Waafrika Kuongoza NBA Wakiwemo Hasheem Thabiti!

GO HASHEEM!!!! ,  MaTall WaBongo mnasikia lakini?

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(CNN) -- As an NBA executive, I'm always looking for untapped potential. As a proud native of Nigeria, I believe that Africa is one of the world's greatest resources in that area.

From Angola and Tunisia to Senegal and South Sudan, there is so much size and athletic ability across the continent.

Some tribes in Sudan and Senegal have an average height of 6-foot-6, which also happens to be the size of the average NBA player. People in Nigeria, Mali and Congo tend to be very big and physical. We need to build a strategy to go into these regions and cultivate the talent through infrastructure and instruction.

Not long ago, soccer in Africa was almost the same way. It was untapped.

Masai Ujiri, general manager of the Denver Nuggets.Kids in Africa start kicking a ball when they are six or seven years old, if not younger. It's like baseball, basketball and football in America. If you're talented, people will find you. That's what happened with soccer. The number of academies has grown rapidly, and people are really into it. As a result, nearly every major soccer team has a lot of African players.

Through my experience as a Nigerian player, coach and now NBA executive, I believe basketball can follow a similar path. It starts with building facilities. We need to start investing in outdoor courts and indoor gyms for kids to play.

Most kids in Africa don't start playing basketball until they are 13 or 14 years old. This puts them at a disadvantage because they lack the instincts and must work harder to develop the skills and habits formed at an early age.

With a tremendous assist from the NBA, Nike and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), we have been trying to provide opportunities for the next generation of African basketball players.

African NBA boss on meteoric rise Every year, we conduct the Giants of Africa camp, sponsored by Nestlé Milo and Nike, as well as the NBA Basketball Without Borders Africa elite camp. Nearly 100 campers have gone on to play college basketball in the United States, including Luc Mbah a Moute, who now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Africa's athletic ambassador Mbah a Moute (Cameroon) is one of several African success stories. Serge Ibaka (Democratic Republic of Congo) is a rising star for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Luol Deng (born in Sudan) was an All-Star last year for the Chicago Bulls. These guys are great examples for young people in Africa. Kids are beginning to see the possibilities because of the exposure of the NBA.

Basketball boss scouts global talent It was unfortunate that Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria), Dikembe Mutombo (Congo) and Manute Bol (Sudan) -- three African giants -- came in an era before the internet, cable and satellite television. A lot of African kids have heard of these guys, but they don't know the scope of their accomplishments. Deng, Ibaka and Mbah a Moute are trying to become giants themselves, but they can't do it alone.

I grew up there. I played there. I know how much talent there is.

Masai Ujiri, general manager of the Denver NuggetsThrough the Sprite clinics and Basketball Without Borders, we've been to Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. On a continent with more than a billion people, we still have a lot more ground to cover, and we need help from sponsors in Africa.

We need more companies to help build courts and gymnasiums for kids to play. Nestle Milo paid for a world-class floor made in the United States. That's what we use for my Giants of Africa camp. For years, Nike has generously provided shoes and equipment for the players. That is the kind of support we need from influential investors in Africa.

As you can probably tell, the push to develop talent in Africa is personal.

I grew up there. I played there. I know how much talent there is. We have to concentrate on building facilities, establishing successful leagues and finding investors to help young players.

America gave me the opportunity, but I truly believe Africa is going to be the next big thing. It is going to be prominent in tapping basketball talent. I really hope I'm alive to see it happen.

This much is certain: I will die trying.

Hasheem Thabeet atakuwa Grizzilies

MBongo Hasheem Thabeet, ameingia rasmi NBA. Atachezea timu ya Memphis Grizzilies. Namtakia mafanikio mema akiwa NBA.

Mnaweza kupata taarifa zaidi hapa:

http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/

http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10598452

Hasheem Thabit Aingia NBA Draft!!!!

Hasheem Thabit ameamua kutokumaliza masomo yake katika Chuo Kikuu ch Connecticut. Badala yake ataingia NBA Draft! Ni hatua kubwa sana. Namtakia mafanikio mema. Tuone timu gani itamchukua, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics au....?

Hasheem, Hongera kwa kuwa Pro Basketball player!

GOOD LUCK HASHEEM!

PRESS RELEASE

STORRS, Conn. - University of Connecticut junior men’s basketball player Hasheem Thabeet (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania) has chosen to give up his final season of eligibility and enter his name into the 2009 NBA Draft, it was announced Tuesday.

“After spending time with my family and friends and speaking with Coach Calhoun, I have decided to give up my final year at UConn and enter my name in the 2009 NBA Draft,” said Thabeet. “I have had a great experience at Connecticut and cannot thank my coaches and teammates enough. I look forward to the challenge of playing professionally and know that my time here at UConn has prepared me to be successful in the future. I also want to thank all of the fans in Husky Nation that have followed my career, especially those from my homeland of Tanzania, and hope they will all be as supportive of me at the professional level as they have been to this point.”“Hasheem is more than ready to make the move to the next level,” said head coach Jim Calhoun. “He has been one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of college basketball and I am certain that where ever he ends up in the NBA, he is ready to be equally successful. He is a special player and even more special as a person. He will truly be remembered as one of the great players in UConn history, not only for his accomplishments, but also because of the type of person he is.”

Thabeet was named First Team All-American in 2008-09 by the NABC and the John R. Wooden Award. He was the NABC National Defensive Player of the Year and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons and was the 2008-09 BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year. He averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocked shots per game (No. 2 nationally) in 2008-09 and helped lead the Huskies the 2009 NCAA Final Four and a 31-5 final record.Thabeet is the 11th player at UConn to declare early for the NBA Draft and nine of the previous ten were drafted in the first round. Eight of the ten were taken in the lottery portion of the first round

I’m not surprised at this. Thabeet is definitely a lottery pick and could be one of the top three picks. I’d expect Blake Griffin from Oklahoma to go No. 1 overall.
It could now be a long season for the Huskies as they will now need to replace Thabeet as well as A.J. Price, Craig Austrie and Jeff Adrien. Kemba Walker should fill-in nicely at the point and will need Stanley Robinson to play consistently like he did throughout the NCAA Tournament - soxanddawgs.com/2009-04-14 Thabeet is heading to the NBA.

Asante Da Subi kwa kuniletea Press Release.

Kwa habari zaidi soma:

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/local/basketball/scoop/blog/2009/04/its_official_hasheem_thabeet_i.html

Hongera Boston Celtics

Timu ya Basketball ya Boston Celtics ni washindi mwaka huu wa NBA. Waliwatwanga, timu ya L.A. Lakers 131-92.

Ni mara ya kwanza tangu 1986, kwa timu ya Celtics kutwaa ubingwa.

Leo kuna shere kubwa sana hapa Boston. Barabara nyingi zimefungwa downtown. Zaidi ya watu milioni moja wamejitokeza kusherekea ushindi wa Celtics.

Sasa watu wa New England tunaweza kujivunia kweli. Red Sox ni washindi wa baseball, Patriots ni washindi wa Football na sasa Celtics ni washindi wa Basketball.

Kwa habari zaidi someni:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/2008-06-18-lakers-aftermath_N.htm

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5845479.html

Go Hashim!

Natazama game kati ya San Diego na U Conn! Watangazaji wanamsifia Hashim Thabeet! Kijana anaelekea NBA huyo!

San Diego walishinda 70. U Conn walipata 69.

Kwa habari zaidi za Hashim BOFYA HAPA: