Unconventional Paths: Jonah Antonio
Jonah Antonio came to the US from Australia by himself with a dream to play basketball at the highest level. After contributing to four college programs, and rising from a JUCO star to a Power Five standout, Jonah is ready for the next level.
I started playing basketball at around 12-13. I always played “AFL” Australian football growing up and a couple of my mates would play basketball on the weekends so I decided to try it and ended up really enjoying it. My Dad gave me a decision to choose Football or Basketball and I stuck with Basketball.
I came to America in 2015 and it was my first time leaving the country. All my family stayed in Australia so it was a new journey for me on my own. The decision was purely motivated by basketball. I had a dream to play college basketball at the highest level. I haven’t been home in the last 5 years to see my family. I’ve chosen to stay here in the summers instead. It’s been a huge sacrifice - I essentially have had to grow up by myself learn how to be an adult much earlier than anticipated I didn’t have family to lean on over here.
Well just to get a division 1 opportunity at Mount Saint Mary’s under Jamion Christian was a one in a million. In 2016 NCAA had some eligibility rule changes that affected me really negatively making me a “red flag” academically, so out of high school I had 0 offers, no JUCO, D2, D3, NAIA nothing. But Coach Christian took a chance on me. My first year I had to go through major adversity as I wasn’t eligible to play and I had to redshirt which made me very upset. The second year as a redshirt freshman I got to play and played well. I averaged almost 12pts and made 90 threes. Obviously, my goals and dreams were to play college basketball at the highest level and NEC wasn’t that. So, I decided to transfer. I had 8 offers from good mid-major programs, but still wasn’t the level I wanted, so I decided to take a chance on myself and go the JUCO route at South Plains.
Honestly, playing in JUCO is a pretty common occurrence; it gives you a chance to become eligible right away and work hard. JUCO isn’t the most glamorous lifestyle by any means but it makes you appreciate what you have once you get back to the D1 level a whole much more. I was fortunate to have a legendary JUCO coach in Steve Green. How has it made me stronger? I think it makes you hungrier as a player.
South Plains is probably the best JUCO in the country and I had a good year again averaging around 12 pts made 97 threes at 41% and 5 rebs. By the end of my JUCO year, I was the 10th ranked prospect on 247 sports and had earned over 15 offers with a final three of Seton Hall, SMU and UNLV. I Chose UNLV and things were looking really good. I was a starter playing 35-40 minutes. Three games in, I got injured and tore the ligaments in my thumb. It really affected me negatively and I had to do rehab for a month but wasn’t the same player when I came back. After the season I decided to leave I was looking at pro options back home in Australia or College and chose to go to Wake Forest. My main recruiter was Coach Childress and he made a huge impact on my decision. Went to Wake and the COVID year was something else and something we have never seen before, I had a solid year averaging 6.4pts and leading the team in 3pt made and 3p% in only 19 mins per game. So coming to America knowing no one over here and nothing about college basketball and having 0 offers out of high school to 30+ is something a lot of people would have said is impossible.
I think I’m capable of achieving a lot as a player. I think my game correlates to winning. I know who I am. I'm not a superstar who is going to get his own, I'm a role player and I want to master my role and benefit from playing with great players. I have an elite skill in shooting the 3, which is becoming a premium in basketball today. My goals are pretty much the same, I want to play professional Basketball at the highest level, which is the NBA. How I get there and my journey to it may be very different, just like my journey in the US and trying to get to the highest level of College basketball, but I won’t stop.
I would tell young athletes that literally anything is possible. If the 16-year-old skinny small Australian kid that came to the States with nothing can make it to the ACC, why can’t you? Don’t stop chasing that goal, don’t listen to people who don’t believe in you, listen to people who tell you the truth and who have you in their best interest. But never let anyone tell you, you can’t achieve your dreams. And just like anything worth it, it takes a lot of hard work. You have to be willing to work hard and you have to want it for yourself more than anything.
