{"id":15553,"date":"2016-04-24T15:56:16","date_gmt":"2016-04-24T15:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/?p=15553"},"modified":"2016-04-24T16:01:20","modified_gmt":"2016-04-24T16:01:20","slug":"thon-maker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/thon-maker","title":{"rendered":"Sudanese Basketball Player Thon Maker Is A Five-Star Recruit For The NBA"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"a6b39195b99473d6c9dd698db2668010\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:2px 0 2px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<center>\r\n\r\n<script type='text\/javascript'>\r\nfunction ShorterThan(widthMax) {\r\n                if (screen.width < widthMax) {return true;}  \r\n                else {return false}\r\n    }\r\nvar LimitWidth = 728\r\nvar MobileZoneID = 348996\r\nvar DesktopZoneID = 348995   \r\n<!--\/\/<![CDATA[\r\n   document.MAX_ct0 ='';\r\n   var m3_u = (location.protocol=='https:'?'https:\/\/cas.criteo.com\/delivery\/ajs.php?':'https:\/\/cas.criteo.com\/delivery\/ajs.php?');\r\n   var m3_r = Math.floor(Math.random()*99999999999);\r\n   document.write (\"<scr\"+\"ipt type='text\/javascript' src='\"+m3_u);\r\n   if (ShorterThan(LimitWidth)) {document.write (\"zoneid=\"+MobileZoneID);} else {document.write (\"zoneid=\"+DesktopZoneID);}\r\n   document.write(\"&nodis=1\");\r\n   document.write ('&cb=' + m3_r);\r\n   if (document.MAX_used != ',') document.write (\"&exclude=\" + document.MAX_used);\r\n   document.write (document.charset ? '&charset='+document.charset : (document.characterSet ? '&charset='+document.characterSet : ''));\r\n   document.write (\"&loc=\" + escape(window.location));\r\n   if (document.referrer) document.write (\"&referer=\" + escape(document.referrer));\r\n   if (document.context) document.write (\"&context=\" + escape(document.context));\r\n   if ((typeof(document.MAX_ct0) != 'undefined') && (document.MAX_ct0.substring(0,4) == 'http')) {\r\n       document.write (\"&ct0=\" + escape(document.MAX_ct0));\r\n   }\r\n   if (document.mmm_fo) document.write (\"&mmm_fo=1\");\r\n   document.write (\"'><\/scr\"+\"ipt>\");\r\n\/\/]]>--><\/script>\r\n<\/center>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thon Maker was born in a village in South Sudan. He escaped the second civil war and found refuge in Perth, Australia. Now, the 17-year-old high school student, who stands at over 7 feet (2m13) tall, is a five-star recruit for the NBA draft with a bright future ahead of him.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>He escaped violence for a better life<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maker\u2019s uncle was a local administrator in South Sudan. He arranged for Maker &#8211; who was five years old at the time &#8211; to escape the violence of the Second Sudanese Civil War. Maker, along with his younger brother Matur and his aunt, fled to Uganda and then to Australia. They eventually settled down in Perth. Maker\u2019s parents still live in South Sudan. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15555\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15555\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/1.jpg\" alt=\"source\" width=\"700\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/1-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/1-85x64.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15555\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-2OoCwnBBmpA\/Untzm2abwmI\/AAAAAAAAYAM\/RN4f25pL5fE\/s1600\/1---.jpg\">source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Discovered at a young age<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maker was not actually discovered while playing basketball. He was noticed while playing soccer when he was 14 by talent scout Edward Smith. Smith is the one who helped Ater Majok and Mathiang Muo, who also immigrated from South Sudan, launch careers in basketball. He suggested Maker to try playing basketball instead of soccer. Smith promised Maker\u2019s aunt that he would take care of Maker if he moved to Sydney with him and trained. Smith became Maker\u2019s legal guardian.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15556\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15556\" style=\"width: 709px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-15556\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/cflovxquiaewppf.jpg\" alt=\"source\" width=\"709\" height=\"372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/cflovxquiaewppf.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/cflovxquiaewppf-85x45.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15556\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/s3media.247sports.com\/Uploads\/Assets\/709\/722\/26_3722709.jpg\">source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>The beginning of his career<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maker started off in Sydney, playing for the St. George Basketball Association in 2011. He and Smith then attended a talent camp in Texas. Maker then began playing in the United States. He attended two schools in the state of Louisiana and the Carlisle School in the state of Virginia. While he was at Carlisle he averaged 22.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 4.5 blocks during 53 games. He moved to Ontario, Canada to attend Orangeville Prep where he gained quite a reputation and was being pursued by college coaches and other recruiters.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15557\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15557\" style=\"width: 709px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-15557\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/14311659-1419910911-646x485.jpg\" alt=\"source\" width=\"709\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/14311659-1419910911-646x485.jpg 646w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/14311659-1419910911-646x485-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/14311659-1419910911-646x485-85x64.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15557\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wwwcache.highschoolot.com\/asset\/content\/holiday_invitational\/2014\/12\/27\/14311659\/14311659-1419910911-646x485.jpg\">source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>A\u00a0different path<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maker initially attempted to finish high school in 2015 so he could enter college that coming fall semester and be selected in the 2016 NBA draft. However, he decided to return to Orangeville Prep and complete a postgraduate year of high school. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>\u201cI tried to go into the 2015 class, it just didn\u2019t work out,\u201d he said. \u201cFor me, it was just trying to get it all done at once. Especially combined with traveling and just getting better. It all just clogs up your mind and you get stressed out, so I had to cut back on a few things.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15558\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15558\" style=\"width: 701px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-15558\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/ccmmu7augaal7fm.jpg\" alt=\"source\" width=\"701\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/ccmmu7augaal7fm.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/ccmmu7augaal7fm-85x54.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/CCMMu7aUgAAl7FM.jpg\">source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>A bright future ahead of him<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maker announced his intention to enter the 2016 NBA draft. The NBA had to determine whether he was eligible to enter that year or not. Though he is still a student at Orangeville Prep, he is 19 years old and had enough credits to graduate last year. Therefore, the NBA declared Maker eligible for the 2016 draft. With this ruling, Maker is on his way to becoming the first player to go directly from high school to the draft since 2005.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15559\" style=\"width: 702px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-15559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/thonmaker071015.jpg\" alt=\"source\" width=\"702\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/thonmaker071015.jpg 603w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/thonmaker071015-600x377.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/04\/thonmaker071015-85x53.jpg 85w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 702px) 100vw, 702px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidethehall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/thonmaker071015.jpg\">source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/worlds-highest-paid-athletes\">SEE ALSO:\u00a0The 10 Highest-Earning Athletes Of 2015<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<!--CusAds0-->\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thon Maker was born in a village in South Sudan. He escaped the second civil<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":15556,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[36],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sudanese Basketball Player Thon Maker Is A Five-Star Recruit For The NBA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"He was born in a village in South Sudan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.afrizap.com\/en\/thon-maker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sudanese Basketball Player Thon Maker Is A Five-Star Recruit For The NBA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"He was born 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