The Otago Nuggets are thrilled to announce the signing of Jonathan (Jono) Janssen for the upcoming 2025 Sal's New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) season.  

Janssen, a versatile forward, is the first new player to be added to the Nuggets roster for 2025, having not played for the team previously.  

Born in South Africa, Janssen has a diverse basketball background. Growing up in both New Zealand and Australia, Janssen went on to play college basketball in the United States, starting with the Cleveland State Vikings before transferring to Hawaii Pacific, where he played for three seasons. 

He has played professionally in New Zealand, Kosovo, Australia and Luxembourg, including in the NZNBL, where he represented the Canterbury Rams in 2019 and the Hawkes Bay Hawks in 2021.  Most recently, Janssen played for the Rockingham Flames in NBL1 West in Australia.  

In 2021, Janssen made his international debut for the New Zealand Tall Blacks. 

Janssen expressed his excitement about joining the Nuggets. 

"I'm thrilled to be joining the Otago Nuggets for the 2025 season,” Janssen said. “The team has a strong and proud history, and I'm looking forward to contributing to our success this year." 

Nuggets head coach, Mike Kelly, shared his enthusiasm for the latest addition to his squad. 

"Jono brings a wealth of experience and versatility to our team.  Having a big with great rebounding and shooting ability will be invaluable as we aim for a successful season on-court, so we're excited to see what he can bring to the court.” 

Janssen joins Joshua Aitcheson, Matthew Bardsley and Darcy Knox on the Nuggets 2025 roster, after the trio were announced as having re-signed with the club last week. 

The Nuggets will kick off their 2025 season on March 14, with a home game against their South Island rivals – the Southland Sharks - at the Edgar Centre. 

Don’t miss a moment of the action this 2025 Sal’s NBL season – sign up for an Otago Nuggets Membership, here.