Atem Kuol Atem

Atem was born in Bor, South Sudan.{{cite web|url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/136800/sid/13246/tid/98334/_/2017_FIBA_AfroBasket_/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220122027/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/136800/sid/13246/tid/98334/_/2017_FIBA_AfroBasket_/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 February 2019|title=Atem Kuol Atem's profile|work=FIBA.com|accessdate=17 July 2017}} He and his family spent four years in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya before moving to Sydney, Australia, where he was introduced to basketball by his high school teacher. He started to take the sport seriously when he was offered a scholarship to Illawarra Sports High School in Wollongong, and from there he earned a scholarship to Northern Oklahoma College in the United States.{{cite web|last=Cross|first=Neil|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-27/sudanese-refugees-earn-place-adelaide-nbl-training-squad/6886734|title=Sudanese refugees, Mawut Deng and Atem Atem, join Adelaide 36ers NBL training squad|work=ABC.net.au|date=27 October 2015|accessdate=17 July 2017}} Atem was on the 2012–13 roster at North Oklahoma College, but he was forced to redshirt the season, which made him re-think his commitment and ultimately led to him deciding not to return to the program for the 2013–14 season.{{cite web|last=Nagy|first=Boti|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/daequon-montreal-and-atem-atem-to-make-adelaide-36ers-debuts-in-darwin-against-townsville-crocodiles-and-japan/news-story/99ee2be04d2ac8b155a5c17db4e17405|title=Daequon Montreal and Atem Atem to make Adelaide 36ers debuts in Darwin against Townsville crocodiles and Japan|work=AdelaideNow.com.au|date=27 August 2014|accessdate=17 July 2017}}

Atem made his Australian state league debut in 2014, playing a handful of games for the Ipswich Force in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL). He spent the majority of the year with the Force's Southern Basketball League (SBL) affiliate team and was named the MVP of the SBL team.{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-4827-0-0-0&sID=79305&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=31465151|title=That's a Wrap! - 2014 QBL & SBL Awards|work=SportsTG.com|date=14 September 2014|accessdate=17 July 2017}}{{cite web|last=Lems|first=David|url=https://www.qt.com.au/news/american-mvp-is-keen-to-sign-again-for-2015-force/2390530/|title=American MVP is keen to sign again for 2015 Force|work=QT.com.au|date=18 September 2014|accessdate=17 July 2017}}

For the 2014–15 NBL season, Atem was a member of the Adelaide 36ers' development program. He participated in the team's preseason exhibition matches. He remained in South Australia for the 2015 Premier League season, where he played for the Eastern Mavericks.{{cite web|last=Nagy|first=Boti|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/basketball-premier-league-tips-off-tonight--but-who-knew/news-story/efe39380da0600c7295fc1d918b0c546|title=Basketball Premier League tips off tonight — but who knew?|work=AdelaideNow.com.au|date=11 March 2016|accessdate=17 July 2017}} He continued on with the 36ers for the 2015–16 NBL season as a member of the team's training squad.

In November 2015, Atem signed with the North-West Tasmania Thunder for the 2016 SEABL season.{{cite web|last=Morris|first=Terry|url=http://www.examiner.com.au/story/3475621/thunder-retains-jackson-signs-atem/|title=Thunder retains Jackson, signs Atem|work=Examiner.com.au|date=6 November 2015|accessdate=17 July 2017}} In 20 games for the Thunder, he averaged 2.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=201497410&client=1-3363-126352-402777-16889500|title=Player statistics for Atem Atem|work=SportsTG.com|accessdate=17 July 2017}}

On 31 October 2016, Atem signed with the Goldfields Giants for the 2017 State Basketball League season.{{cite web|url=https://www.goldfieldsgiants.com/20161031atemmurray/|title=Giants strike early in recruit search|work=GoldfieldsGiants.com|date=31 October 2016|accessdate=17 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917171639/http://www.goldfieldsgiants.com/20161031atemmurray/|archive-date=17 September 2017|url-status=dead}} In 23 games for the Giants, he averaged 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=http://www.goldfieldsgiants.com/players/atem-atem/|title=Atem Atem|work=GoldfieldsGiants.com|accessdate=10 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=202883736&client=1-5011-83384-444191-23096635|title=Player statistics for Atem Atem|work=SportsTG.com|accessdate=10 January 2018}}

In December 2017, Atem signed with the North Adelaide Rockets for the 2018 season, returning to the Premier League for a second stint.{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-4368-0-0-0&sID=50311&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=60719455|title=ATEM ATEM TO PLAY AT NORTH ADELAIDE IN 2018|work=SportsTG.com|date=14 December 2017|accessdate=10 January 2018}} In 18 games, he averaged 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.{{cite web | url=http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=202571970&client=1-3656-44102-470534-26097128 | title=Player statistics for Atem Atem – 2018 | work=SportsTG.com | accessdate=21 May 2019}}

