Lobo
Years ago

Thon Maker 2010 High School Year Book

Jonathan Givony from Draft Express has done some research on Maker age and has come up with clear evidence he graduated from high school in 2010 while living in Perth and therefore is 23yrs old.

His guardian Smith who is known to be shonky has been the person driving the lies in his pursuit to get Maker on the big stage(NBA) from the moment he come across in the Sudanese community hatching up a plan to get Maker to the NBA under the radar of the american system by passing the US college because he knew NCAA would have found out Maker's age and ruled his ineligible to enroll
in the college system.

This is only the start of questions from the american basketball sports journalist Maker and his guardian Smith will have to answer.

The Milwaukee Bucks will be under fire for drafting Maker before doing their research to find out his real age taking away a spot from a college player who entered the NBA draft with no baggage of lies!

Expect ESPN to dig deeper into Maker age to run a story on air with the truth about Maker and his guardian Smith.

You can read more about the Maker story by getting on to Jonathan Givony - Draft Express twitter page.


*Here is the link to the video showing Maker in his high school year book in 2010: https://vid.me/ncxK

Topic #39557 | Report this topic


RMQ  
Years ago

Pictures: http://m.imgur.com/a/I75LB

Reply #590067 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Lobo, a lawyer could come after you for one aspect of this post. If you want to retract it, let me know, otherwise I can send them your way.

Reply #590069 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Where there is smoke, as they say, there may be fire!

Reply #590070 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Genuinely surprised this hasn't come up earlier. Looks to be fairly conclusive. Also surprised a 23 year old man couldn't dominate against a bunch of Canadian kids not good enough to play hockey

Reply #590071 | Report this post


Caps Fan  
Years ago

But I read that "Thonette Maker" graduated from St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls in 2005, but then Smith arranged for gender re-alignment surgery to avoid the lower salaries of the WNBA.

The Bucks have actually drafted a 28 year old post-op birth female.

Reply #590073 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Im curious to know which part of the original post is dodge. There are definitely some character assisination type sledges in there I guess. Who craes really, he will either make it or wont, once he is established no one cares ala Dikemebe Mutombo. Guess people are bored and trying to fill in the time before free agency hits.

Reply #590074 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"The Milwaukee Bucks will be under fire for drafting Maker before doing their research to find out his real age taking away a spot from a college player who entered the NBA draft with no baggage of lies! "

I reckon the Bucks know but don't care. He was eligible for the draft - there is no "taking away a spot" at all.

Reply #590077 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

They absolutely know. Multimillion dollar corporations are gonna do their research before drafting someone, especially seeing how these rumours haven't just popped up overnight.

Reply #590078 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony - ‏@DraftExpress

Before the draft, Thon Maker's guardian Ed Smith told me that reddit yearbook photo was from an English school in Perth, not a high school.

Reply #590080 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

^ and he lied, its a regular school

Reply #590081 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

To be fair it's both. The school has an intensive English course that once finished means you can enrol at the actual school or something like that. The year 9 photo from 2010 is good proof though

Reply #590082 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

Everytime Thon's real age was brought up on this forum people played the race card and said that it was a sensitive subject and accusations shouldn't be made.

But now we have some pretty solid evidence that people's original thoughts on his age are true.

It sadden's me that Thon's age will effect future potential draft picks from Australia. Because it's not the case with all players with similar backgrounds.

I hope something is said/done about it because you shouldn't be able to cheat the system. And it's amazing how many people that potentially knew of the age change were all "congratulations and well done". It's like no one cared his age was incorrect.

He's a talented basketball player no doubt. I'm all for supporting someone like Thon but I can't condone the lying and age changing if true.

Reply #590086 | Report this post


PeterJohn  
Years ago

"Im curious to know which part of the original post is dodge"

I imagine calling someone "shonky" would be seen as defamatory.

Reply #590087 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

People are talking like this has never happened in the NBA before!

Reply #590088 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Thought it would have to be soemthing a little bit more hardcore than 'shonky'. I think Donald Trump is shonky, hopefully that doesnt land me in hot water ;) Definitely agree its not a good look when these sort of lies are POTENTIALLY told. In a sports world focussed more so on stats of all kind, more than ever, the pressure is now on Maker to 'make it'.

