A Closer Look at the Newest (and Biggest) Spartan: Anton Bonke

After Lucas’ look at Carlos Medlock Jr. on Friday, we’re continuing our preview series of new basketball players with a look at the Spartans’ only transfer (at least so far) for 2026-27: Anton Bonke.

Bonke’s background is pretty interesting. He was born in the Netherlands but moved with his mother to Port Vila, Vanuatu, when he was three. Bonke grew up in Port Vila and I had to figure out where that is:

So, it’s an island north of New Zealand and between Australia and Fiji:

And, apparently, it’s not easy to get to East Lansing from Vanuatu:

Making it even harder, Bonke comes to MSU by way of Eastern Arizona Junior College, Providence College, and the University of Charlotte.

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One of our readers posted this Q&A with Bonke from his time at Eastern Arizona JC and there is this all-access video from the 2025-2026 season at Charlotte:

In both sources, Bonke discusses growing up in Vanuatu and how his mom got him involved in several sports as a kid. One of which was rowing – a sport most people don’t care about. I get it. But hear me out for just a moment, please.

Training for rowing often takes place early in the morning, requiring a lot of discipline from a younger person. Its repetitive motion requires those who want to be good at it to hone in on, and strive to improve, the finer details of the sport. Specifically this includes:

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• How the blades of the oars enter and exit the water,

• The sequencing of body movements that propel the boat with oars in the water, and

• One’s ability to control the body to avoid disturbing the boat, allowing it glide when the oars are out of the water.

In addition to good endurance, rowers generally possess full-body strength, but specifically in the lower body, and leverage – things that could probably help greatly when trying to carve out space in the paint or cutting out for a rebound.

Despite being a good rower, Bonke’s passion shifted to basketball while in Port Vila. There just weren’t a lot of options to play hoops competitively. Bonke settled for watching NBA games until he could start playing on a team after graduating high school at age 16. He had a family connection in Davis, CA, so Bonke moved there and eventually caught on at Eastern Arizona.

After a year at the JUCO level, Bonke moved to Providence College where he had a pretty limited role. During the 2024-25 season with the Friars, he averaged 6.5 minutes, 1.3 points, and 1.2 rebounds per game over 16 appearances with one start.

Bonke’s production increased immensely last year at Charlotte, however, where he averaged 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds in 25.5 minutes per game. Bonke played in all 34 games for the 49ers, with 32 starts. He shot 57.6% from the floor and 34.2% (13-38) on threes.

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Charlotte finished the year an even .500 at 17-17 overall and 9-9 in the American Conference. The 49ers finished tied for fifth place in the 13 team league. South Florida, Tulsa, Wichita State, and UAB took the top four spots. So how did Bonke do against those teams and Virginia Tech – the only high-major out-of-conference team Charlotte played last season?

Bonke’s stat line in these nine games is pretty similar to the season overall.

His high minutes were the 41 in the double overtime win against Wichita State on January 3. Bonke scored 25 in a win at Temple on January 28, 20 in a loss to Temple on December 30, and 20 again in a loss at Florida Atlantic on March 1.

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Overall, Bonke scored in double figures in 20 of 34 games for the 49ers last season. Charlotte was 10-10 in games in which Bonke reached double figures in points and 7-7 in games where he did not. It seems like the 49ers were just going to be a .500 team regardless last year.

So how will this translate to MSU and the Big Ten?

Size-wise, at least, pretty favorably. Bonke is 7 feet, 2 inches tall and either 260 or 270 pounds, depending on which source you look at. Comparing him to several centers he could square up against in the Big Ten:

• Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue: 7-4, 250

• Aday Mara, Michigan: 7-3, 255

• Samet Yigitoglu, Indiana: 7-2, 270

• Moustapha Thiam, Michigan: 7-2, 250

• Eric Reibe, USC: 7-1, 260

• Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois: 7-1, 255

• Aiden Sherrell, Indiana: 6-11, 255

Note that this list includes players who have transferred in to, or could return to, the teams listed above.

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This interesting stat also puts Bonke in pretty good company: