Matthew Bryan-Amaning

Matthew Bryan-Amaning
Bryan-Amaning plays for Washington at the 2011 Pac-10 tournament.
Free agent
PositionPower forward
Personal information
Born (1988-05-09) 9 May 1988 (age 36)
London, England
NationalityBritish / Ghanaian
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolSouth Kent School
(South Kent, Connecticut)
CollegeWashington (2007–2011)
NBA draft2011: undrafted
Playing career2011–present
Career history
2011–2012Hacettepe Üniversitesi
2012–2013Radnički Kragujevac
2013London Lions
2013–2014Olympique Antibes
2014SO Maritime Boulogne
2014MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg
2014–2015Soles de Mexicali
2015Soles de Santo Domingo Este
2015Soles de Mexicali
2016San Lorenzo de Almagro
2016–2017Rizing Fukuoka
2018Defensor Sporting
2018–2019London City Royals
2020London Lions
2020–2021Worcester Wolves
2021–2022Cheshire Phoenix
2023AS Douanes
Career highlights and awards

Matthew Osei Bryan-Amaning (born 9 May 1988) is a British-Ghanaian professional basketball player, who played for AS Douanes of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He has represented the Great Britain national team in international competition.

Early life

Bryan-Amaning was born in London, and tried rugby, swimming and football as a kid. He picked up basketball when he was 4 years old.[1]

Aged 16, he earned a scholarship at South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut. There, he played alongside future NBA star Isaiah Thomas.[1]

College career

Bryan-Amaning played four seasons for the University of Washington Huskies, after joining in 2007 along with teammate Isaiah Thomas. During the 2010–11 season he averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds. Some of his best performances included 30 points against Arizona State on 22 January, 15 rebounds against Oregon State on 8 January and 4 steals and 7 blocks in a narrow 87–86 loss at Arizona on 19 February. Such performances led to Bryan-Amaning being named Pac-10's most improved player and first-team All-Pac-10.[2] At the 2011 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament Bryan-Amaning helped the Huskies to their third Pac-12 tournament championship.

Professional career

NBA Summer League

Following graduation, Bryan-Amaning was touted as a late second-round pick in the 2011 NBA draft, but went undrafted and decided to begin his career in Europe.[3] In 2012, he was a member of the New Orleans Hornets squad in the NBA Summer League, where he averaged 2.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg with a 75 FT%.[4] In 2013, Bryan-Amaning was again asked to play in the NBA Summer League, this time with the Chicago Bulls.[5] He averaged 3.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 1.6 bpg, including a 5-block outing against the Portland Trail Blazers.[6] In July 2014, he joined the Portland Trail Blazers for the 2014 NBA Summer League.[7]

Overseas

Bryan-Amaning began his professional career with Hacettepe Üniversitesi of the Turkish Basketball League after signing a one-year contract with the club in July 2011.[8] He signed with the Serbian team Radnički Kragujevac for the 2012–13 season,[9] where he averaged 8.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in the Adriatic League.[10] In October 2013 he signed a short-term deal with his hometown club London Lions of the British Basketball League, after a deal with Korean side Anyang KGC fell through.[11] On 29 October 2013 he signed with Olympique Antibes.[12] He left them in April 2014, and moved to SO Maritime Boulogne of the LNB Pro B for the rest of the season.[13] In September 2014 he signed a one-year deal with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of Germany.[14][15] On 28 October 2014 he left Ludwigsburg after playing five games in Bundesliga and averaging 7.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.[16] Three days later, he signed with Soles de Mexicali of the Mexican LNBP.[17] On 20 May 2015 he signed with Soles de Santo Domingo of Dominican Republic for the 2015 LNB season.[18] On 2 September 2015, he returned to Soles de Mexicali.[19] In April 2016, he signed with San Lorenzo de Almagro of the Argentine Liga Nacional de Básquet.[20] He helped them to win the league title.[21] In August 2016, Amaning signed with Japanese club Rizing Fukuoka for the 2016–17 season.[22][23] In August 2017, he signed with Boca Juniors of Argentina for the 2017–18 season.[24] However, he never appeared in an official game for Boca Juniors. On 17 January 2018 he signed with Defensor Sporting Club of the Liga Uruguaya de Basketball.[25]