Reply #590089 | Report this post


anon  
Years ago

what yr did he actually come to Australia?

What yr did he start high school?

What yrs/age groups was he playing junior soccer?

what yrs/age groups did he play junior basketball in Perth?

There must be answers to the above out there somewhere.

Reply #590090 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Who cares, he was allowed to nominate for the NBA draft because he didn't want any potential weaknesses exposed in the NCAA, so he took the punt and so far it has paid off, end of story.

Reply #590091 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

No idea when he came to Australia.

According to the year book photos. He graduated Aranmore High School in Perth in 2010 and would have been at least 17 years old then.

Junior basketball - from what I've heard, he never played for a specific club while in Perth. Just within the local community at a rec center (Herb Graham) all unorganized.

Majok Majok (Melbourne United), played for East Perth (same club Tom Jervis is from) and Majok would also play pick up at Herb Graham. An online article mentions Ed Smith met Thon via Majok.

No idea about the junior soccer stuff.

It appears that Thon's age was changed when he moved state.

I imagine it would be hard for scouts to find out the whole truth of his schooling history when they are provided with a high school transcript from a Sydney school. Why would they think there was another?

Reply #590092 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"It sadden's me that Thon's age will effect future potential draft picks from Australia. Because it's not the case with all players with similar backgrounds. "

Biyombo and Ibaka are both surely older than they say. They didn't affect draft picks "with similar backgrounds". Not sure Thon would affect Australian picks, maybe you mean African players?

Reply #590093 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

And that risk is all on the clubs recruiting.

Reply #590094 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Mutombo was older than first drafted he only went on to have a HOF career and no one cares. Yes i think the previous post is referring to the 'African-Australian' players, and if the individual player has talent it wont effect much at all.

Reply #590095 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

I don't buy the "didn't want any potential weaknesses exposed in the NCAA". I think it's more along the lines of the NCAA eligibility requirements are stricter than Canada's system.

You can be older than you are because of your background and situation when you were young. But when you are older than you are because you purposely change it for athletic gain, then that's another story.

Reply #590097 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

His age change (if true) is irrelevant now though. It seems it was done to play against weaker opponents in high school. How do you retrospectively punish him/the schools for letting him play in younger divisions?

The NBA doesn't care. They declared him eligible for the drat.

Reply #590098 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

There's been the suggestion that the Bucks knew and didn't care.

Reply #590099 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Id say the Bucks are well aware and dont give a shit. IF he ends up being a prodigy then they look brilliant for taking the risk. Smaller market team that struggles to gain access to franchise players have to deal what they have to do.

Reply #590101 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

His graduation picture doesn't prove he is 17 (or about to turn 17) either. I graduated high school at 16, turned 17 the following year.

Reply #590102 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So he could be 22 not 23

Reply #590103 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Who cares, he will either prove he can play or be a bust in two years.

What is more interesting is the caliber of power forwards/centres selected after him at No.10 and to see if they develop as much better prospects, or not!

Reply #590104 | Report this post


ME (he/kangaroo)  
Years ago

I think the Bucks should care about his age. If he is 19, he is a great project. If he is 23, he is much closer to his prime and still underdone.

Not that it is conclusive in any way but he doesn't look older than 19. I am not sure about the validity of the photos, either. If he has spent his whole life unsure of his age he could easily have been brought up a few years in school.

This will be a recurring issue with African-born players. The only time it will really matter is in situations just like this where the player is being drafted solely on potential.

Reply #590107 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Skal got picked late 20s yet dominated Thon. Did not see them going in each other's spot

Reply #590109 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

Thon was already 23 when he arrived in Australia, he was just malnourished and very small for his age. He had no formal education and so had to start from scratch. He also got held back a couple of years (because his teachers didn't like black kids) so was 37 when he graduated from Aranmore.

(I know this because my cousin's boyfriend's sister's hairdresser once shaved the head of a dude who was married to one of Thon's teachers)

Hence Thon is actually 43.
This should be a big worry for the Bucks, as the average life expectancy of a South Sudanese male is less than 40 years.

