Afrobasket Dream Teams

Africa has sons that have blossomed to become legends of basketball in the big leagues across the world. A lot of them far away from homes like the long-aged voyage of no return across the oceans and the deep blue seas. Many first & second generation Africans in the NBA, the European Leagues, South America and Asian leagues fly the flags of countries they see as home, some a better opportunity for success others still undecided.

Imagine an era-less African national basketball team fully armed with all her arsenal of talents taking on the world and slugging for glory as the best basketball playing nation on the continent. We would never know if Angola would have as many African Championships or Senegal dominate more than they did or even Nigeria boast of more than one FIBA Afrobasket title. 

Welcome to the exploration journey. Let’s go on a mind’s journey to some of the best African national team lineups that never were, and some existed in part. You may want to strap on your seat belt because we will be journeying back into time.

ANGOLA:

Miguel Pontes Timoteo Lutonda

BORN: December 24, 1971

POSITION: Point Guard

HEIGHT: 6’1 

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Lutonda was named Most Valuable Player in two – 2001 and 2003 – of the five consecutive Afrobasket championships won by Angola from 1999 – 2007. Lutonda appeared in 2 FIBA World Championships ( 2002 & 2006), and on the Club scene, he helped Primeiro Agosto to 4 FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup titles from (2007-2009, 2012) winning 26 different Angolan domestic titles. His no. 14 Jersey was retired by Primeiro, and he is considered the greatest Point Guard to come out of Angola.

Olimpico Cipriano

BORN: April 9, 1982

POSITION: Guard

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Cipriano led Angola to their 4^th consecutive Afrobasket in 2005, with an MVP crowned performance. He also was named Most Valuable Player and leading scorer of Angola Basketball League on three occasions. Cipriano famously put up the best single performance by an Angolan at the World Championship when they put up 33 points against Germany at the FIBA World Championship in 2006. 

Angelo Victoriano

BORN: February 8, 1968

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN/FACTS & STATS: Victoriano was part of the Angolan team that won 8 consecutive FIBA Africa Championships from 1989 to 2005 in Algiers, making him the player with the most FIBA African Championship trophies in Angolan Basketball and by extension African history. He was part of four Olympic games, Barcelona 92, Atlanta 96, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004, where he served as captain. Victoriano won 11 nation Championships, 10 Angolan Cups, 8 Super Cups in the Angolan league.

Joaquim  Brandao Gomes

BORN: December 23, 1980

POSITION: Forward/ Center

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Nicknamed Kikas, Gomes played basketball at Valparaiso University in Indiana, before going overseas to play for Rhein Energie Koln, where he won the German Cup. For the Angolan national team, Kikas won two Most Valuable Player Awards – 2007 and 2009 – in 4  FIBA Afrobasket championships won. He was on the team that went to the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

 Jean Jacques da Conceicao

BORN: April 3, 1964

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’8

FUN/FACTS & STATS: Jean Jacque is the most successful Angolan to play outside the continent of Africa. He won 10 Portuguese League titles between 1989 and 2003 with Benfica and Portugal Telecom, not forgetting the 5 consecutive Angolan league titles in his first 5 professional seasons in Angola before moving Portugal to continue his career.  

In 2011, at the 50th anniversary of FIBA Africa, Jean Jacque was named the most valuable player in African basketball history and two years later inducted into the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame on 19 June 2013.

CAMEROON: 

Joseph ‘Joe’ Touomou

BORN: December 9, 1982

POSITION: Guard.

HEIGHT: 6’2

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Joe Touomou was one of five Africans recruited by legendary Georgetown University Coach John Thompson in 1995. Despite a no so polished offensive game, Toumou’s elite defense earned him a reputation at Georgetown. He was the nickname “The Minister of Defense.” He currently heads the NBA Academy development coaching in Saly, Senegal.

Ndeh Edson 

BORN: January 1, 1978

POSITION: Guard/Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Ndeh Edson is regarded as the greatest basketball player out of Cameroun. In the ’90s, just like Mike, every Cameroonian basketball player wanted to be like Edson, though his game was likened to Magic Johnson. His impact on the game in the country was phenomenal. 

 Mandejess, as he was fondly called start for the Challenger Basketball club of Yaounde before moving to play Professionally in Russia, for Dynamo Moscow and Avtodor Saratov. However, a persistent knee Injury stole the opportunity to get into the NBA after he was scouted by the Minnesota Timberwolves and short-lived his career.

