Draft:Tony Tolovae

Tony Tolovae
	Tony with the Inner West Bulls in 2025
Inner West Bulls
Position	Small forward / Power forward
League	NBL1 East
Personal information
Born	May 29, 1992 (age 33); Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian / Samoan
Career information
Playing career	2013–present
Career history
2013–2014	Otago Nuggets
2014–2015	Canterbury Rams
2015–2016	Illawarra Hawks
2015–2016	Taranaki Mountainairs
2016–2017	Sydney Kings
2016–2017	Hawke's Bay Hawks
2017–2019	Canterbury Rams
2018–2019	Gimle BBK (Norway)
2023–present	Inner West Bulls

Tony Tolovae (born 29 May 1992) is a Samoan-Australian professional basketball player for the Inner West Bulls of the NBL1 East. He has played in professional leagues in Australia, New Zealand, and Norway, and has also competed in elite-level tournaments across China. He represents Samoa at international level and is active in youth basketball coaching.

Career

Tolovae began his career in 2013 with the Otago Nuggets, later joining the Canterbury Rams and Illawarra Hawks. He also played for the Taranaki Mountainairs before signing with the Sydney Kings in 2016.

His time with the Kings marked a major professional milestone, giving him exposure to full-time NBL-level systems and training. That same year, he played with the Hawke’s Bay Hawks, averaging 13.4 points per game.

From 2017 to 2019, he captained the Canterbury Rams and later moved to Norway to play for Gimle BBK, where he averaged 15.9 PPG. After a brief hiatus due to injury and COVID-19, he returned in 2023 with the Inner West Bulls (NBL1 East), serving as captain and averaging 14.0 PPG.

In 2025, he led CrossOver to victory at the Summer Jam national championship, earning praise for his veteran leadership and two-way play.

China basketball experience

Tolovae has extensive playing experience in China, participating in multiple international invitational tournaments hosted in cities including Shenzhen, Beijing, and Xi’an. He competed against top-level Asian and European clubs, adapting to fast-paced and physical FIBA Asia styles. His performances in China enhanced his tactical versatility and helped build strong cross-cultural ties in the region’s basketball community.

Rigorer Sport

Since 2025, Tolovae has worked with Chinese athletic brand Rigorer Sport (准者体育), helping grow the brand’s presence in Australia and Oceania through youth outreach and regional visibility.

National team

Tolovae has represented Samoa in FIBA Oceania competitions and the Pacific Games. He also played for New Zealand in international invitational tournaments in 2017 and 2019, competing against national squads from Japan, Montenegro, Cameroon, and China.

Career statistics

Notable seasons:

2016–17 (Hawke’s Bay): 13.4 PPG

2017–18 (Canterbury Rams): 14.0 PPG

2018–19 (Gimle BBK): 15.9 PPG

2023 (Inner West Bulls): 14.0 PPG

2024 (Inner West Bulls): 12.6 PPG

Career highlights

2025, CrossOver, Summer Jam National Champions

2025 Summer Jam National Champion – CrossOver

Captain: Inner West Bulls (2023–present), Canterbury Rams (2017–2019)

Represented Samoa at Pacific Games

Represented New Zealand in China-hosted tournaments

Professional experience across 4 countries

Coaching

Tolovae operates a youth basketball program in Sydney, working with players aged 6–18. He teaches fundamentals, mental discipline, and defensive focus. His programs emphasize team culture and leadership development.

Personal life

Fluent in English and Samoan, Tolovae is known for his team-first mindset. He once said:

“I believe in a positive culture and putting the team first is the most important thing to do in a team sport like basketball... Not just trying to score but playing both sides—offense and defense—as well as doing the little things for the team.”