Reply #590112 | Report this post


Ricey  
Years ago

Surely people could easily just track down his classmates and check with them?

Reply #590113 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

How would they know his actual age?

Reply #590114 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Perhaps his reluctance to represent Australia at juniors was based on knowledge about age. But for this to come out now in hardly hard hitting journalism seems a bit suss. So with all the hype surrounding him, none of the kids he went to school with didn't think to tell anyone and it took this intrepid reporter to go and look at some old year books. If so there would have to be some red faced people at BA who didn't do there homework.
As for the Nba, he may not be ready to contribute immediately, but if working out with an Nba team will let him reach his potential then good on him. It wasn't until Garnett, Kobe etc that everyone started going young, before that juniors and seniors were valued but now they are said to be over the hill and have no upside. If he is indeed older than 1st reported then he is now grown into his body and ready to contribute. Jermaine O'Neal is a good example, sat on the bench for the blazers for years because he wasn't ready physically, maybe Thon will have a headstart there in terms of maturing earlier. And the Bucks wouldn't really care, if in a few years they havnt seen any improvement they'll move on, if there is they'll look like geniuses. He still has amazing physical attributes that will transcend to the Nba.
The only people I would feel sorry for if this allegation is true is the kids he played against in high school, but then again how many local kids have question marks about their age.
Let it go people, hes in the Nba, good luck to him. Most interesting thing to me is Ater Majoks comments about Smith recently, or more, the lack of comment.

Reply #590119 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Kids from his school have posted on r/NBA and remember him. But as someone said, it's not like they know his age, just the year he was in at school. The issue supposedly came when he switched to NSW.

Reply #590120 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

I know I'm in the minority, but I think it's quite easy for NBA scouts to not have found out about Thon's High School graduation in Perth.

When applying for the NBA Draft or NCAA colleges, I'm sure it's on the player to provide paperwork.

From what we've been told, Thon attended high school in Sydney. So he has that paperwork. It is legit and that's that.

The NBA/College powers that be would see that and accept it.

There would be reasoning why he would have or not have certain documents.

It's up to the player/coach to provide that information.

How would the NBA know what school or club to locate in WA when doing their research? Thon never played for a club in WA and no one knew he went to Aranmore. It only surfaced after he became a big deal because of the draft.

Also RE: Class mates, not everyone cares what other people are doing. And many may know he's not 19, but again many don't care and wouldn't bother saying anything.

Regardless of the people involved I find this whole saga interesting.

Reply #590122 | Report this post


anon  
Years ago

with having to learn English, i would think he would have been "behind" with his schooling and would be older not younger than his class mates.

Reply #590123 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

Jonathan Givony from Draft Express has done some research on Maker age and has come up with clear evidence
Ah, no, he has trotted out the same story that has been around for years.

The Aranmore story has been out there for a couple of years at least.

Now conceptually, we have "two" Thon Makers, or at least two stories. BOTH of which appear true.

The first Thon Graduated from Aranmore in 2010 (having been there for at least 3~4 years.) Aranmore is the only Catholic school in WA with a "New Arrivals" program. I don't know how long that lasts, and we don't know how old this Thon was when he graduated. Sure, most of his locally born and educated classmates would have been 17, but that proves nothing.

There is "also" at the same time a Thon who was playing soccer and who was "much smaller and much younger."
This Thon, notionally around 14, is the one Ed Smith recruited. As with many of Ed's boys, there was some angst in the coming years, with Mayor Chagai complaining that Smith kept Thon out of school during "2010 & 2011."

Obviously it is this "2nd" Thon who has gone on to be drafted. Question is how "young" was he back in 2010, and is he in fact the same Thon who graduated Aranmore that year.

What appears highly probable to me, is that Smith has kept Thon away from competitions where the questions over his age would be a problem. ie International under-age comps, and the NCAA. (How it is ok in Canadia I don't know.) That would make sense, even if nothing nefarious is going on.
Beyond that, I don't know.
Seems like a very strange course of action.

