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Alex Pledger

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Alex Pledger
Personal information
Born (1987-03-27) 27 March 1987 (age 37)
Blenheim, New Zealand
Listed height215 cm (7 ft 1 in)
Listed weight113 kg (249 lb)
Career information
High schoolHamilton Boys'
(Hamilton, New Zealand)
College
NBA draft2009: undrafted
Playing career2009–2023
PositionCentre
Career history
2009–2011Waikato Pistons
2009–2018New Zealand Breakers
2012Auckland Pirates
2016–2019Southland Sharks
2018–2020Melbourne United
2021; 2023Southland Sharks
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Representing  New Zealand
Men's Basketball
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Team competition

Alex John Pledger (born 27 March 1987) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He played college basketball in the United States for Kansas City and Belmont Abbey before playing eleven seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) between 2009 and 2020. In nine seasons with the New Zealand Breakers, he won four NBL championships. In the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL), he won championships with the Auckland Pirates (2012) and Southland Sharks (2018). He was also a regular member of the New Zealand national team.

College career

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Between 2005 and 2008, Pledger was a member of the UMKC Kangaroos college basketball team in the United States.[1] His best season came in 2006–07 when he averaged 5.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 29 games.[1] After a foot injury limited him to one game in the 2007–08 season, Pledger transferred to Belmont Abbey College for the 2008–09 season, where he averaged 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in 12 games for the Crusaders in the NCAA Division II.[2]

Professional career

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Pledger made his debut in the New Zealand NBL in 2009 for the Waikato Pistons. He averaged 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in eight games and helped the Pistons win the championship. He was subsequently signed by the New Zealand Breakers as a development player for the 2009–10 NBL season.[3] He averaged 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in nine games during his first season with the Breakers. He returned to the Pistons for the 2010 season, where he averaged 11.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 21 games while helping the team return to the NBL Finals series.

Pledger was elevated to the Breakers' full-time playing squad for the 2010–11 season.[4] The Breakers went on to win their maiden championship that season. In 34 games, he averaged 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. With the Pistons in 2011, he earned league MVP honours and averaged 16.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.4 blocks in 12 games.[5]

The 2011–12 NBL season saw Pledger and the Breakers win back-to-back championships. Also in 2012, Pledger helped the Auckland Pirates[6] win the NZNBL championship behind a Finals MVP performance.[7]

Pledger became the Breakers' starting centre in the 2012–13 season.[8] During the season, he was twice named Player of the Week[9][10] and recorded career-best numbers with averages of 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds. The Breakers claimed an NBL championship three-peat that season.[11]

Pledger missed the second half of the 2013–14 season with a left ankle injury.[12] He returned to action in 2014–15[13] and helped the Breakers win a fourth championship in five years.

In 2015–16,[14] the Breakers finished runners-up in the NBL after losing the grand final series to the Perth Wildcats.[15] He appeared in 31 of the team's 33 games in 2015–16, averaging 6.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

In 2016, Pledger returned to the New Zealand NBL for the first time since 2012, joining the Southland Sharks.[16] In 19 games for the Sharks, he averaged 16.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.

On 9 April 2016, Pledger re-signed with the Breakers on a three-year deal.[17][18]

Following the 2016–17 NBL season, Pledger returned to the Southland Sharks for the 2017 New Zealand NBL season.[19] However, he spent a portion of the Sharks' season on the sidelines due to concussion-related problems.[20] In 17 games, he averaged 13.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game. He played a third season with the Sharks in 2018.[21]

On 18 May 2018, after mutually agreeing to part ways with the New Zealand Breakers, Pledger signed with Melbourne United for the 2018–19 season.[22]

In April 2019, Pledger re-joined the Sharks for the 2019 season.[23]

On 30 April 2019, Pledger re-signed with United for the 2019–20 season.[24] On 18 November 2019, he was sidelined for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a right ankle injury.[25]

On 23 December 2020, Pledger signed with the Southland Sharks for the 2021 season, returning to the franchise for a fifth season.[26] Due to a cancer diagnosis, he only managed to play in the Sharks' final home regular season game.[27][28]

In May 2023, Pledger re-joined the Sharks for the rest of the 2023 season.[29] He announced his retirement from basketball on 5 July 2023.[30] The Sharks subsequently retired his #35 jersey.[31][32]

