| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1987-03-27)27 March 1987 (age 38) Blenheim, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 215 cm (7 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 113 kg (249 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Hamilton Boys' (Hamilton, New Zealand) | ||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA draft | 2009:undrafted | ||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2009–2023 | ||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Waikato Pistons | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2018 | New Zealand Breakers | ||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Auckland Pirates | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Southland Sharks | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Melbourne United | ||||||||||||||
| 2021; 2023 | Southland Sharks | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Alex John Pledger (born 27 March 1987) is a New Zealand former professionalbasketball player. He playedcollege basketball in the United States forKansas City andBelmont Abbey before playing eleven seasons in the AustralianNational Basketball League (NBL) between 2009 and 2020. In nine seasons with theNew Zealand Breakers, he won fourNBL championships. In the New ZealandNational Basketball League (NZNBL), he wonchampionships with theAuckland Pirates (2012) andSouthland Sharks (2018). He was also a regular member of theNew Zealand national team.
Between 2005 and 2008, Pledger was a member of theUMKC 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 toBelmont Abbey College for the 2008–09 season, where he averaged 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds in 12 games for the Crusaders in theNCAA Division II.[2]
Pledger made his debut in theNew Zealand NBL in2009 for theWaikato 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 theNew Zealand Breakers as a development player for the2009–10 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 the2010 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 the2010–11 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 in2011, he earnedleague MVP honours and averaged 16.8 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.4 blocks in 12 games.[5]
The2011–12 NBL season saw Pledger and the Breakers win back-to-back championships. Also in2012, Pledger helped theAuckland Pirates[6] win the NZNBL championship behind aFinals MVP performance.[7]
Pledger became the Breakers' starting centre in the2012–13 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 the2013–14 season with a left ankle injury.[12] He returned to action in2014–15[13] and helped the Breakers win a fourth championship in five years.
In2015–16,[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.
In2016, Pledger returned to the New Zealand NBL for the first time since 2012, joining theSouthland 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 the2016–17 NBL season, Pledger returned to the Southland Sharks for the2017 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 in2018.[21]
On 18 May 2018, after mutually agreeing to part ways with the New Zealand Breakers, Pledger signed withMelbourne United for the2018–19 season.[22]
In April 2019, Pledger re-joined the Sharks for the2019 season.[23]
On 30 April 2019, Pledger re-signed with United for the2019–20 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 the2021 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 the2023 season.[29] He announced his retirement from basketball on 5 July 2023.[30] The Sharks subsequently retired his #35 jersey.[31][32]
Pledger made his senior debut with theNew Zealand national team at the2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[33] His next appearance for the Tall Blacks came during the2009 FIBA Oceania Championship.[34]
In March 2021, Pledger was diagnosed withColorectal 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 inQueenstown.[38][39]
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