Luc Mbah A Moute

BORN: September 9, 1986

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’8 

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Luc Mbah A Moute had a successful run in College Basketball in the US, thanks to 3 trips in 4 years to the NCAA Final Four with the UCLA Bruins. He was drafted in 2008 by the Milwaukee Bucks.  Folklore has it that Mbah a Moute worked his way into the Bucks starting lineup after just nine games and has since continued to remain relevant after over a decade in the NBA. On 22 November 2017, while with the Houston Rockets, Mbah A Moute, famously posted the highest plus-minus of +57, in an NBA game in 20 years in a 125–95 win against the Denver Nuggets. He still plays in the NBA.

Pascal Siakam 

BORN: April 2, 1994

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: A NBA G-League champion (2017), NBA Champion (2019), NBA All-star (2020), and the new leader of the Toronto Raptors franchise in just his third full year in the league. Pascal Siakam is well on his way to becoming the most accomplished Cameroonian player of all time. 

Siakam attended New Mexico University, where he was drafted 27^th Overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2016.  In his personal trophy cabinet is the NBA G-League Finals Most Valuable Player trophy and the NBA Most Improved Player Award (2019). 

Joel Embiid

BORN: March 16, 1994

POSITION: Center

HEIGHT: 7’0

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Embiid is yet to commit to playing internationally for his country of birth. However, “The Process” is still regarded as one of the biggest basketball talents to not just come out of Cameroun but the African Continent. He was named Naismith College Player of the year & Big 12 Defensive Player of the year with the University of Kansas. He was subsequently drafted 3^rd overall in the 2014 Draft and a member of an elite list of just seven players – Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaq O’Neal, Tim Duncan, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, and Ralph Simpson -in NBA history to have 2000 points, 1000 rebounds and 200 blocks in his first 100 NBA games.

CENTRAL AFRICA REPUBLIC:

Fredericque Rufin Goporo

BORN: August 8, 1966 

POSITION: Guard

HEIGHT: 5’10

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Goporo was named the Most Valuable Player at the FIBA Africa Championship in 1987. At the 1988 Summer Olympics Goporo was one of two players who scored double digits in 6 of 7 games. He was inducted in the Houston Baptist University Athletics Hall of fame 2004 after being named twice All-Conference Player for the Huskies and the EC Coleman MVP player in the 1986-1987 season, he was three-time assist leader, and part of the 30 points club. In his MVP year, Goporo made 205 assists and 66 steals, finished his career as third in assists 568 and seventh in steals 151.

Romain Guessagba Sato

BORN: March 2, 1981

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’5

FUN, FACTS & STATS:  Sato is arguably one of the most accomplished players of C.A.R. An alum of Xavier University, drafted late in the 2^nd round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs. Sato moved overseas winning many laurels including the Euroleague (Panaithinakos), Eurocup (Valencia), Turkish Cup (Fenerbache). He also bagged domestic league titles in the Spanish, Greek and Italian league and was named the Italian league Most Valuable Player in 2010

Sato represented C.A.R at the 2009 FIBA African Championship, making the All-Tournament Team while averaging 21.6 points and 6 rebounds at the tournament.

Gaston Gambor 

BORN: March 6, 1950

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Gambor was named the Most Valuable Player at the 1974 FIBA African Championship where he led his country to an undefeated title-winning run in front of their home fans in Bangui. He would lead the Central African Republic to the FIBA World Championship in the Soviet Union. He passed away in 2019.

Anicet Lavodrama

BORN: July 4, 1963

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Lavodrama was part of the golden generation of the Central Africa Republic that went to the 1988 Olympic games. He recorded two 30 points game and a double-double in 4 of six games at the Olympics. He was drafted by in the Los Angeles Clippers 3^rd round of the 1985 draft but spent the better part of his career overseas in Spain, playing 345 games in the Liga ACB according to records. 

Patrick O’Bryant

BORN: June 20, 1986

POSITION: Center.