What puzzles me is this. Now days, you basically can't fart without being asked to produce ID. In the case of someone like Thon, I'd imagine that would be at the very least either his Australian Passport or an Australian Citizenship Certificate.
In earlier (school) days that might have been a visa for residency or even protection.
So my question is; how does he go from a visa saying he was born in 93, to a passport saying he was born in 97?

Reply #590124 | Report this post


Benno  
Years ago

Isnt there a test they can do using his bones to find out how old he is?

Reply #590128 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

That's trees. They cut a tree and count the rings.

Reply #590131 | Report this post


Benno  
Years ago

http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/bone-tests-can-only-estimate-not-determine-one-s-age/1055375/ Better than nothing...

Reply #590132 | Report this post


Jim  
Years ago

RMQ. Does that mean he is only one y o? Unless he is Thonette and ..........

Reply #590133 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Guys, be careful. Do your research. Isaac is correct.

Make sure you preface your statements that you think are factual but in reality are just your opinion with "In my opinion".

Under the law, everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether that be right or wrong.

Don't portray opinions as fact.

In my opinion there appears to be some statements in the original post that are opinions, but to me they read as factual. In my opinion, that is what may cause some grief for Lobo.

Reply #590139 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Imo I dont think someone hiding something this big would seek legal action for the risk of the truth coming out.
Just my opinion.
But it doesn't really matter now. Can't undraft him.

Reply #590140 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It's called a bone density scan. I believe the ICC use it for the World U19 championships.

I think a Pakistan U19 Cricket team may have been sent home in one of the ICC sanctioned U19 tournaments, quite possibly an ICC U19 Asia tournament, in the early 2000's.

I think it went a long the lines of - there were clear questions about the age of some of the players. Enough to force the ICC or organizers to request a bone density scan for the team and the result was the team was prevented from playing in the tournament.

Reply #590141 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Doesn't really matter. He's been drafted.

Also, agree that just because he was in a graduating class in 2010 doesn't mean he was 16, 17 or even 18.

He could've been 14, none of us know.

However there are strict requirements for academic qualification for the NCAA relating to repeating years.

Basically, repeating years is not allowed. You have to complete years 9 to 12 in four consecutive years. So if he graduated in Perth, regardless of his age. He'd find he would have difficulty qualifying for US college if he's repeated years, whether that be in Sydney &/or High School in America.

Let's see how he progresses.

For me whether we like it or not is not the issue, the inference to me in all of this is Thon is/has been clearly associated with Australia and Basketball Australia. To me we've probably lost a little bit of respect if this is true.

Also, Thon has openly denied the age issue.

What does all this mean for his brother, Matur?

Pity the other current and future young Australians that have African heritage. It is now going to be that much tougher for them.

However, there is another quite well known Australian player, Deng Adel (NCAA Div 1 Louisville), where there has been similar persistent rumours about his true age as well for at least 5 or 6 years.

Reply #590142 | Report this post


Benno  
Years ago

My view is that that yearbook photo is indeed Thon however it was him graduating the english school not year 12. The 9.2 class photo looks nothing like him. People from the school on reddit said there was around 7 or 8 makers at the school i think its mistaken identity for another thon maker at the school.


This photo is the best evidence. do you really think he looks 19/20 in this photo? No chance!!

http://www-static4.spulsecdn.net/pics/00/35/88/96/35889639_1_O.jpg

Reply #590143 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

In my opinion, yes he has been drafted, but in the tiny chance the Bucks didn't know all this, they'd surely have the right to waive him/ void his contract?

Reply #590144 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So he's the same age as as Aussie who finished he's senior college year this year? Or like Buddy Hield?

But, if the claims above are true I don't like the deceitfulness of his marketing campaign by him & his handlers. It has a smell about it.

Reply #590145 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Thon, with the body of a possibly 23-25 year old man, only managed to put up something like 20 and 10 against shorter, weaker high schoolers. If Hammond knows he's older than he is and still picked him the guys an idiot. In my opinion

Reply #590149 | Report this post


Cram  
Years ago

Isn't there some rule that any player (or possibly only international player) is automatically entered into the draft at a certain age (if they're not in college)? From memory it is 21 or 23. If it's 21 it would make things weird as he should technically have been a free agent

Reply #590153 | Report this post


anon  
Years ago

Aliir Aliir from the Sydney Swans has revealed he is Thon's cousin and they lived together and played "hoops" in Newcastle. Aliir Aliir is listed as being born 5/9/1994 making him nearly 22yrs.