National team career

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Pledger made his senior debut with the New Zealand national team at the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[33] His next appearance for the Tall Blacks came during the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship.[34]

Personal life

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In March 2021, Pledger was diagnosed with Colorectal cancer. He received the diagnosis after nearly five months of feeling unwell with tests coming back inconclusive.[35][36] He announced he was cancer free in September 2021, following an operation and further tests.[37]

In 2021, Pledger married his long-time partner Bailee Wilson in Queenstown.[38][39]

References

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  1. ^ a b #14 Alex Pledger
  2. ^ Belmont Abbey Crusaders Basketball - Season Box Score
  3. ^ Breakers Fill Roster
  4. ^ Vukona Back With Breakers
  5. ^ Player statistics for Alex Pledger – NZNBL 2011
  6. ^ Alex Pledger an ace card for the Auckland Pirates
  7. ^ VIDEO: Auckland Pirates win Kiwi NBL title
  8. ^ NZ Breakers bank on big man Alex Pledger
  9. ^ Breakers' Alex Pledger wins NBL weekly award
  10. ^ Breakers' Pledger wins back-to-back NBL weekly award
  11. ^ New Zealand win historic third consecutive NBL Championship
  12. ^ "Alex Pledger's Injury: A Blessing in Disguise?". 27 December 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  13. ^ Big hopes for rejuvenated Breaker Alex Pledger
  14. ^ Coach Dean Vickerman seeks six signings to strengthen New Zealand Breakers
  15. ^ "GF3 REPORT: WILDCATS BREAK NZ HOODOO FOR ANOTHER TITLE". NBL.com.au. 6 March 2016. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  16. ^ Southland Sharks sign Alex Pledger
  17. ^ SKYCITY BREAKERS MAKE THEIR ‘BIGGEST’ SIGNING
  18. ^ NZ Breakers re-sign big man Alex Pledger to new three-year deal
  19. ^ Southland Sharks big man Alex Pledger ready for Nelson Giants in National Basketball League opener
  20. ^ New Zealand basketball star Alex Pledger is battling his own concussion nightmare
  21. ^ Breakers and Tall Blacks star Alex Pledger will be back in orange with Southland Sharks
  22. ^ Melbourne United add Alex Pledger
  23. ^ Egan, Brendon (10 April 2019). "Wellington Saints, Southland Sharks hot favourites for NBL title". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  24. ^ "Alex Pledger Re-Signs with United". NBL.com.au. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  25. ^ "Alex Pledger Sidelined for Melbourne". NBL.com.au. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  26. ^ "Pledger the perfect early present". sharksbasketball.co.nz. 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020.
  27. ^ Savory, Logan (13 July 2021). "NZ basketballer Alex Pledger to return to court, three months after cancer diagnosis". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  28. ^ Savory, Logan (16 July 2021). "Veteran coach Rob Beveridge describes Alex Pledger's cancer comeback as highlight of career". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  29. ^ "Pledger completes cancer comeback with Sharks". sharksbasketball.co.nz. 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
  30. ^ "THANK YOU ALEX". facebook.com/southlandsharks. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  31. ^ "The @southlandsharks retire Alex Pledger's No. 35 jersey". twitter.com/nznbl. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  32. ^ "Ex-Tall Black Alex Pledger's Southland Sharks singlet lifted to the rafters". Stuff.co.nz. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  33. ^ Alex Pledger – 2011 Tall Blacks Profile
  34. ^ TALL BLACKS RATTLE BOOMERS FOR OCEANIA WIN + VIDEO
  35. ^ "Pledger Begins Fight Following Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis". NBL.com.au. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  36. ^ Hinton, Marc (29 March 2021). "Southland Sharks basketballer Alex Pledger digs in for fight after cancer diagnosis". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  37. ^ Anderson, Ian (16 September 2021). "Ex-Tall Black Alex Pledger says he's cancer-free six months after diagnosis". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  38. ^ Simich, Ricardo (20 June 2021). "Spy: A wedding and return to the court for basketball star". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  39. ^ Hinton, Marc (9 May 2023). "Bouncing back: Alex Pledger set for storybook post-cancer NBL return for Sharks". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
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