Rekindled relationships make recruit ready to rumble

He may have only arrived this week, but Adelaide 36ers recruit Mangok Mathiang is confident he has settled in well and can have an immediate impact.

This is because of his previous continuity with two of the Sixers' stars: Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic.

The South Sudanese international suited up with Cheatham at the New Zealand Breakers during the 2023-24 season, before teaming up with Rakocevic in China with the Ningbo Rockets.

“When you play with somebody before, it just makes settling in a lot easier,” Mathiang said during Thursday’s media availability.

“It makes figuring out how to play with the team a lot easier.

“You don’t need to know how to play with one person, and now you just got to know the other three.

“Playing with Nick and even Zylan, it’s a lot easier to play with those guys because they’re elite bigs; they put pressure on the rim, [and] put pressure on the defensive end.

“I’m a defensive player, so I know both of them pretty well."

On top of that, the former Charlotte Hornet believes he can improve Adelaide’s defence, which currently sits in eighth in defensive rating (120.6) and opponents’ field goal percentage (45.4).

“I’m just energetic. A lot of communication,” he said when asked what he would bring to the side.

“I’m kind of like Zylan; I don’t stop talking and just have a lot of energy.

“I know my defensive game is something I hang my hat on, [as well as] rebounding the ball.”

Despite a few sessions under his belt, the Sixers haven’t confirmed that Mathiang will debut during the club’s Round 6 fixture with South East Melbourne at John Cain Arena on Saturday.

But if his number is called, the centre said he’d be ready.

“As competitors, we always want to play,” he said.

“We always want to suit up at any time we get the chance to.

“I’m going to leave all of this, all these decisions, to the people that actually it’s their job and what they get paid for.

“Trev [Gleeson], that’s his job. Whenever he calls my number, I’m always going to be ready to compete, just give everything that I’ve got.

“Right now, it’s just about trying to see how I can fit in with the team, and if on Saturday, my number gets called, I’m taking it in, and then taking that chance.”

Saturday’s fixture tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN, 9 (in Melbourne and Adelaide), 9Go! and 9Now.