HEIGHT: 7’0

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Despite not having an NBA title, O’Bryant has played on three NBA winning franchises Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and the Golden State Warriors, who selected him with the 9^th Overall Pick in the 2006 NBA Draft out of Bradley University. A talent you will refer to as a late bloomer, O’Bryant after his NBA sojourn went on to win titles in the Puerto Rican &Taiwanese leagues winning the Defensive Player of the Year and Final MVP respectively in both championship-winning years.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO:

Emmanuel Mudiay

BORN: March 5, 1996

POSITION: Guard

 HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Mudiay was born in Kinshasa but moved to the United States at age five as a refugee from the war-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo. The Denver Nuggets picked him with the 7^th Overall Pick in 2015 Draft after he decided to forgo his college career to play professionally in China. 

Christian Eyenga

BORN: June 22, 1989 

POSITION: Guard

 HEIGHT: 6’7

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Eyenga was drafted from Overseas with the 30^th pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers to a two-year contract in 2009. He bounced of trades to the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic before moving overseas to play in Spain, Italy, and China. He represented DR Congo at the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers averaging 14.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

Mfiondu Kabengele

BORN: August 14, 1997 

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: A former Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Sixth Man of The Year. Kabengele was drafted 27^th Overall Pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 NBA Draft and then traded to the Clippers. The Florida State Alum is becoming a force from 3 point range.

Bismack Biyombo

BORN: August 28, 1992

POSITION: Forward/ Center

HEIGHT: 6’8

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Born in Lubumbashi, Biyombo is Congo’s second-biggest Basketball export after Dikembe Mutombo. Bismack Biyombo was drafted 7^th overall by the Sacramento Kings from the Spanish top division league in 2011. But on draft night, his draft rights were traded to the Charlotte Hornets. Biyombo has never played international basketball but fully embraces his country.

Dikembe Mutombo

BORN: June 25, 1966

POSITION: Center

 HEIGHT: 7’2

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Enshrined into the NBA Hall of Fame after 18 solid seasons in the league. Mutombo was 4th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA draft. A won Four NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards, NBA Blocks Leader three times, NBA Rebounds Leader twice, and eight NBA All-Star selections. 

Dikembe Mutombo famously surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on January 10, 2007, as the second most prolific shot blocker in NBA history, behind fellow African Hakeem Olajuwon. He also finished his career tied with Hakeem Olajuwon for first place on all-time in triple-doubles that involved points, rebounds, and blocks, his no. 55 jersey is retired by two franchises, the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks. He never played international basketball but maintained strong ties with his philanthropic work. 

EGYPT: 

Mohsen Medet Warda

BORN: November 1, 1955

POSITION: Guard.

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: An eight-time Egyptian Basketball Player of the Year, and named African Basketballer of the year in 1984 according to FIBA Africa. Warda was one of eight players including America’s Alonzo Mourning inducted into the FIBA Hall of Famer 2019.  Medet Warda started playing basketball at 15, after witnessing Egypt beat Tunisia from the stands at the FIBA Africa championship 1970. Warda joined Al Attihad basketball club at 17 and made his debut for Egypt’s senior men’s team at 18. At 19 he was instrumental to Egypt’s FIBA African Championship victory in 1975, winning the championship again in 1983 – the only two continental titles won by Egypt to date. He competed at the 1974 and 1984 Olympic games in Montreal and Los Angeles respectively.  

The left-handed guard kept winning from there both locally and internationally making six podium finishes at all FIBA Afrobaskets he attended. He led Al Attihad to six straight Egyptian titles league. Interestingly, Warda was a triple Egyptian national swimming champion ( 19966-1968) even before he ever picked up a basketball.

Mohammed Sayed Soliman

BORN: February 9, 1975

POSITION: Guard.

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Mohammed was the top scorer at the 1984 Olympics averaging 25.6 points per game in 7 games. He scored 42 total points more than Michael Jordan – who averaged 17.1 points per game – at the tournament with a game less at the Los Angeles games.

Assem Marei 

BORN: August 16, 1992

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Marei announced himself to the world at the FIBA U-19 championships where he finished as the steals leader, 2^nd  Tournament’s rebounds leader behind Jonas Valaciunas and 3^rd in scoring. Marei moved to the seniors at just 16 years old, starting in three FIBA African Championships 2011, 2013 and 2015. He finished as Rebounds Leader at the 2013 African Championships making the team of the Tournament. Marei is a Baltic Basketball League champion (2016) and Allstar, Lithuanian league-leading rebounder and FIBA EuroCup leading rebounder in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

Ismail Ahmed Abdelmoneim

BORN: September 23, 1976

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Abdelmoneim is a pURE winner. He has famously had to his credit 14 Lebanese Basketball titles, winning 12 with Al Riyadi Beirut. He also has 2 Egyptian titles from his early years in the game. Abdelmoneim was a significant part of the Bronze winning teams at the FIBA Africa Championship 2001 and 2003.