In March 2019, Atem signed with the Shepparton Gators of the Big V Division One.{{cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Alex|url=https://www.mcivortimes.com.au/@shepp-sport/2019/03/06/474479/sport-basketball1111-gators-sign-american-import-jerron-jamerson?amp=1|title=Gators sign American import Jerron Jamerson|work=mcivortimes.com.au|date=6 March 2019|accessdate=5 October 2019}}{{cite web|last=Payne|first=Aydin|url=https://www.sheppnews.com.au/@sport/2019/03/30/512943/sport-basketball1111-shepparton-gators-atem-atem-profile|title=Shepparton Gators Atem Atem profile|work=sheppnews.com.au|date=30 March 2019|accessdate=5 October 2019}} In 27 games, he averaged 19.37 points, 9.89 rebounds and 1.11 assists per game.{{cite web | url=http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=205843323&client=1-913-181313-515272-25934332 | title=Player statistics for Atem Atem – 2019 | work=SportsTG.com | accessdate=5 October 2019}}

In 2020, Atem played for the South West Metro Pirates in the Queensland State League (QSL).{{cite web|url=https://basketballqld.com.au/2020-qsl-teams-south-west-metro-pirates/|title=2020 QSL Teams – South West Metro Pirates|work=basketballqld.com.au|accessdate=30 August 2020}}

In March 2021, Atem signed with the Northside Wizards for the 2021 NBL1 North season.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/northsidewizards/posts/10159492216728534|title=Pilpel Northside Wizards sign 6'8 forward Atem Atem to their already impressive NBL1 North roster|work=facebook.com/northsidewizards|date=9 March 2021|accessdate=12 March 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/news/wizards-sign-atem/north/men|title=Wizards sign Atem|work=NBL1.com.au|date=11 March 2021|accessdate=12 March 2021}} In 12 games, he averaged 13.33 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.41 assists per game.{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/player/e3dfeeda-7b55-11eb-815c-de81c44d5767/d042eb2e-b305-11eb-9723-226cd10403de/atem-atem/north|title=Atem Atem|work=NBL1.com.au|access-date=21 June 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621093557/https://nbl1.com.au/player/e3dfeeda-7b55-11eb-815c-de81c44d5767/d042eb2e-b305-11eb-9723-226cd10403de/atem-atem/north|archive-date=21 June 2022}}

In April 2022, Atem re-signed with the Wizards for the 2022 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/northsidewizards/photos/a.500246263533/10160285468838534/|title=NBL1 North PLAYER ANNOUNCEMENT⁠|work=facebook.com/northsidewizards|date=11 April 2022|accessdate=20 June 2022}} In 15 games, he averaged 4.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/player/197f1892-7426-11ec-b650-1bdc8f39f1df/b89f64cd-c2c6-11ec-a123-235267e59bda/atem-kuol-atem/north|title=Atem Kuol Atem|work=NBL1.com.au|access-date=6 December 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206092036/https://nbl1.com.au/player/197f1892-7426-11ec-b650-1bdc8f39f1df/b89f64cd-c2c6-11ec-a123-235267e59bda/atem-kuol-atem/north|archive-date=6 December 2022}}

Atem joined the Ipswich Force for the 2023 NBL1 North season. In nine games, he averaged 6.11 points and 3.78 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/player/116a2f56-70a7-11ed-a54e-2d98d9fac4b4/d042eb2e-b305-11eb-9723-226cd10403de/atem-atem/north|title=Atem Atem|work=NBL1.com.au|access-date=22 July 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230722093453/https://nbl1.com.au/player/116a2f56-70a7-11ed-a54e-2d98d9fac4b4/d042eb2e-b305-11eb-9723-226cd10403de/atem-atem/north|archive-date=22 July 2023}}

In March 2017, Atem played for the South Sudanese national team at the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 qualifiers. In four games, he averaged 9.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/afrobasketqualifiers/2017/player/Atem-Kuol-Atem-Bol|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319181440/http://www.fiba.com/afrobasketqualifiers/2017/Atem-Kuol-Atem-BOL|url-status=live|archive-date=March 19, 2017|title=Atem Kuol Atem BOL|work=FIBA.com|accessdate=17 July 2017}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://nbl1.com.au/player/197f1892-7426-11ec-b650-1bdc8f39f1df/b89f64cd-c2c6-11ec-a123-235267e59bda/atem-kuol-atem/north NBL1 profile]
• [http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/3723108/up-and-atem/ "Up and Atem"] at theadvocate.com.au

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atem, Atem Kuol}}

Category:1991 births

Category:Living people

Category:Forwards (basketball)

Category:South Sudanese emigrants to Australia

Category:South Sudanese men's basketball players

Category:South Sudanese refugees

Category:Refugees in Kenya

Category:Sportsmen from New South Wales

Category:Australian men's basketball players

Category:People from Jonglei State

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen