went back to trying to calm everything down and help (Daniel) Kickert who was being chased by a few other guys,” he said.

“I just remember trying to defend my teammates. I wasn’t trying to fight.

“I tried to take one person out of the picture, and then boom, another player emerged.

“I remember seeing Jason Cadee and Nathan Sobey and just trying to help them out as much as I could.

“I think it was the way they were losing that made it really bad.”

It was at this point Filipino team officials and spectators also got involved in the brawl.

Maker’s flying kicks dominated internet discussion while American breakfast TV took time away from the NBA free agency madness involving LeBron James and DeMarcus Cousins to focus on the incredible scenes of the brawl.

ESPN host Michelle Beadle and NBA great Jalen Rose told the network’s breakfast show Get Up the league must take action against the Milwaukee Bucks forward.

“For Thon Maker, it’s going to put (NBA commissioner) Adam Silver in a unique spot because it didn’t happen in the NBA, it didn’t happen in the United States, but he’s got to be disciplined,” Rose said.

“You notice he wasn’t throwing his hands because he knows how valuable they are to him making money in the NBA. He did a couple of Bruce Lee kicks and then got up out of there.”

Maker still receives yearly reminders of the brutal stoush that transcended the sport.

“For me, personally, I live that brawl every year because it’s posted online and on all the sports shows,” he said.

“Around that time, I usually take a break from social media, knowing that I’ll have fans blowing up at me.”

Originally published as Australia v Philippines basketball brawl 2018: Boomer Thon Maker opens up on kung-fu kick video