Omar Samhan 

BORN: November 3, 1988

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’11

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Samhan attended Saint Mary’s California from 2006 -2010. He famously scored 61 points in two NCAA games, including a 32 points win over Villanova, which earned him Conference honors, All –WCC Conference Team, Defensive Player of the year, and Associated Press honorable mention for leading the conference in scoring, rebounds, and blocks. He was undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft but joined the Dallas Mavericks in the Summer League. He subsequently moved overseas to play in Lithuania but later returned to play for the Houston Rockets.

IVORY COAST:

Alphonse Bile

BORN: May 20, 1950 

POSITION: Guard

 HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Bile was the captain of the national team from 1976 to 1984 leading the team to the championship crown in 1981 in Mogadishu. He also led Ivory Coast to the 1982 FIBA World Cups in Colombia. Three years later he won the 1985 FIBA African Championship in front of the home crowd as a coach. 

Mouloukou Souleyman Diabate

BORN: July 21, 1987

POSITION: Guard

 HEIGHT: 6’0

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Diabate was the 2016 Assist leader in the French LNB Pro A league averaging 6.5 assists per game, along with 10.4 points per game and 3.5 rebounds. As the playmaker of the team, Diabate led to Silver at Afrobasket, breaking the 24-year drought from the FIBA World Championship in 2009. He was part of the 2007, 2009 and 2013 squads.

Pape- Phillippe Amagou

BORN: Febuary 22, 1985

POSITION: Guard

 HEIGHT: 6’1

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Amangou was a standout Junior international named two-time recipient of the Best Young Player Award in the French Pro A league in 2003 and 2004 at Le Mans Sarthe. He went on to bag 4 Pro A titles (2006, 2008, 20015 and 2018) and was part of the much-celebrated Silver winning 2009 FIBA Africa Championship squad. He was named on the team of the tournament thanks to 11.4 points per game and 2.4 assists per game.

Herve Lamizana

BORN: January 22, 1981

POSITION: Forward

 HEIGHT: 6’10

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Lamizana is a cult hero in Ivory Coast. A college standout at Rutgers University. Lamizana is a Four-Time Blocks leader in the Chinese Basketball Association League. He represented Ivory Coast at the 2013 FIBA Africa Championship in Abidjan. 

Mohamed Bamba

BORN: May 12, 1998

POSITION: Center

HEIGHT: 7’0

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Mo Bamba was born in New York to Ivorian parents. He was a 5-star recruit from High school but committed to play College Basketball at the University of Texas. It is said that Bamba holds the record for the longest Wingspan (7 feet 10 inches) in the NBA a major reason he was drafted 6^th overall by the Orlando Magic. Still, in his developing stage, Mo Bamba already knows what it is to win internationally having been a part of the United States U18 team that won Gold in Chile 2016. He is averaging 6.2 points per game, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game with 58.7% from free throw and 48.1 % from the field at Orlando magic. 

NIGERIA:  

Victor Kehinde Oladipo

BORN: May 4, 1992

POSITION: Guard

HEIGHT: 6’4

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Victor Oladipo is a two time NBA Allstar (2018 & 2019), NBA Most Improved Player in 2018, and NBA leader in steals (2018). Victor Oladipo was a standout from the University of Indiana, which got him the honor of being drafted the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He has since established himself as a force in the NBA, and his balance of elite offensive and defensive skills is what makes him one of the best guards ever seen.

Mohammed Acha

BORN: July 21, 1974

POSITION: Guard/Forward

HEIGHT: 6’7

FUN, FACTS & STATS: The late Mohammed Acha represented the Nigerian national teams between 1995 – 2001. A standout at Coastal Carolina University, Acha set a record of 51 blocked shots making the Big South Conference team. Acha attained legendary status playing in the Nigerian, Jordanian and Lebanese leagues where he won multiple titles. He was consistently one of Nigeria’s top performers at the FIBA Africa Championships. He finished tournament leading scorer at the 1995 FIBA Africa Championship, featuring in three more tournaments,1997, 1999, and 2001. Acha took his top performance to the World Champions in Greek, in 1998, finishing as the second-leading scorer of the tournament behind Alberto Herroros of Spain

Giannis Antetokounmpo

BORN: December 6, 1994

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’11

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Giannis was drafted 15^th overall pick in 2013 by the Milwaukee Bucks from Second Division Side Filanthilikos in Greece. He has since transformed steadily to become the NBA Most Valuable Player and a Four-Time NBA Allstar. He is said to be the first player in NBA history to finish the regular season in the top 20 in five statistical categories. Total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Giannis represented Greece at the 2013 FIBA Europe U-20 Championship and was part of the Greek national team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, where he was the youngest player at the tournament.

