Thon Maker might not hail from Wyndham, but he certainly has connections with people of this town.
The 10th pick in the 2016 NBA draft was born in Sudan, raised in Perth and lived in Sydney.
But his brother, Maker Maker, who lives in Tarneit, was a star for Truganina Hornets in Football Federation Victoria’s men’s state league 4 last season before sealing a move to National Premier League powerhouse South Melbourne.
Thon was occasionally seen on the sidelines watching his brother play at Truganina games last year.
You could not miss the towering 216-centimetre tall 19-year-old if you tried.
And Thon was certainly not missed by the Milwaukee Bucks, who drafted the immensely talented centre in the first- round selection.
“He’s so tall, like a giant,” Hornets’ coach Sergio Lunedei said. “Everyone noticed straight away that he was a basketball player.
“He came down for a couple of games last year. If he had been a soccer player, he would’ve been a great defender or a keeper.
“There’s no chance you could score against someone that tall.”
Lunedei concedes he knows his soccer better than his basketball.
He believes there’s also a big future for Maker Maker, who has been part of the South Melbourne under-20s this season.
“You’ve got two talented brothers there,” Lunedei said.
“[Maker Maker] stepped up with South Melbourne and that’s really good.
“I was 100 per cent sure he could have achieved something better with his quality.”
Lunedei wished Thon the best of luck in the NBA and ditto for Maker Maker with South Melbourne.
And, of course, he would always welcome the brothers back to the Hornets’ nest.
