Sam Mennenga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Sam Mennenga
No. 3 – New Zealand Breakers
PositionPower forward / Center
LeagueNBL
Personal information
Born (2001-12-12) 12 December 2001 (age 24)
Listed height206 cm (6 ft 9 in)
Listed weight109 kg (240 lb)
Career information
High schoolWestlake Boys
(Auckland, New Zealand)
CollegeDavidson (2020–2023)
NBA draft2024: undrafted
Playing career2023–present
Career history
2023–2024Cairns Taipans
2024AS Karditsas
2024–presentNew Zealand Breakers
2025Atléticos de San Germán
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.comLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Stats at Basketball ReferenceLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Stats at Basketball ReferenceLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing File:Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand
FIBA Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Jakarta

Samuel Jan Mennenga[1] (born 12 December 2001) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played three seasons of college basketball in the United States for the Davidson Wildcats before debuting in the NBL for the Cairns Taipans in 2023. He joined the Breakers in 2024.

Early life

[edit | edit source]

Mennenga grew up north of Auckland in Matakana,[2] where he started focusing on basketball at age 14. He played for North Harbour Basketball and attended Westlake Boys High School.[3] In 2019, he was named to the Basketball Without Borders Global all-star team over NBA All-Star weekend in Charlotte and was selected to play for the NBA Academy Select team at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta.[4]

College career

[edit | edit source]

After receiving over 30 offers from a host of U.S. colleges, Mennenga accepted a scholarship with the Davidson Wildcats.[3] He joined the team in January 2020 and then debuted in the 2020–21 season.[3]

As a freshman in 2020–21, Mennenga started 20 of 21 games and finished second on the team in rebounding and scored in double figures five times.[4] He averaged 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 23.2 minutes per game.[5] He scored a season-high 17 points against Texas in the Maui Invitational on 30 November 2020.[4]

As a sophomore in 2021–22, Mennenga started 33 of the 34 games he played and scored in double figures 14 times, including four of the first five contests.[4] He averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.7 minutes per game.[5] He scored a season-high 18 points against Richmond in the Atlantic 10 title game on 13 March 2022. He had 15 points and five rebounds against Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament on 18 March.[4]

As a junior in 2022–23, Mennenga served as team captain alongside Foster Loyer and Grant Huffman.[6] Mennenga started all 32 games and averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 30.4 minutes per game.[5] He scored 20 points or more eight times, including a season-high 27 points against La Salle on 24 January 2023.[7] He was named to the third-team All-Atlantic 10.[8]

Mennenga chose to forgo his senior year of college in order to turn professional.[9]

Professional career

[edit | edit source]

On 6 April 2023, Mennenga signed a two-year deal with the Cairns Taipans of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).[10] He averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds across 27 games in the 2023–24 season.[11] Following the NBL season, he joined Greek club AS Karditsas,[12] where he averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in nine games.[13]

On 15 March 2024, Mennenga was granted a release from the second year of his contract by the Taipans in order for him to return home.[11] His contract was bought out by the New Zealand Breakers, with the Breakers signing him on a two-year deal.[14][15][16][17] On 16 January 2025, he scored a career-high 29 points in an 85–75 win over the Tasmania JackJumpers.[18]

Mennenga joined Atléticos de San Germán of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional for the 2025 season.[19] He averaged 14.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.[20] He subsequently joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025 NBA Summer League.[20]

Mennenga returned to the Breakers for the 2025–26 NBL season.[21]

National team career

[edit | edit source]

Mennenga represented the New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship and 2019 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.[22] He debuted for the New Zealand senior national team at the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. He played for the Tall Blacks at the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Greece.[22]

In November 2025, Mennenga was named in the Tall Blacks squad for the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.[23]

Personal life

[edit | edit source]

Mennenga is the son of Jens and Magdalena Mennenga.[4] He is of German and Polish descent.[3] He has two brothers, Lucas and Ben.[4]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ a b c d Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  22. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  23. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]
Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Sam_Mennenga&oldid=20647551"