Africa power

Across the ocean they say “Back to the Roots” to point out  the return to the origins, to the beginnings, to the start. With the new year I thought to the origins in general, that in NBA means back to Africa, because of all the afro-americans that are the leaders in the league. There were and there are players in the NBA, who were born in Africa. From the raising stars to the meteor, through who changed job , the best five africans who played in the american parquet.

5. Festus Ezeli

Maybe within some years we will speak about him for his athletic value, because there is talent in the guy, and he show some of it  in NBA with the Golden State Warriors, but after a bad injury the return to the top is slow. But Festus is in this rank due to the his marvelous and strange personal story. Came in the States to become a doctor, finishing the high school at only 14, so he’s a genius. Not a predestined but with a lot of training and that QI Ezeli started to play basket , in late age, only to integrate himself in the USA easily. The physique is ok, also the passion: he is chose from Golden State in 2012.

4. Mike Olowokandi 

The proble to be choose with number 1 in the Draft is that under that day, your career , your life, i twill never be the same. You could not play well, you must to be a star, otherwise you could be take off. It happened to Kwame Brown, less to Bargnani as to Mike Olowokandi. He never was a total shit, the problem was always the aspectations: he was named as new Olajuwon and later all the NBA said that he was “the worst waste ever in the Draft”. It could be better.

3. Serge Ibaka

Start to talk about the real talent. The best NBA “stopper”  is from the R. of Congo. Naturalized citizen of Spain. Serge Ibaka is one of the best player from the mother Africa. Good talent, with an incredible athletic  power made him one of the better center in the NBA, with great potential, especially he still playing with the best player in the world: Kevin Durant (if you don’t consider LBJ, of course).

2. Dikembe Mutombo 

Not In My House! If you played once in you life basket , and stopped someone you told him this for sure. The dad of this sentence is Dikembe Mutombo, child od Democtraic Republic of Congo, amazing defensive player and second stopper ever in the league. Today he’s a funny tv speaker, and he was actor in a famous GEICO Insurance’s spot, where he’s going around supermarket and offices stopping everything. The “Adidas Mutombo” are just came back in the stores, and that sneaker is an incredible piece for the collector.

1. Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem The Dream is simply the best african player ever, also the best player ever “in post” (he’s the guru of LBJ and Kobe Bryant in thi technique), and one the ten NBA players pf the history. He was the first no-American to win the MVP title, first stopper all time in NBA. If Micheal Jordan stopped play for some years to play baseball, and he won the title both years there will be a reason. Golden medal to the Olympic Games with the USA team, however he’s musulman and for the reason he came back live in his beloved Africa.