Nkosinathi Sibanyoni
{{Short description|South African basketball player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Nkosinathi Sibanyoni
| number = 14
| team = MBB
| position = Power forward / Center
| league = BAL
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|5|24}}
| height_m = 2.08
| highlights = * VBL champion (2024)
| years1 = {{0}}
| team1 = Mpumalanga Rhinos
| years2 = {{0}}
| team2 = Jozi Nuggets
| years3 = 2021
| team3 = Egoli Magic
| years4 = 2021–2024
| team4 = Cape Town Tigers
| birth_place = Mpumalanga, South Africa
| years5 = 2024–2025
| team5 = Urunani
| years6 = 2025–present
| team6 = MBB
}}
Nkosinathi Sandile Sibanyoni (bon May 24, 1998) is a South African professional basketball player for MBB of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and Basketball National League (BNL). Standing at 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in), he plays as center and has also played for the South Africa national team.{{Cite web |title=South Africa at the FIBA AfroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers 2024 |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/afrobasket/2025/pre-qualifiers/team/South-Africa |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=FIBA.basketball |language=en}} Sibanyoni has been a key part of the Tigers in their BAL seasons and holds the record for most rebounds in a BAL game. He is nicknamed "Nathi".{{Cite web |title=Nkosinathi Sibanyoni powers Cape Town Tigers to 2024 BAL |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/africaleague/2024/qualifiers/news/sandile-sibanyoni-powers-cape-town-tigers-to-2024-bal |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=FIBA.basketball |language=en}}
Professional career
Born in the province of Mpumalanga,{{Cite web |last=Lehohla |first=Manyehlisa |date=2023-04-30 |title=Sibanyoni wants to spread his wings |url=https://thebigtipoff.co.za/sibanyoni-wants-to-spread-his-wings/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=The Big Tip Off |language=en-US}} Sibanyoni began playing in 2012 and his idol was Tim Duncan. He started his career playing in South Africa's Basketball National League (BNL) for the Mpumalanga Rhinos and later for the Jozi Nuggets of the Johannesburg Basketball League (JBL).{{Cite web |last=Lehohla |first=Manyehlisa |date=2020-07-28 |title=Sibanyoni: I will always love and appreciate my teammates |url=https://thebigtipoff.co.za/sibanyoni-jozi-nuggets/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=The Big Tip Off |language=en-US}}
He played with the Egoli Magic and won the 2021 BNL championship with them while also winning the league's MVP award. He posted 15 pointns, 18 rebounds and 7 blocks in the championship game against the Tshwane Suns.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Liam |date=2021-12-02 |title=Winners crowned in the National Basketball League of South Africa: A look at both finals |url=https://thegeniusplaybook.com/winners-crowned-in-the-national-basketball-league-of-south-africa-a-look-at-both-finals/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=The Playbook |language=en-US}}
Sibanyoni joined the Cape Town Tigers in 2020 for the 2021 BAL qualification games, however, he was not selected for the main tournament. He made his debut in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in the 2022 BAL season, and in his rookie season in the BAL, he averaged 5.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.{{Cite web |last=Proballers |title=Nkosinathi Sibanyoni, Basketball Player |url=https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/252922/nkosinathi-sibanyoni |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Proballers |language=en}} On November 25, 2023, Sibanyoni had 14 points, 21 rebounds and 5 blocks in the Road to BAL semifinal win over COSPN which clinched the Tigers' qualification for the BAL.
On May 26, Sibanyoni recorded career-highs of 16 points and 25 rebounds in the Tigers' quarter-final win over FUS Rabat to qualify for the franchise's first semifinal appearance ever.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-26 |title=Cape Town Tigers stun top-seeded FUS Rabat in biggest achievement for South African basketball |url=https://bal.nba.com/news/cape-town-tigers-stun-top-seeded-fus-rabat-in-biggest-achievement-for-south-african-basketball |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=The BAL |language=en}} He set a new all-time league record for most rebounds in a single game.
Sibanyoni joined the Burundian club Urunani of the Burundian Basketball Championship on June 24, 2024.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C8mGm0xis6z/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=www.instagram.com}} Sibanyoni set a league rebounding record with 23 rebounds against Remesha. He won the championship with Urunani, following the finals win over Dynamo in seven games. He was also named the league's Defensive Player of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Mabunda |first=Sindiswa |date=2024-10-01 |title=Sibanyoni's stock rises after remarkable season in Burundi |url=https://thebigtipoff.co.za/sibanyonis-stock-rises-after-remarkable-season-in-burundi/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=The Big Tip Off |language=en-US}}
On March 20, 2025, he signed with South African team MBB, with whom he will play in the 2025 BAL season.{{Cite Instagram |postid=DHXycTGNJQz/ |user=mbb_basketball |title=MBB welcomes Nkosinathi ‘Nathi’ Sibanyoni! |author=MBB Basketball |date=2025-03-20}}
References
External links
- [https://basketball.afrobasket.com/player/Nkosinathi-Sibanyoni/522332#google_vignette Eurobasket.com profile]
Category:Cape Town Tigers players
Category:South African men's basketball players