Thon Maker Bio
Thon Marial Maker is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for Al-Ula of the Saudi Basketball League. Standing 7 feet tall and playing center and power forward, he began his career as a highly recruited high school prospect in the United States and Canada before becoming the first player drafted directly from high school in the first round since the NBA introduced the one-and-done rule in 2005. Selected 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2016 NBA draft, he went on to play for three NBA teams between 2016 and 2021 before continuing his career in Israel, the United States, China, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.
Early Life and Background
Thon Marial Maker was born on 25 February 1997 in Wau, in what is now South Sudan. His uncle, a local administrator, arranged for Maker, his younger brother Matur, and his aunt to escape the civil war by traveling to Uganda, where they were accepted as refugees by Australia. The family moved to Perth, Western Australia, when Maker was five years old and eventually settled there.
Maker is the son of Dinka parents who still live in South Sudan. His father stands 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) tall and his mother 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in), giving Thon a strong family background in height. He holds dual South Sudanese and Australian citizenship.
At the age of 14, Maker was discovered playing soccer in the Perth suburb of Mirrabooka by Edward Smith, an Australian of African-American heritage who helped children from migrant backgrounds access opportunities. Smith had previously supported fellow South Sudanese immigrants Ater Majok and Mathiang Muo on their basketball paths. He offered to feed, clothe, and educate Maker in Sydney, where Maker played for the St. George Basketball Association during 2011 before the two left for a talent camp in Texas.
Path to Basketball
Once in the United States, Maker attended two schools in Louisiana, including Metairie Park Country Day School, before settling at Carlisle School in Martinsville, Virginia. Over 53 varsity games during his freshman and sophomore years, he averaged 22.2 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 4.5 blocks. As a sophomore, he led Carlisle to a state championship and earned 2013-14 Gatorade Virginia Boys Basketball Player of the Year honors.
In September 2014, Maker and his brother enrolled at the Athlete Institute in Mono, Ontario, where Edward Smith was an assistant coach. In conjunction with the program, the brothers attended Orangeville District Secondary School in nearby Orangeville. Over the following season, Maker competed against top-ranked American prospects, including a 16-point, 9-rebound performance in a 79-75 win over Dennis Smith Jr. and a 24-point, 11-rebound effort in the championship game of the High School OT Holiday Invitational against Harry Giles and Wesleyan Christian Academy.
After briefly announcing in February 2015 that he would reclassify into the class of 2015, Maker ultimately returned to Orangeville Prep for the 2015-16 season. He played in the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit alongside fellow Australian Ben Simmons, recording 10 rebounds, 2 points, and a block as the World Team defeated Team USA 103-101. He was named MVP at the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp in June 2015 and was considered a five-star recruit by most scouting services.
Thon Maker Career
Early Career (2016-2019)
At the 2016 NBA Draft Combine, Maker was measured as the third-tallest player without shoes at 6 ft 11.75 in and recorded the highest no-step vertical jump (32 inches) of any player over 6 ft 11 in combine history. He was selected 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, becoming the first high school player taken in the first round since the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
During the 2016 NBA Summer League, Maker averaged 14.2 points and 9.6 rebounds in five games and earned All-NBA Summer League Second Team honors. He made his NBA debut on 30 October 2016 in the final minutes of a 98-83 loss to the Detroit Pistons. On 31 March 2017, he scored a career-high 23 points in a 108-105 overtime win over Detroit, and during the 2018 playoffs he helped the Bucks tie their first-round series against the Boston Celtics with consecutive games of five blocked shots.
NBA Years Beyond Milwaukee (2019-2021)
By late January 2019, having had a reduced role under new coach Mike Budenholzer, Maker requested a trade from the Bucks. On 7 February 2019, he was acquired by the Detroit Pistons in a three-team trade involving Milwaukee and the New Orleans Pelicans. One of his most memorable Pistons moments came on 22 February 2019, when he sank a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 16.7 seconds remaining to lift Detroit to a 125-122 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
On 19 November 2020, the Pistons declined to extend a qualifying offer, making him a free agent. Maker signed a training camp contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers on 30 November 2020, playing eight games and totaling 30 points and 18 rebounds before being waived on 13 January 2021.
