Playing for Marlins an ‘easy decision’ for Mundine
The son of an Australian threetime world boxing champion has moved to Cairns and will suit up for the Marlins for the rest of the NBL1 North season.
Anthony Mundine III will train with the Marlins in hopes of chasing a NBL contract by season’s end.
Mundine spent the last 12months playing high school basketball in Cincinnati at Withrow High School.
The athletic guard said he couldn’t see himself going anywhere else.
“Playing under coach Kerry (Williams) was an easy decision for me,” Mundine said.
“His experience along with Timmy Duggan was the reason behind me coming here.
“Basketball over in the US was so full on and I learnt a lot about my game. I will bring what I learned here to Cairns and help out and continue to craft my game.”
The 18-year-old chose basketball from a young age instead of following in his father’s footsteps with rugby league and boxing.
“Dad has been a massive motivator for me and never pushed me down a certain path,” Mundine said.
“He supported and respected my decision from the beginning, which does make things easier having that support behind me.”
His father, Anthony Mundine, played 134 NRL games for the Dragons (116 games) and the Broncos (18 games in 1993), and played three State of Origin games for NSW in 1999.
A flashy five-eighth or centre who set the rugby league world alight with his flashy footwork, handy playmaking skill and spectacular tryscoring celebrations, Mundine is one of Australian sport’s most recognisable faces.
After leaving rugby league in 2000, Mundine took up boxing, following in his father’s footsteps, where he would go on to win the WBA supermiddleweight title twice and the IBO middleweight title.
Mundine Sr hasn’t pushed his son into any sport, saying he can become the basketballer he wanted to be.
“We never pushed him to do what we wanted him to do, we told him it was his choice and to chase his dream,” Mundine said.
“I always said to him, if you are passionate about your goals in life, no one can stop you from achieving them.”