For Daniel Mullings, There’s No Place Like Home

“(Canadian professional basketball players) are so used to going away from the city and the country to play the game that we love. Now we get to come back home and play in front of our friends and family to play the game we love,” Mullings said. “This league is amazing… it’s fitting for what us guys need.”

Mullings has completed five seasons as a pro, playing in Israel, Finland, Germany and China. His most recent season was in Israel, where he averaged 20.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 steals per game while shooting 62% from the field.

Coming home has been a breath of fresh air for Mullings, as the last time he was in Canada for basketball was when he was in high school.

“It looked really professional… the marketing was amazing and it was popping up everywhere… I was seeing a lot on Instagram and Twitter,” Mullings said.

After graduating high school at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate (Toronto, ON) in 2011, Mullings headed to New Mexico State University for college. Over the course of four years, Mullings averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

In his senior year, Mullings was named to the All WAC First Team and All WAC Defensive Team. He also played alongside the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2019 and current Toronto Raptor, Pascal Siakam.

Mullings finished his college career as the all-time steals leader in Aggies’ history and ranks fourth in all-time scoring. 

When asked about his decision to play for the Niagara River Lions, Mullings laughed.

“It’s kind of funny, I was in the club with (River Lions forward) Dorian (Pinson), who was also playing in Israel at the time, and he told me I should come play with him in Niagara. It worked out perfectly because my boy Ty (River Lions’ forward Tyrone Watson) and I decided that we would team up and play together in the CEBL this year. It was a pretty easy decision to go to Niagara, so I reached out to (River Lions’ head coach Victor Raso) and got it done.”

Family was also an aspect Mullings took into account:

“I wanted to be close to my daughter. Her being so young it’s important for me to be there for her.”

Coming off a season in which the River Lions went 15-5 and finished first in the CEBL standings, they boast impressive backcourt depth. Despite losing starting shooting guard Nem Mitrovic to retirement, they retained starting point guard Trae Bell-Haynes and a key reserve in Kassius Robertson.

Mullings isn’t worried about finding his footing in the backcourt rotation.

“My role has always been the same wherever I play. Come in with energy, play some defense and find ways to fit in with the offense. It doesn’t matter to me what that is because I’m comfortable playing on the ball or off the ball,” Mullings said.

The River Lions style of play was also a big plus for Mullings. 

“I was super impressed with the balanced attack on offense, and with this roster… I feel like with the addition of a couple of guys, our defense will be one of the top, if not, the top team on defense… From (positions) 1-5, starting from defense to offense, we got guys who can make plays.”

The River Lions offense jumps off the page when you look at the 2019 stats: six players averaged double-digit scoring, while eight players averaged over nine points per game. 

Even without a single 20-point per game scorer on the roster, (the leading scorer, Guillaume Boucard, averaged 16.1 points per game) the River Lions were the only team in 2019 to average over 100 points per game, and also led the CEBL in Net Rating with +7.0 points per contest. The team closest to them in that regard was the Edmonton Stingers, who were at a +2.0.

“I know everybody is hungry and motivated to get back, and also win. We’re going for a championship and that’s what we’re striving for.”

The River Lions were upset in the semi-finals of the 2019 Playoffs by the 4th seeded Hamilton Honey Badgers, and will be looking to bounce back this year with a title.

The Meridian Centre in St. Catharine’s will host the CEBL Summer Series, giving the River Lions a chance to win the title on their home floor.

When asked about what River Lions’ fans can expect, Mullings responded confidently.

“They can expect a guy that’s going to bring energy on both sides of the floor, I enjoy playing defense, so I know I can help and bring toughness on that end. I can guard a lot of different positions. Offensively I can do a lot as well, but overall (the fans) can expect a lot of energy (on the court).”

The River Lions will be the fifth pro team Mullings has suited up for, having played for Medi Bayreuth (Germany), Jianghuai (China), Kataja Basket (Finland) and Elitzur Yavne (Israel).