{"id":29473,"date":"2025-07-29T07:52:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T07:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/29473\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T07:52:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T07:52:10","slug":"frolings-new-lease-on-basketball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/29473\/","title":{"rendered":"Froling’s new lease on basketball"},"content":{"rendered":"

Harry Froling has defied his doctors’ forecasts and, given a second chance to reach his basketball “potential”, has set his sights on his critics.<\/p>\n

Nearly three years after a one-punch attack left him fighting for his life, the 27-year-old will complete a remarkable NBL comeback with champions Illawarra.<\/p>\n

“I’ve got a new appreciation for enjoying it while I can, and reaching my potential,” the 2019 NBL rookie of the year told AAP on Tuesday. <\/p>\n

“Everyone always harps on about my potential and this and that. <\/p>\n

“I’m sick of hearing about it, so I’ll go and give it a crack and see where it takes me.”<\/p>\n

Froling suffered a severe brain bleed and fractured skull in a late-night incident in Wollongong, after a game against the Hawks in January 2023.<\/p>\n

He flew back to Brisbane the next day and admitted himself to hospital, the player saying doctors told his parents “he’s going to die” unless they performed emergency surgery.<\/p>\n

He has returned with a sharpened focus on his off-court habits, aware that it was an area he had neglected before his injury when he “used to get home from training and play video games”.<\/p>\n

“I had to; I was 160kg, sitting at home, doing nothing,” the centre said.<\/p>\n

“Living life in the fast lane, eating crap. Without training, the weight piles on. It wasn’t sustainable, even just as a functioning human being, let alone a professional basketballer.”<\/p>\n

The Bullets didn’t take up the option on Froling’s 2023 deal, while last year a court was told he felt like “nothing” before his attacker was jailed.<\/p>\n

“I was told I’d never play again, or work a normal job, so it did look far-fetched,” Froling said of his impending NBL return, ironically on an injury-replacement contract for younger brother Sam.<\/p>\n

“I ballooned out, the depression … I spiralled a fair bit.<\/p>\n

“I was pretty bad for 12 months; didn’t leave the house, get out of bed, could hardly even watch TV.<\/p>\n

“I wasn’t earning money for three years, had no back-up plan.” <\/p>\n

Froling said a “spray” from his mates and tough love from Mackay coach and Hawks assistant Joel Khalu was the spark.<\/p>\n

“JK opened his arms to a big, fat, overweight guy coming off a head injury,” he said of his time with the Mackay Meteors.<\/p>\n

“That was the start of it. Chipped away and slowly felt I can do this again and I’ve been rolling ever since, full steam.”<\/p>\n

Froling played for Taranaki Airs in New Zealand’s NBL earlier this year, logging 32 points and 12 rebounds in his first game.<\/p>\n

Those numbers aren’t on his mind in Wollongong though, where the Hawks return as defending champions with a deep roster.<\/p>\n

“Everyone’s happy for each other and that’s rare,” he said. <\/p>\n

“It’s a special thing to be around, because there is a lot of selfishness in basketball.<\/p>\n

“I’m not expecting to come in and play 40 minutes and average 25. I’ll play my role and back the coaches.”<\/p>\n

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