International Career (2021-2025)
On 25 August 2021, Maker signed with Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League, where he averaged 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game before parting ways with the club on 12 December 2021. He then joined the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League in January 2022 and signed with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association on 28 July 2022.
In April 2024, Maker signed with Al Riyadi Club Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League and the FIBA West Asia Super League. On 1 June 2024, he helped Al Riyadi win their first WASL championship, scoring 35 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in the final against Sagesse, and was named the inaugural WASL MVP. On 15 June 2024, Al Riyadi won the Basketball Champions League Asia for the third time, with Maker named to the Tournament Top Five. He returned to Al Riyadi for the 2025 Basketball Champions League Asia and was named to the All-Star Five once again, although Al Riyadi lost in the final to Utsunomiya Brex. He also won the Lebanese Basketball League Finals MVP award in 2025 and is a two-time Lebanese Basketball League Champion.
Al-Ula Era (2025-Present)
In July 2025, Maker joined Saudi Basketball League club Al-Ula alongside his Al Riyadi teammate Wael Arakji. The move marked his return to the Middle East after two stints with Al Riyadi and positioned him as a veteran frontcourt presence for the Saudi side heading into the new season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Maker uses his 7-foot frame and long wingspan to protect the rim, rebound on both ends, and finish around the basket. He combines shot-blocking instincts with the ability to step out and hit outside shots, including clutch 3-pointers in late-game situations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Maker was the first player drafted in the first round directly from a North American high school since the one-and-done rule was introduced in 2005. He was suspended for three games following the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Philippines-Australia brawl and was named MVP of the inaugural FIBA West Asia Super League in 2024.
Thon Maker Career Wins
Thon Marial Maker’s career wins span multiple continents and competitions, including individual scoring milestones with the Milwaukee Bucks and team championships in Asia and Lebanon.
NBA Highlights
Maker’s most notable NBA performances came with the Milwaukee Bucks, including a career-high 23 points against the Detroit Pistons on 31 March 2017 and a string of double-digit scoring games in January and February 2017. He also played a key role during the 2018 playoffs against the Boston Celtics, registering 14 points and five blocks in game 3 and matching five blocks in game 4 as the Bucks evened the series at 2-2.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the NBA, Maker captured the 2024 FIBA West Asia Super League championship with Al Riyadi, scoring 35 points in the final and earning the inaugural WASL MVP award. He also won the 2024 Basketball Champions League Asia title with Al Riyadi, was named to the BCL Asia Tournament Top Five in both 2024 and 2025, and won the 2025 Lebanese Basketball League Finals MVP award.
Thon Maker Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Maker’s parents descend from the Dinka people of South Sudan and both stand well over six feet tall. His uncle helped Thon, his brother Matur, and his aunt escape the Sudanese civil war as refugees, eventually resettling in Australia. Edward Smith, who mentored Maker in Perth and Sydney, had previously helped fellow South Sudanese players Ater Majok and Mathiang Muo reach professional basketball.
Personal Life
Maker holds South Sudanese and Australian citizenship and maintains close ties to his family, including his brother Matur, who explored entering the 2018 NBA draft before playing internationally. Another brother, Maker Maker, plays soccer for Dandenong Thunder SC, while cousin Makur plays in the NBA G League and cousin Aliir Aliir plays Australian Football League for Port Adelaide.
2025 Season Performance
Thon Marial Maker began 2025 by returning to Al Riyadi for the Basketball Champions League Asia, where he earned All-Star Five honors despite Al Riyadi losing the final to Japan’s Utsunomiya Brex. He also helped Al Riyadi claim another Lebanese Basketball League title and was named the 2025 Lebanese Basketball League Finals MVP.
In July 2025, Maker signed with Al-Ula of the Saudi Basketball League alongside teammate Wael Arakji, joining a growing list of high-profile international signings in Saudi basketball. The move positioned him as a centerpiece of the Al-Ula frontcourt entering the new season.
Heading into the rest of 2025, Maker brings continental championship experience and two BCL Asia All-Star Five selections to Al-Ula, giving the Saudi side a proven frontcourt scorer and rim protector for their domestic and continental campaigns.