Reply #590158 | Report this post


Jim  
Years ago

From first hand knowledge I know many of the African refugee children to not know their birthdate, especially if they have been separated from their parents. Many of them at schools have their birthdate registered as 1/1/20..

Reply #590171 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Why would the Bucks waive him now, its not like they get to draft again. They would have known full well there were questions about his age but apparently in pre draft interviews and workouts he really impressed, maybe a stretch to go 10 but stranger things have happened. Bender was drafted much higher but hardly had outstanding stats in Europe, its more about trying to snag the next Nowitzki and having a gamble over more established players.

Reply #590177 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

An issue is, if he is 23 or older he would have been ineligible for the draft in the first place.

Reply #590178 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I dont think there is an age limit for the draft, just a minimum.

Reply #590182 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Why would the Bucks waive him now, its not like they get to draft again. They would have known full well there were questions about his age but apparently in pre draft interviews and workouts he really impressed, maybe a stretch to go 10 but stranger things have happened. Bender was drafted much higher but hardly had outstanding stats in Europe, its more about trying to snag the next Nowitzki and having a gamble over more established players.

Reply #590184 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Feel free to correct me, but didn't Thon play one year of under 16s for NSW Metro at Kilsyth? Surely there would have been a process to confirm his age then. Now it just seems petty... What do people hope to achieve by questioning this now?

Reply #590193 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Dragan will shit all over Thon. Dudes an absolute freak.

Reply #590195 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

People on this forum just like to correct and throw all their extensive knowledge upon everyone else. Dont think Thon Maker is too worried, that guarnteed Lottery pick money helps. But please continue the beginning of what will surley be a long prosperous 'tall poppy syndrome' type bagging. Hope he can be a star and the Bucks have got a freak!

Reply #590206 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

People unhappy he's lied about his age= Tall poppy syndrome? Fuck off dickhead

Reply #590208 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

He'll bust very quickly actually having to play basketball. Might have good wingspan and vert but he also hasn't played against anyone of note

Reply #590209 | Report this post


Curtley  
Years ago

If he is 23-24, becomes a decent NBA player but commits to the boomers for the next 10 years all is forgiven.

If he is 19 but goes out of his way to avoid playing for the boomers then he's no good.

Reply #590219 | Report this post


Benno  
Years ago

Anyone of note? Played in the 2015 hoop summit.. Brandon Ingram and Jaylen Brown.

Reply #590220 | Report this post


ThonFaker  
Years ago

Forgot about that game. 14 minutes 2 turnovers 2 fouls 0 of 5 shooting against a guy who went something like 28th who had 21 6 boards 6 blocks.

Yes Thon also had 10 boards in those 14 minutes which I'll give props for

Reply #590221 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Beating up Canadian high schoolers sure prepped him for playing against college guys

Reply #590222 | Report this post


Benno  
Years ago

He is going to be a good player, ill stand with him. Cant wait for all these hatters to jump on his bandwagon in a few years when he is playing well.

Reply #590224 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

In the NBL or Europe?

Reply #590226 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

Maker, who says he is 19 but has faced questions he is much older after images yesterday surfaced from an old school yearbook, played for St George Basketball in Sydney in 2011.

Club administrator Anna Pazanin said she sighted his passport when he was registered with Basketball New South Wales in 2011.

"I saw his passport, I had the passport in my hand," Pazanin said.

“We need some form of ID and his passport was produced as that form of ID, it had his name date of birth and picture.

“He wouldn't have been able to play in our comp if he wasn’t back then U16.

“He was definitely at the right age when playing for St George Basketball.”

Ms Pazanin said she had not seen the Reddit pictures that purport Maker graduated from Aranmore Catholic College in Perth in 2010, but said she had faced several questions from media, including from the US, over his age.

“He’s just a tall kid,” she said.

“When he played U16s, that’s how tall he was.