Tunji Awojobi

BORN: July 30, 1973

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’7

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Awojobi is tagged as the most talented Nigerian player after Hakeem Olajuwon. Awojobi an inductee into the Boston University Hall of Fame, and his no.12 jersey is retired by the school. Tunji Awojobi established 13 Boston University records and multiple conference MVP and Player of the year awards between 1994-1997.

However, due to being undersized for his position, Awojobi went undrafted in the 1997 NBA draft. He moved overseas, where he flourished and represented Nigeria at the 1998 and 2006 world championships. 

Hakeem Olajuwon

BORN: January 21, 1963

POSITION: Center

HEIGHT: 7’0

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon is unarguably the greatest African player of all time. Not known to many Hakeem had a short stint with the Nigerian Senior national team before he naturalized to play for the US at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. An NBA Hall of Famer, Hakeem blossomed from no.1 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft to become a two time NBA Champion, two-time finals MVP and NBA regular season MVP in 1994; He also bagged two Defensive Players of the Year Awards off leading the NBA twice in rebounds and three times in block shots. He was named in the NBA’s Top 50 players of all time and his no. 34 Jersey at both the Houston Rockets and the University of Houston is retired.

SENEGAL:

Etienne Preira

BORN: December 9, 1973

 POSITION: Guard/Forward.

HEIGHT: 6’6

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Etienne was named Most valuable player at the 1995 FIBA African Basketball Championships despite losing 80-91 to eventual champions Angola in the Semifinals. He was regarded as talented players to come out of Senegal.

Makhtar N’daiye

BORN:  December 12, 1973

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’8

FUN, FACTS & STATS: A product of the Oak Hill Academy and a University of North Carolina Alumni, Makhtar successfully became the first Senegalese to play in the NBA after signing a contract with the Vancouver Grizzlies despite going undrafted in the 1998 NBA Draft. Makhtar N’daiye also stared for the Orlando Magic before moving overseas. He was part of the victorious FIBA Africa Championship Squad in 1997 and was part of the team to the FIA World championships in 1998 and 2006.

Gorgui Deng

BORN: January 18, 1990

POSITION: Forward/Center

HEIGHT: 6’10

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Gorgui Dieng is one of the few Africans to win the NCAA Tournament, winning it at the University of Louisville in 2013.  He was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and was selected 21^st overall pick by the Utah Jazz but traded on draft night to Minnesota Timberwolves. Dieng has been a focal point of Senegalese Basketball since turning professional. He was part of the 2014 FIBA World Cup squad to Spain and was part of the team that lost to eventual champions Nigeria at the 2015 African Basketball Championships in Tunisia in the semi-finals. He was named in the team of the tournament.

Boniface Ndong 

BORN: September 3, 1977

POSITION: Center

HEIGHT: 7’0

FUN & FACTS & STATS: Ndong had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2005-2006 but never really settled into the NBA. He moved quickly overseas and quickly emerged as a two time Spanish league champion and Euroleague champions with Barcelona Lassa in 2010. He also bagged the both the Spanish Cup and Supercup twice and a Turkish League championship as well. He was part of the team that won Silver at the 2005 FIBA Africa Championship. 

Elhadji Tacko Fall

BORN: December 10, 1995

POSITION: Center

 HEIGHT: 7’5

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Tacko Fall moved to the US at just 16, attended University of Central Florida, and was signed by the Boston Celtics after he went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft.  While standing as the tallest active player in the NBA, Fall has become a sensation in the League bouncing off the NBA and G-League thanks to his two-way contract and making the All-Defensive G-League Team in 2020. Beyond his Basketball upside, Fall is regarded as very cerebral, having maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking advanced mathematics and science class and scored the 95^th percentile on SAT within eight months. 

