Monday, an insane brawl between the Philippines and Australia went viral after the teams duked it out during a FIBA World Cup of Basketball qualifying match. The ugly fight led to 13 ejections. The biggest name involved in the skirmish: Thon Maker.
The 21-year-old South Sudanese-Australian Milwaukee Bucks forward, who recently completed his second year in the NBA, jumped into the melee and threw a flying knee. He’s No. 7 in yellow.
This is one the biggest on court FIGHTS of the last decade!!! WOW. In the hand between Philippines-Australia of #fibawc qualifierspic.twitter.com/fNUq5amZyt via @ardemj
— Sportando (@Sportando) July 2, 2018
Thon Maker out here throwing knees! 😳 #Boomers pic.twitter.com/feizBcSBkc
— Ricky Mangidis (@rickm18) July 2, 2018
The Philippines team was involved more heavily, as its bench cleared, and had to play five on three. Then two players fouled out, making the game five on one. At that point, the refs called it, sealing Australia’s 79-48 win.
It seems both sides will all but certainly receive punishment from FIBA — how could they get off scot-free? — but that may not be the only entity that elects to punish Maker. In fact, the NBA could suspend him, per Sports Illustrated’s Michael McCann, a go-to source for all sports law matters.
In theory, NBA could punish Thon Maker for role in FIBA brawl. Article 35 of NBA constitution lets Adam Silver punish players for “conduct that does not conform to standards of morality [or] does not comply with all federal, state, and local laws…or is detrimental to the NBA.” https://t.co/R9mziLSAMg
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) July 2, 2018
Maker Still a Project
Maker played in 74 games this season, averaging 16.7 minutes, 4.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game. The South Sudan native was the No. 10 pick in the 2016 draft.
Considered a five-star recruit, Maker received offers from many of the biggest college programs in the country, including Kentucky and Kansas. But he was able to convince the NBA he graduated from Orangeville Prep in 2015, making him eligible for the 2016 draft. He hasn’t made a major impact yet in the league, but he’s still coming into his own, and draft scouts emphasized he’d be a project.