“Just leave the kid alone, he’s worked so hard.”


http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/fresh-questions-over-thon-makers-age-emerge-amid-claims-he-graduated-high-school-in-2010/news-story/137ccec54d4337242be33fc3f5102dff

Reply #590228 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

I don't think anyone here is hating. You are allowed to question his age and not hate him as a player or wish him well.

Some of you Anons are so simple minded.

Reply #590232 | Report this post


Ricey  
Years ago

How does he get a passport with fake information? Somebody would have to be coughing up some serious dollars to get that forged, or even a legit one without the correct paperwork. The government would have surely had his name in the system, with his potential age when he moved over.

Reply #590239 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

There's one glaring issue I've noticed with all that evidence from his Perth school.
Look at the height of him vs his classmates, now either his classmates are all nearly 7ft tall or he supposedly grow a whole foot in height when he was around 18, and then was still growing by the time he was 21-22?

Look at his face compared to his classmates as well, it's noticeable that he looks like he should be in primary school in his year 9 sport photos.

For an actual explanation how this could happen, he came from a refugee camp, authorities might have placed his age based on his height at the time. Once this Ed Smith guy found him maybe he tracked down his parents and uncle who might have had information? Who knows.

But the fact he's not taller than the rest of his 'peers' in these school photos actually supports he's around the correct age of 19.

Reply #590242 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Unless their is another image the only one from the 2010 year book I can see is class portraits which is simply head and shoulders, their is absolutely no way you can tell height from that

Reply #590250 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Think the whole NBA issue won't matter at all if it is infact true he's older than he says, BUT did he ever represent Australia at junior national level, if he did then FIBA may have something to say about it.

Reply #590257 | Report this post


Jay  
Years ago

Maybe we got it backwards and he lied about his age to graduate from school earlier??

Reply #590258 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Why would you put someone who's reportedly struggling with English into a class that was much older than him if that was the case ( which is what was is being inferred ... It was an English class graduation NOT a high school graduation. )
And why has the school now removed the photos from website



Reply #590266 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago


Reply #590269 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If a refugee has no birth certificate or other documents, how does he get a passport?

Reply #590272 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

All this passport proves is that the Australia Government accepted the proof provided to them.

I don't think anyone online has questioned the validity of his actual passport. It's more the documents that are supplied to get such passport.

I find it odd that this passport photo emerges now and is the only piece of "evidence" used to refute claims he's not 19.

MakerGate is definitely interesting.

The Many Makers theory doing on the rounds online also seems crazy and plausible at the same time!

Reply #590276 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

From reddit so take with a pinch of salt:
- Pretty much all the Aus government needs is a birth certificate
- Probably easy to fake one from a country like Sudan
- Possibly Ed might have someone back home who does them

Reply #590277 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Wait til the Bucks find out he's really 6'5 and Ed Smith has been faking his height and wingpsan all this time!

Reply #590283 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Coach in Melbourne over last few years was known to fake birth certs themselves with foreign born players.

Reply #590290 | Report this post


unsure  
Years ago

the passport was issued when he was 12yrs and in WA. He surfaced in Sydney a few yrs later and played u16s at a club.
Kids normally only get a passport when they are about to travel OS. Did thon go OS with this passport?

He never played in a registered comp in Perth which i find unusual for a talented player. He "didnt" play reps in Sydney metro, which again is unusual for a talented player. He has gone to the USA school system as an "inexperienced player" with no rep playing experience or coaching other than from his manager.

With all the circumstancial evidence, it would appear his manager has done an outstanding job "looking after him" at no cost for 5-6yrs and then securing a NBA contract.Is it a conspiracy, or legit????????

Reply #590292 | Report this post


Cram  
Years ago

So somebody faked his DOB to get a passport saying he was 12 in 2009, then he 'graduated' high school in 2010? Nobody sees a problem with this conspiracy theory?

Reply #590294 | Report this post


unsure  
Years ago

agree with cram, cannot be 12yrs in 2009 and graduate high school in 2010

Reply #590295 | Report this post


Zodiac  
Years ago

Ignore the conspiracy theorists he's 19 as per the article I posted above.

