YORKTON -
Byron Mullens has been something of a basketball gypsy.
Mullens spent five seasons in the NBA after being selected 24th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2009 NBA Draft. Traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft day, Mullens went on to play 189 games in the NBA with the Thunder, Charlotte Bobcats, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers.
All told, he has appeared in 367 professional games across the NBA, NBA G-League, Taiwan, Turkey, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom and Greece.
And now the seven-foot centre is playing with the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League for the 2024 season.
Mullens said he chose to play in the CEBL in large part because of family
“The thing that got me, the first thing that got me, was I’d be closer to home,” he told Yorkton This Week in a recent interview.
Mullens, who has two children, the oldest 11, explained that in summer of course there’s no school, so if he was going to play summer ball he wanted to be somewhere he could still be a dad too.
“Summer is really the only time we get to spend together,” he said. “. . . The biggest thing is trying to create those memories with him (his oldest).”
Mullens said he plans to have his son join him in Winnipeg for part of the CEBL season.
But why Winnipeg?
“I had a conversation with Mike Taylor (coach of the Sea Bears) when I was in Taiwan,” he said. “Mike seemed like a real stand up guy. . . We were open and honest with each other.”
Mullens added he had played summer ball in China before but added “I like this a lot better than playing in China.”
Asked about what he likes so far in the CEBL Mullens said “it kind of has that NBA vibe.”
For the record while in Taiwan with the New Taipei Kings of the Taiwanese P. League+ Mullens averaged 18.1 points and 10.7 rebounds in 14 games in 2023-24.
So might being back in North America open a door back to the NBA, or at least the G-League where he had solid numbers?
Again for the record Mullens average 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds across five NBA seasons, with his most significant contributions coming in Charlotte where he played 118 games from 2011 to 2013. In the 2012-13 season, Mullens averaged career-bests of 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Bobcats. That season, he recorded eight double-doubles and scored in double figures 30 times, including a 25 and 18 performance against Boston on Feb. 11, 2013.
Mullens said that isn’t something he is pursuing anymore.
“I’m 35 years old. I’ve had those opportunities,” he explained.
That doesn’t mean Mullens is through with basketball just yet. He said he will look for a place to play with an eye to running the court three more years. At that point his oldest will be headed to high school and he wants to be home to watch those years first hand.
That all said Mullens has no regrets that the NBA is in his past.
“I get to travel the world and get paid to do it,” he said.
Mullens’ experience does make him something of a sage for younger Sea Bears though.
“They’ve got questions,” said Mullens, adding that some are about what it’s like in the NBA, but also about playing overseas and just how to find success in the game. “. . . How to be a professional on the court, but off the court too.”
Might his being something of a mentor today mean Mullens will turn to coaching?
“I was talking about it with Mile (Taylor),” he said, adding ultimately he doubts he has the personality to coach. “I don’t know it I have the patience for it.”
Instead Mullens sees himself more on the training side.
“I’m not really and Xs and Os guy.”
Having experience around the world how does the CEBL rate?
Mullens said teams need to jell quickly with camp only a few days long and then into a season only 20 games long in a very short time frame.
“It’s hard for a team,” he said, but added he sees the potential with the Sea Bears to make it all fall into place.
