Thon Maker
Big man Thon Maker was one of the Australian players who got a suspension from Fiba for the brawl between Gilas Pilipinas and the Boomers during the 2018 Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Maker got a three-game ban for his role in the melee, but while he respects the decision, he said he does not wholeheartedly accept the sanction.
“While remaining respectful of Fiba as a governing body for basketball with the duty and sanctity of our game, I disagree with their decision to sanction me for three games,” said Maker in a statement he released through his Twitter account.
Maker’s involvement in the scuffle saw him throw jumping kicks at Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva, but he insisted that he was just trying to help pacify the situation.
He also said the fight could’ve been prevented if security personnel were quick to act.
“I tried to break up a conflict but without security things quickly devolved into a very dangerous situation where I needed to act to protect my teammates and myself from imminent harm,” said Maker, who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA.
“As a human being I cannot turn my back from anyone, Australian or Filipino, teammate or not, who is being attacked by a mob without the adequate help from security.”
Maker said that he had a new level of appreciation for “importance for security” after the brawl.
“I would like to focus on my continued preparation for the exciting upcoming season with the Milwaukee Bucks and move forward from this terrible event with a positive take-away, a renewed appreciation for the importance of security personnel,” said Maker. “They provide safety for all to enjoy the game we love, both as players and fans.”