Isaac Bonton (born July 15, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for BC Yambol of the National Basketball League (Bulgaria) (NBL). He played college basketball for the Montana State Bobcats, the Casper Thunderbirds, and the Washington State Cougars.
 Bonton with Washington State in 2020 | |
| No. 1 – BC Yambol | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | National Basketball League (Bulgaria) |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 15, 1998 |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 2021: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–2022 | Neptūnas Klaipėda |
| 2022–2023 | Cafeteros de Armenia |
| 2023–present | Yambol |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
High school career
editBonton attended Columbia Christian Schools in Portland, Oregon. As a freshman, he played alongside Kameron Chatman and won the Class 1A state title.[1] For his final three years, Bonton transferred to Parkrose High School in Portland.[2] He missed part of his senior season due to a shoulder injury and completed high school as a three-time All-State selection. Bonton originally committed to playing college basketball for Portland before switching his commitment to Montana State because of a coaching change.[3]
College career
editBonton left Montana State after 11 games in his freshman season due to disagreements with head coach Brian Fish. He averaged 7.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.[4] Bonton transferred to Casper College, averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He led his team to a Region IX title and was named a Second Team National Junior College Athletic Association Division I All-American.[5] For his junior season, Bonton moved to Washington State, choosing the Cougars over Kansas State and West Virginia.[4] On January 18, 2020, he recorded a season-high 34 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in an 89–76 win over Oregon State.[6] As a junior, Bonton averaged 15.3 points, four assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. He set the program record for free throw percentage during Pac-12 play, shooting 88.6 percent.[7]
Professional career
editOn September 29, 2021, Bonton signed his first professional contract with Neptūnas Klaipėda of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[8]
Career statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
editNCAA Division I
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Montana State | 11 | 0 | 18.6 | .360 | .364 | .762 | 2.8 | 1.4 | .8 | .2 | 7.8 |
| 2019–20 | Washington State | 28 | 27 | 32.8 | .340 | .307 | .833 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .2 | 15.3 |
| 2020–21 | Washington State | 21 | 20 | 35.3 | .391 | .328 | .658 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | .2 | 17.7 |
| Career | 60 | 47 | 31.1 | .362 | .319 | .744 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 1.4 | .2 | 14.8 | |
JUCO
edit| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Casper | 31 | 31 | 28.8 | .436 | .365 | .843 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 1.8 | .5 | 21.4 |
Personal life
editBonton's childhood friend and former Portland State basketball player, Deante Strickland, was shot and killed in August 2019.[9] He dedicates every game he plays to Strickland and his late grandmother.[10]
References
edit- ^ Root, Ryan (January 31, 2020). "It's more than basketball". The Daily Evergreen. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Lanning, Curt (December 30, 2016). "Isaac Bonton is the leader of Parkrose Broncos". KOIN. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Schwedelson, Paul (December 14, 2017). "Freshman Bonton leaves program". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Schwedelson, Paul (December 15, 2020). "Ex-Montana State guard Isaac Bonton rediscovers love of basketball at Casper, Washington State". Billings Gazette. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Clark, Colton (February 5, 2020). "Bonton rolling with the plays". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Lawson, Theo (January 18, 2020). "With chip on his shoulder, Washington State guard and Portland native Isaac Bonton lights up Oregon State on 34-point night". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ "Isaac Bonton". Washington State University Athletics. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Clark, Colton (September 29, 2021). "Former Washington State guard Isaac Bonton to begin pro career in Lithuania". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ Lawson, Theo (January 15, 2020). "It'll be an all-too-familar [sic] matchup for Isaac Bonton when Washington State faces Payton Pritchard, No. 8 Oregon". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ^ Clark, Colton (February 5, 2020). "WSU's Bonton settling in". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Retrieved February 7, 2021.