Duop Reath is not your typical NBA rookie. At 27 years old, he is older than most of his peers. He also has a remarkable backstory that spans four continents, a civil war, and countless hardships.
Reath was given a chance in basketball’s greatest league, the NBA, thanks to the Portland Trail Blazers. After joining the Trail Blazers 2023 Summer League team, Portland waived him before the season started. This was after Reath signed a one-year deal with Portland.
Things looked sour for Reath and his basketball career, but in just three days, his luck would change for the better. The Trail Blazers called Reath back and signed him to a two-way contract.
On November 12, 2023, Reath made his NBA debut in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Right away, Reath showed his worth, making an instant impact.
Reath scored 11 points while adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. He did all of this in just 14 minutes of play. What made Reath’s performance more special was the fact he led the Trail Blazers in Box Plus/Minus with +11.
Unfortunately for Reath, his Trail Blazers lost the game 116-110. Still, Reath was officially an NBA player, and that’s always a special moment for any player.
So far this season, Reath has played in 28 games and is averaging 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game. This is an incredible start for Reath, but what is more incredible is his journey to the NBA.
Duop Reath’s Journey To The NBA
Duop Reath was born in Sudan, a country that was ravaged by a civil war that killed an estimated 2 million civilians. He grew up in a hut with no bed or shoes, and witnessed atrocities that no child should ever see.
Reath and his family fled to a refugee camp in Kenya, where they lived with 150,000 people. Conditions were harsh, as Reath and the rest of the refugees had to endure everything from dust storms to outbreaks of malaria and cholera.
When Reath was nine years old, he and his family moved to Australia, and this was when Reath’s life started to change. It was in Australia where Reath discovered two sports: basketball and soccer.
The former would ultimately be the sport Reath would fall in love with, and he showed a natural talent for it. Reath played basketball in high school and attracted the attention of scouts and coaches.
This led to Reath attending Lee College, a community college in Texas. Reath would play basketball at Lee College for two years before transferring to LSU for his junior and senior seasons.
In his two seasons at LSU, Reath averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Reath entered the 2018 NBA Draft, but he was not drafted.
This led to Reath playing for a few NBA teams in the Summer League, like the Dallas Mavericks in 2018 and the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. Despite this, Reath was left off an NBA roster, but he didn’t give up.
Reath continued to hone his skills and improve his game. This led to him going over to Serbia and joining the Crvena Zvezda of the Serbian League.
In 2021, Reath made his way back to Australia to the National Basketball League, playing for the Illawarra Hawks. This wouldn’t be Reath’s last stop, as he would head to China to play for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Reath’s journey would next find him in Lebanon, playing for the Al Riyadi Beirut in the West Asia Super League. This was where Reath’s game really started to blossom.
Reath stepped up big in the West Asia subdivision Finals, helping his team win the championship. He also scored a team-high 29 points in Game 2.
Reath left the Sudan, escaping war. He found himself in Kenya, which led to him finding a home in Australia. Next, Reath made his way to the United States, to Texas, inching closer to his dream as an NBA player.
After this didn’t work out, he moved on to Serbia, back to Australia, to China, and finally ended up in Lebanon. For most, this journey would be too much, and they’d end their basketball dreams.
Not Duop Reath. He continued to push forward, looking to become a better player and to one day achieve his dreams of making the NBA.
As mentioned, Reath achieved this goal in 2023 with the Portland Trail Blazers. Reath also played in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, letting the entire world get a glimpse of his talent. The big man averaged 8.6 points in just 14.6 minutes per game in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Now as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, Reath has received high praise from those around him. This includes for his play and for his journey to reach the level he’s at now.
Trail Blazers forward Matisse Thybulle said this about Reath:
“He went from China to playing in countries in Europe to knocking down threes in the NBA. He just never gave up on the journey.”
Thybulle continued by saying, “A lot of times NBA fans aren’t going to see what it took for a guy to get here. Knowing his story, of what it took and seeing how every step of the way he’s been able to step up and be the player that he is.
“It sounds like a simple thing, but it really isn’t. Especially as you get higher and higher in these leagues playing against the best players in the world. So, tonight, just to see it kind of come to fruition. First NBA game. Go out there and hit a couple of threes. Play some amazing defense. It almost made me emotional watching it.”
Duop Reath’s inspiring journey to the NBA is captivating. Reath’s story is a testament to the power of determination, hard work, and perseverance.
From his humble beginnings in Sudan to becoming a rising star in the NBA, Reath’s inspiring journey serves as a reminder that dreams can come true with unwavering dedication and a belief in oneself.
Remember, the sky’s the limit!
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