Vukona was born in Suva, Fiji.[1] He was adopted by his birth mother's brother, a Fijian named Clem.[2] Clem and his wife, a New Zealander named Marion, moved their family to New Zealand in 1987 following the Fiji coup.[3] They settled down in the coastal city of Tauranga, Marion's hometown.[2]
Vukona attended Bethlehem College in Tauranga for both primary and secondary school.[2] He played rugby until third form at Bethlehem College, when his anti-rugby mother forced him to stop. He subsequently followed his brother's footsteps and took up basketball.[1][4] He went on to become a member of the national under 16, 18 and 20 sides.[5] Basketball took him to Nelson in his final school year after earning a scholarship to go to Nelson College.[1][2]
Playing career
Australian NBL
Vukona made his debut in the Australian NBL as a development player during the New Zealand Breakers' inaugural season in 2003–04. He was elevated from a development player to a full-time contracted player for the 2005–06 season.[6] He played five seasons for the Breakers before joining the South Dragons in 2008.[7] He won a championship with the Dragons in 2008–09. After the Dragons collapsed, Vukona joined the Gold Coast Blaze for the 2009–10 season.[8]
In 2010, Vukona made a return to the Breakers,[9][10] and over the next five seasons, he helped the team win four championships, including three straight between 2010–11 and 2012–13. The 2015–16 season saw the Breakers play in a fifth grand final in six years, where they lost to the Perth Wildcats. In November 2017, Vukona played his 400th NBL game.[11][12] After eight seasons with the Breakers, Vukona joined the Brisbane Bullets in 2018.[13] Vukona ended the 2018–19 season on 449 games after tearing his Achilles in game one of the Bullets' semi-final series against the Wildcats and thus missing game two.[14] His contract with the Bullets ended at the end of the 2019–20 season.[15]
New Zealand NBL, QSL/NBL1, Lebanon and Italy
Vukona made his New Zealand NBL debut in 2000. He played for the Nelson Giants between 2000 and 2002 before playing for the Manawatu Jets in 2003. He then played for the Giants between 2004 and 2007 before playing for the Harbour Heat in 2008. He played for the Giants between 2010 and 2015, then with the Super City Rangers in 2016, and then again with the Giants in 2018, 2019 and 2020.[16]
In April 2014, Vukona ventured outside New Zealand or Australia for the first time, joining Lebanese team Byblos.[17] Twelve months later, he moved to Italy to play for Virtus Roma.[18][19][20]
In 2020, Vukona played for the Southern Districts Spartans of the Queensland State League (QSL).[21] In 2021, he served as an assistant coach for the Spartans in the NBL1 North[22] and joined the playing squad midway through the season.[23][24]
In June 2023, Vukona's number 14 jersey was retired by the Nelson Giants.[25][26]
National team
Vukona debuted for the Tall Blacks in 2005.[27][28] He retired from international duties in February 2021 after 152 games for the Tall Blacks.[29][30]
Executive career
Tasmania JackJumpers
In March 2021, Vukona joined the Tasmania JackJumpers' basketball programme as a consultant.[31] He was elevated to a full time capacity as general manager of basketball operations on 31 October 2023.[32]
