Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Antonius Cleveland has built his professional career around defensive effort, athleticism, and a willingness to take on difficult assignments. While his NBA appearances were limited, his energy and versatility have made him a valuable contributor in leagues around the world.

Here’s a detailed profile of basketballer Antonius Cleveland:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Antonius Cleveland
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on February 2, 1994
  • Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm)
  • Weight: 195 pounds (88 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 6 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 14 (US)
  • Number: Has worn jersey numbers 44, 0, and 3 during his career.
  • Position: Shooting Guard / Small Forward
  • High School: Attended multiple high schools, including Overton High School and Germantown High School in Tennessee, and Faith Baptist Christian Academy in Ludowici, Georgia.
  • College: Southeast Missouri State University (2013–2017)
  • NBA Draft: Went undrafted in 2017.
  • Teams Played For:
  • NBA:
    • Dallas Mavericks
    • Atlanta Hawks
  • NBA G League:
    • Santa Cruz Warriors
    • Texas Legends
    • Oklahoma City Blue
  • International:
    • Illawarra Hawks (NBL, Australia)
    • Adelaide 36ers (NBL, Australia)
    • Hapoel Eilat (Israeli Basketball Premier League)
    • Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israeli Basketball Premier League)
    • Lokomotiv Kuban (VTB United League, Russia)
  • Championship Rings: None to date.
  • Kids: Not publicly known.
  • Siblings: Not publicly disclosed.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Antonius Cleveland’s player archetype is that of an athletic, defense-first wing who brings real value as a disruptive stopper while adding opportunistic scoring on the other end. At 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds, with good length, speed, leactivity, and body control, he fits defensively as a point-of-attack pest and multi-position perimeter defender, which matches a résumé that includes back-to-back NBL Best Defensive Player awards. Offensively, his role is more complementary than ball-dominant: he thrives by cutting, running in transition, attacking closeouts, finishing above the rim, and mixing in jumpers instead of serving as a full-time primary creator. The overall play style is energetic, physical, and highly functional, with Cleveland looking most effective as a two-way swingman whose athleticism and defensive pressure set the tone while his scoring comes within the flow of the game. (Basketball Reference)

Scouting Report

Antonius Cleveland’s offense starts with his defense because so many of his best scoring chances come after he’s already disrupted the possession at the other end. The first thing you notice is how aggressively he closes space. He doesn’t simply contest shots; he arrives under control, shades ball handlers toward help, and uses his length to take away passing angles before they ever become obvious. That same reach shows up navigating screens, where he’s comfortable chasing over the top and recovering from behind without giving up on the play. It’s easy to overlook how often he forces offenses into a second or third option simply by eliminating the first read. Offensively, he’s most effective when he keeps things uncomplicated. He cuts decisively when defenders turn their heads, fills the lanes hard in transition, crashes from the weak side and attacks closeouts with one or two purposeful dribbles instead of trying to break defenders down in isolation. The trade-off is that asking him to create late-clock offense exposes the limits of his handle and pull-up game. He’ll make the obvious pass once help arrives, but he isn’t consistently manipulating rotations or controlling pick-and-roll possessions as a primary creator. That’s not his game, and it doesn’t need to be. To me, Cleveland fits best on a roster with established offensive initiators, where he can spend his energy defending the toughest perimeter assignment, switching across multiple positions, rotating early as the low man when necessary and capitalizing on the open looks created by others. His impact often comes from the possessions that never become highlights because he prevents them from developing in the first place. There are shades of David Nwaba in the way he thrives through defensive pressure and straight-line offense, while his role also resembles a leaner, more perimeter-oriented KJ McDaniels, relying on length, timing and constant defensive disruption rather than polished shot creation to carve out value.

Sources:

EuroLeague — ANTONIUS CLEVELAND Profile
Basketball-Reference — Antonius Cleveland Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
Adelaide 36ers — Adelaide 36ers sign Antonius Cleveland
NBL — Tale of the Tape – Ili’s Best Defensive Player season
Sports Forecaster — Antonius Cleveland Stats, Profile, Bio, Analysis and More