# Harry Froling

Harrison Michael Froling (born 20 April 1998) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Taranaki Airs of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He had a two-year college basketball career in the United States playing for the SMU Mustangs (2016–17) and the Marquette Golden Eagles (2017–18). In 2018, he joined the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL) and earned NBL Rookie of the Year honours for the 2018–19 season. Froling's career was halted for two years when he suffered brain injuries after an assault in 2023.

## Early life and career

Froling was born in Townsville, Queensland, where he attended Pimlico State High School. In 2014, he moved to Canberra to attend the Australian Institute of Sport and played for the BA Centre of Excellence in the SEABL. In 2015, he split his time between the BA Centre of Excellence in the SEABL and the Townsville Heat in the QBL.
Froling joined the Townsville Crocodiles of the National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2015–16 season, playing nine games as an injury replacement for Luke Schenscher. Following the NBL season, he returned to the Heat for the 2016 QBL season.

## College career

Froling moved to the United States to play college basketball for the SMU Mustangs in the 2016–17 season. However, he left the team in December 2016 and transferred to Marquette in January 2017. In 10 games for the Mustangs, he averaged 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.
In the 2017–18 season, Froling played 20 games for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He was unable to debut until mid-December due to NCAA transfer rules. He averaged 2.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game.

## Professional career

After returning to Townsville and helping the Heat win the 2018 QBL championship, Froling joined the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL on a two-year deal. In the 2018–19 season, he won the NBL Rookie of the Year.
In 2019, Froling had a short stint with the Southern Huskies of the New Zealand NBL.
Froling returned to the 36ers for the 2019–20 NBL season. Following the NBL season, he moved to Poland to play for Spójnia Stargard and later played in the Queensland State League (QSL) for the RedCity Roar.
On 17 July 2020, Froling signed with the Brisbane Bullets for the 2020–21 NBL season. Following the NBL season, he joined the Mackay Meteors of the NBL1 North for the 2021 NBL1 season.
On 23 July 2021, Froling signed with the Illawarra Hawks, teaming up with his brother Sam for the 2021–22 NBL season. On 24 January 2022, he scored a career-high 27 points with eight 3-pointers in a 100–89 win over the 36ers.
Froling joined the Hobart Chargers of the NBL1 South for the 2022 season.
On 28 May 2022, Froling signed with the Brisbane Bullets for the 2022–23 NBL season. On 22 January 2023, he was hospitalised with a serious head injury after getting knocked unconscious during a night out in Wollongong. He discharged himself later that morning before flying back to Brisbane where he was re-admitted to hospital and underwent brain surgery. He was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the season. On 24 January, a 19-year-old man turned himself into police and was charged with reckless grievous bodily harm and affray. On 23 August 2024, the perpetrator was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail.
Froling had been set to join the Ipswich Force for the 2023 NBL1 North season. The Bullets declined the team option on Froling's contract for the 2023–24 season and he subsequently became a free agent. In May 2023, it was revealed that Froling had not been cleared for physical activity and could potentially not play competitive basketball again. In an August 2024 interview, Froling revealed that he continued to experience headaches, insomnia, amnesia and post-traumatic stress disorder because of the assault. He also stated that he wanted to return to playing basketball and was undergoing rehabilitation with the assistance of the Mackay Meteors.
Froling initially signed with the Southern Districts Spartans for the 2025 NBL1 North season, but on 10 March he signed with the Taranaki Airs for the 2025 New Zealand NBL season.

## National team career

Froling played for Australia at the 2013 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship, 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, and 2014 FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship. He debuted for the Boomers in 2017 during the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

## Personal life

Froling is the son of Shane and Jenny Froling, and has two older twin sisters, Alicia and Keely, and a younger brother Sam.