Kenny Manigault Named EASL January POTM, Lin, McLaughlin Earn Second TOTM Selection

New Taipei Kings guard Kenny Manigault has been named the East Asia Super League (EASL) Player of the Month for January after leading his team to a flawless 2-0 record. He averaged 16 points, 10.5 rebounds, and seven assists per game while shooting 90% from the free-throw line, converting 9-of-10 attempts across both games. Manigault capped off the month with a historic performance on Jan. 21, becoming only the second player in EASL history to record a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over the Busan KCC Egis.

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Manigault becomes the first New Taipei player to earn Player of the Month honors. This also marks the first time two Kings players have been selected for the Team of the Month, with former NBA champion Jeremy Lin joining him. Rounding out the selections are Ryo Yamazaki (Hiroshima Dragonflies), Chris McLaughlin (Hong Kong Eastern), and Samuel Deguara (Macau Black Bears).

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Despite sustaining a lower-body injury that forced him out of New Taipei’s Jan. 21 game against Busan KCC Egis, Lin delivered a standout performance earlier in the month. He scored 26 points, dished out seven assists, and grabbed five rebounds in a dominant 99-63 victory over the previously unbeaten Ryukyu Golden Kings, keeping his team in the hunt for the final Group B playoff spot. This marks Lin’s second Team of the Month selection.

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Yamazaki played a pivotal role in Hiroshima’s recent 95-92 win over the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots on Jan. 22, securing a season sweep against the former Group A leaders. He totaled 19 points, sinking six three-pointers — the second-most in a single game this season, behind Heo Ung’s seven for Busan KCC Egis on Dec. 18. Hiroshima now holds a league-best 5-1 record, tied for first place, and has clinched the A1 seed heading into the Final Four.

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Hong Kong Eastern’s postseason hopes remain alive thanks in large part to McLaughlin. The 6-foot-10 center has recorded a double-double in all five of his team’s EASL matchups, averaging 14.5 points and 14 rebounds in January. Alongside Lin, McLaughlin is one of just three players to earn two Team of the Month selections this season.

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In Macau’s lone game of the month, an 89-78 victory over Busan KCC, Deguara delivered a commanding performance. The towering 7-foot-6 center tallied 24 points and 19 rebounds while shooting 73.3% from the field. His 19 boards are tied for the third-most in a single game this season, earning him his first EASL Team of the Month selection.

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EASL action in February will feature three games across two gamedays — one on Feb. 5 and two on Feb. 12 — before the season culminates with the Final Four, set to tip off on March 7 at Studio City Macau.