Alex Pledger
| No. 35 – New Zealand Breakers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Centre |
| League | NBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
27 March 1987 Blenheim, New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Listed height | 213 cm (7 ft 0 in) |
| Listed weight | 262 lb (119 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
Hamilton Boys' (Hamilton, New Zealand) |
| College |
Missouri–Kansas City (2005–2008) Belmont Abbey (2008–2009) |
| NBA draft | 2009 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2009–present |
| Career history | |
| 2009–2011 | Waikato Pistons |
| 2009–present | New Zealand Breakers |
| 2012 | Auckland Pirates |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Alex John Pledger (born 27 March 1987) is a New Zealand professional basketball player who currently plays for the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL. He is also a member of the New Zealand national basketball team.
College career
Pledger played NCAA Division I basketball for two seasons with the University of Missouri Kansas City Kangaroos.[1] In his freshman season, he saw action in eight games while playing sparingly off the bench. Pledger saw significantly more action in his sophomore year, playing in 29 of 32 games while starting 23 of them. He averaged 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and added 31 blocks, which ranked third in the Mid-Continent Conference.[1]
After a foot injury limited him to one game in the 2007–08 season, Pledger transferred to Belmont Abbey College in 2008 for his final college season. Pledger played in twelve games for the Division II Crusaders in 2008–09, averaging 12.1 points to go along with a team-leading 5.9 rebounds and 19 blocks.[2]
Professional career
Following graduating from Belmont Abbey, Pledger returned to New Zealand and joined the Waikato Pistons for the rest of the 2009 New Zealand NBL season. In June 2009, he signed with the New Zealand Breakers as a development player for the 2009–10 NBL season.[3] Following the ANBL season, he re-joined the Waikato Pistons for the 2010 New Zealand NBL season.
In April 2010, he signed a two-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers.[4]
Following the 2010–11 ANBL season, he again re-joined the Waikato Pistons for the 2011 New Zealand NBL season. Pledger went on to be named the league's Most Valuable Player over Pistons teammates Jerry Smith and Jason Crowe. For the season, he averaged 16.8 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game.
In December 2011, he signed with the Auckland Pirates for the 2012 New Zealand NBL season.[5]
In 2012, he signed a three-year contract extension with the Breakers.[6]
Pledger was awarded the Round 22 and 23 Player of the Week award for the 2012–13 season.[7][8]
On March 18, 2015, Pledger recommitted to the Breakers before going under the knife to have his turf toe problem repaired.[9]
International career
Pledger made his senior debut with the New Zealand national basketball team at the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men 2008, seeing limited action off the bench for the Tall Blacks.[10] He also played for the team at the FIBA Oceania Championship 2009. Pledger saw significantly more action, scoring 16 points and grabbing six rebounds in Game 1 in a narrow loss to Australia before adding 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in a New Zealand Game 2 victory that gave the Tall Blacks their third Oceania Championship.[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 #14 Alex Pledger
- ↑ Belmont Abbey Crusaders Basketball - Season Box Score
- ↑ Breakers Fill Roster
- ↑ Vukona Back With Breakers
- ↑ Alex Pledger an ace card for the Auckland Pirates
- ↑ NZ Breakers bank on big man Alex Pledger
- ↑ Breakers' Alex Pledger wins NBL weekly award
- ↑ Breakers' Pledger wins back-to-back NBL weekly award
- ↑ Coach Dean Vickerman seeks six signings to strengthen New Zealand Breakers
- ↑ Alex Pledger – 2011 Tall Blacks Profile
- ↑ 2009 OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MEN
External links
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