Reply #590296 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Ignore Zodiac he's 22-25 as per all the other evidence that's come up

Reply #590308 | Report this post


RMQ  
Years ago

With my Tinfoil hat securely on.

Maybe someone put the plans in motion to reduce his age in 2009.

Why would a High School need someones passport.

It's still questionable to me.

You can be enrolled at a high school under certain documents, but whilst at high school you can still have details changed, while not informing your high school.

The problem is - unless Maker comes out and admits his true age then we'll most likely never know for sure.

If there has been some dodgy changing of birth dates, then I applaud whoever did it. If they had done a worse job then this might be all over already.

Reply #590312 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

At the end of the day what matters is how talented/successful he is in the NBA - if he's not legit 19 but he does damn well then the age is somewhat irrelevant isn't it?

The flair up is if he doesn't do well then there will be calls of BS and deception

Reply #590320 | Report this post


Dazz  
Years ago

All the conspiracy theorists have been claiming that the change was done when he moved from Perth. Either in 2010, or 2011. Yet here we have his passport issued in 2009???
Now this actually fits with what I read years back, that he was already in Smith's care in 2010.

But if there was another Thon Maker, who attended Aranmore, surely somebody can find him?

Reply #590323 | Report this post


unsure  
Years ago

i would suggest he was with smith in 2009 when the passport was issued stating he was 12yrs.

He maybe forgot to put him back to primary school so he would not appear in high school graduation yr books in 2010. (aged 16-18yrs)?

Reply #590324 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

He actually played div 2 reps for St George when he was in Sydney in U/16's I believe but never played State as his mentor believed that he was discriminated against by BNSW and the same went for a number of the other Sudanese players he was in control of.

He would tend to keep them away from State trials.

Reply #590327 | Report this post


KET  
Years ago

But if there was another Thon Maker, who attended Aranmore, surely somebody can find him?


Yeah you'd think if the book wasn't photoshopped that they'd be able to find the "other" Thon Maker.

In today's society in Australia, i'd say it's bloody hard for someone to do high school and then do it again as if he "never existed". Surely there'd be a hundred people ready to say "lol I went to HS with him". If it's a different Thon Maker, you'd think there's a hundred people saying "nah different guy" or even easily find the doppelganger.

It's a bizarre situation that's for sure.

Reply #590334 | Report this post


Rusty  
Years ago

There was no discrimination going on against Maker by bnsw while he was playing reps in sydney. Smith just wanted totally control of him not allowing to be coached by
someone else.

Smith intentionally put Maker on div 2 rep teams so he look like a great player and to keep him under the radar. He didnt allow him to attend state trial as well.

There was a long term plan for Maker at all cost hence why there is alot question about his true age!

Reply #590366 | Report this post


Anon  
Years ago

#590327
If you have a look at the Kangaroo Photos website. Go to Basketball, 2011, under 16 Australian Championships in Kilsyth, NSW Metro Men and have a look. He most certainly played. Plenty of photos there.

Reply #590367 | Report this post


Libertine  
Years ago

First law job was in a practice that did work for the (at the time) Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Also work in international sports industry and one of my roles is the prevention of sporting fraud.

- refugee kids in the late 2000s that came to Australia without documents or a known birthdate would normally receive a passport saying 0/0/year

- it's very difficult to obtain an Australian passport with documents that appear illegitimate - - in 2009 I actually worked on a case where a basketball player of very similar descent to Thon (in Sydney) requested the government to change the date of birth in his passport (making him 4 years younger, from 23 to 19), principally because he had been advised by a US college! he produced a bunch of dodgy looking documents which were simply not accepted


- if Thon had a passport in 2009, that means he was in Australia for AT LEAST 3 years prior because he would have first come on a protection visa


- the 'bone density' test if it is the same thing we use is actually an 'MRI test' - study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166061/ - only works on 16 year old males. for the non-scientific, basically a bone in your wrist fuses fully at 16 years of age. it is thus easy to detect for u16 tournaments only.

Reply #590568 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Surely these so called "guardians" that only look after these "athletes" are the ones that need investigating, the athletes themselves are the ones being used.

Reply #590569 | Report this post




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