In March 2020, Bryan-Amaning signed with Zamalek in Egypt to play in the 2020 BAL season.[26] The season was however delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing him to leave without playing a game. On 13 September 2020 he rejoined the London Lions.[27] However, Bryan-Amaning parted ways with the team on 13 October.[28] On 13 November 2020 Bryan-Amaning signed a short-term deal with the Worcester Wolves of the British Basketball League (BBL), following his departure from the London Lions in pre-season.[29]

In February 2023, Bryan-Amaning joined AS Douanes from Senegal for the 2023 BAL season where he was eligible to play as an African import because of his Ghanaian heritage.[30] With Douanes, he reached the 2023 BAL Final where the team lost to Al Ahly. He was the back-up center of the team

British national team

Bryan-Amaning began his international career at Under-16 level with England in 2004, moving up to Under-18 level and then into the Under-20 ranks with Great Britain in 2008, where he was ranked fourth among all players in the European Championships in blocked shots with 1.6 per game, as well as 12th in scoring, including a 41-point haul against the Czech Republic.

Bryan-Amaning made his senior debut for Great Britain against Canada in 2010. His best performance for GB came at the 2011 London Invitational where he averaged 1.7ppg and 2.7rpg against strong international competition including Croatia, China and France.[31]

Personal

Bryan-Amaning's parents live in Ghana. He is close friends with Luol Deng.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "AS Douanes' Bryan-Amaning on the rise of UK basketball, and conquering the BAL". ESPN.com. March 9, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  2. ^ Washington Huskies Bio
  3. ^ Bryan-Amaning Goes Undrafted
  4. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning–Summer League 2012
  5. ^ Five Brits to Represent in NBA Summer League in Vegas
  6. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning–Summer League 2013
  7. ^ Trail Blazers Summer League Roster
  8. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Headed to Turkey
  9. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Signs with Radnicki Kragujevac
  10. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Adriatic League Profile
  11. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Joins London Lions on Short Term Deal
  12. ^ "Antibes signs Matthew Bryan-Amaning". Sportando.net. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  13. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning leaves Antibes to sign with Boulogne-sur-Mer
  14. ^ MHP Ludwigsburg signs Matthew Bryan-Amaning
  15. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Signs Deal in German BBL with Ludwigsburg
  16. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning leaves MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg
  17. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning landed by Soles
  18. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning (ex Soles) joins Soles de Santo Domingo
  19. ^ "BRYAN-AMANING RENUEVA". expresodeportivo.com (in Spanish). September 2, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  20. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Signs in Argentina with San Lorenzo
  21. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Wins Another Championship as San Lorenzo Complete Finals Sweep
  22. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning (ex San Lorenzo) signs at Fukuoka Rizing
  23. ^ MATTHEW BRYAN-AMANING SIGNS NEW CONTRACT IN JAPAN
  24. ^ Matthew Bryan-Amaning Returns to Argentina, Signs with Boca
  25. ^ Defensor lands Matthew Bryan-Amaning
  26. ^ "Matthew Bryan-Amaning to Zamalek". March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  27. ^ Lupo, Nicola (September 13, 2020). "Matthew Bryan-Amaning signs with London Lions". Sportando. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  28. ^ Lupo, Nicola (October 13, 2020). "Matthew Bryan-Amaning, London Lions part ways". Sportando. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  29. ^ "Worcester Wolves snap up Matthew Bryan-Amaning". hoopsfix.com. November 13, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  30. ^ Demba, Varore (February 6, 2023). "BAL 2023 : Matthew Bryan dépose ses baluchons à l'AS Douanes". Sport News Africa (in French). Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  31. ^ GB lose first basketball test event game to France