Source : ABC NEWS
A National Basketball League player has been arrested and charged over domestic violence allegations.
Cairns Taipans guard Jackson Makoi was arrested by NSW Police in Sydney on Saturday evening, just hours before he was due to play an NBL match.
NSW Police said officers from the Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Team were investigating an alleged assault in Oxley Park, in Sydney’s west, from November 2023.
“About 5.45pm on Saturday 11 January 2025, officers attended a hotel in Sydney Olympic Park and arrested a 24-year-old man by virtue of an outstanding arrest warrant,” a spokeswoman said.
Makoi was taken to Auburn Police Station and charged with common assault and choking.
He was refused bail and is due to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.
A Taipans spokeswoman said Makoi would “not be available” to play in the team’s match against the Sydney Kings on Sunday afternoon.
An NBL spokesman said the matter was before Basketball Australia’s integrity unit and declined to comment further.
Makoi represented South Sudan at the Paris Olympics last year.
The point guard played limited minutes as South Sudan won its first group stage game before being eliminated after losing to the United States and Serbia.
Makoi previously played for the Sydney Kings for two seasons before being released last year.
He signed a one-year deal with the Taipans ahead of this season and has played 11 games.
