Former Brisbane Bullets player Harry Froling was knocked to the ground unconscious by Nathan Mesinez on a night out in Wollongong in January 2023.
Judge Andrew Haesler on Friday told Wollongong District Court the reverberations of that blow would be felt for a long time to come as he sentenced the attacker to more than a year in jail.
"Two young lives were and will be damaged by a short avoidable act of violence in a public street," he said.
Mesinez punched the 2.1-metre tall centre after a verbal altercation, sending Froling sprawling backwards as he hit his head on the pavement.
The now 26-year-old underwent brain surgery for his injuries the next day, but the court was told the strike had a lasting impact on his health and sporting career.
Froling's victim impact statement said the former professional player now felt like "nothing".
He detailed a series of mental and physical consequences from the night, including PTSD that left him nervous when out at night.
Froling said he had flashbacks to the moments after the attack and hearing someone say, "there's blood coming out of his ear".
His promising career as a professional basketballer ended with the injury, which he said cost him more than $250,000 in lost contracts.
Froling was named NBL Rookie of the Year in 2019 and played 154 games for four clubs, including more than 60 for the Bullets.
Initially pleading not guilty, Mesinez changed his plea to guilty on one count of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
He told the court he wished he could turn back time to the night of the punch and do things differently.
"I'm sorry he has to miss out on his dream career for my silly action that night," the 21-year-old said.
"I understand I not only impacted him with injury, but I impacted his career."
The former carpenter was handed a sentence of two years and seven months with a non-parole period of one year and four months.
Video from the incident played in court showed Froling talking to a group of young women on the street during the night out.
Mesinez could initially be seen sitting nearby on the ground before his girlfriend started pushing Froling.
The younger man then stepped between the two of them and punched the basketballer in the head.
Froling fell to the ground, apparently unconscious, and Mesinez quickly left with the women.
The 21-year-old's lawyers said Froling was bothering the women and refused multiple requests to leave before Mesinez took a protective role, reacting when the basketballer allegedly said: "What are you going to do, hit me?"
But prosecutors argued he could easily have left with the women without punching Froling.
Mesinez will be eligible for parole on December 21, 2025.
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