SUDAN: 

Kacoul “Peter” Jok

BORN: March 30, 1994

POSITION: Guard

HEIGHT: 6’6

FUN, FACTS & STATS: In 2013 Jok was named Iowa Mr. Basketball and in the All-Big Ten First Team in 2017. Jok comes from a unique family line of Basketball Players. His mum Amelia Ring Bol is sister to Manute Bol and cousin to Luol Deng.  Jok was undrafted in the 2017 Draft but bounced around the G-League with the Phoenix Suns, Clippers, and Warriors affiliate teams. He is enjoying life overseas averaging 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game at the French LNB Pro League side Cholet Basket. He recently moved to the Spanish Liga ACB side UCAM Murcia.

Luol Deng

BORN: April 16, 1985

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS:  Deng was drafted 7^th Overall by the Phoenix Suns, but traded on draft night to the Chicago Bulls. Moving from big potential at Duke University into the big league, Luol Deng is a two time NBA Allstar and a Chicago Bulls All-Time Great. Deng represented Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.

Wenyen Gabriel 

BORN: March 26, 1997

POSITION: Forward

 HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: A 5star recruit out high school. Wenyen Gabriel opted to play his college basketball under coach Calipari at Kentucky. He went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft but signed to the Sacramento Kings on a two-way deal, which soon became a standard contract after a decent Summer League showing and solid plays in the NBA G-League. The Portland Trailblazers have since acquired  Gabriel in January 2020 from the Kings.  

Thon Maker

BORN: June 22, 1989 

POSITION: Forward/Center

 HEIGHT: 7’0

FUN, FACT & STATS: Thon Maker was drafted out of the Orangeville Prep School in 2016 by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10^th overall pick. With a developing game and a high ceiling, Thon Maker is one of Africa’s most monitored talents and is currently on the Detroit Pistons.

Manute Bol

BORN: October 16, 1962

POSITION: Center

HEIGHT: 7’7

FUN/FACTS & STATS: Manute Bol is the only NBA player to retire with more career blocked shots than points scored and second-most blocked shots per game in NBA history. Bol was drafted 31st Overall in 1985 by the Washington Bullets. Some say he is the second-tallest player in NBA history, behind Gheorghe Muresan, who also stood at 7 feet 7inches. Bol holds the rookie shot-blocking record for most blocked shots in one half (11) and in one quarter (8). A feat he achieved twice.

TUNISIA: 

Nizar Knioua

BORN: June 8, 1983

POSITION: Guard

HEIGHT: 6’2

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Knioua participated in three FIBA Africa Championships in 2007, 2009, and the Gold medal triumph in front of home fans in 2017. He was also an integral part of the team to the 2014 inaugural FIBA World Cup in Spain, where he came off the bench scoring 16 points and grabbing 15 rebounds playing in all eight games of the tournament. He was also the leading 3 points scorer in the championship game against Nigeria shooting 80% and the tournament’s 2^nd leading scorer from behind the arc.

Amine Rzig

BORN: August 25, 1980

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’6

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Rzig played basketball for 21 years, the longest career span of any basketball player in Tunisia basketball history. Rzig started his career for home town club Stade Nabuelle. He made the team of the tournament and featured at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey. Rzig was part of the victorious FIBA Africa Championship winning team in 2011 in Madagascar and the London 2012 Olympic team.

Makrem Ben Romdhane

BORN: March 27, 1989

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Ben Romdhane is one of the most decorated players on the continent. To his credit, he has 5 Tunisia league titles (ES Sahel) and an Egyptian league (Alexandria SC), 4 Tunisia Cups and 4 Egyptian cups, and the FIBA Club Champions Cup. He was part of the 2 Tunisian FIBA Africa Championship-winning teams in Madagascar, 2011, and in Tunisia 2017. 

Mohamed Hadidane

BORN: April 27, 1986

POSITION: Forward

HEIGHT: 6’9

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Hadidane plays professional basketball in Tunisia for Stade Nabeulien, a club he signed for as a teenager. Hadidane started out with the juniors in 2004, representing Tunisia at the FIBA Africa U20 championship. He moved to the seniors and was part of the team that came third at the 2009 FIBA Africa championship, qualifying for Tunisia’s first FIBA World Championship. He was a starting 5 on the Tunisian team at the London Olympics in 2012 and the FIBA African Championship win in 2017.

Salah Mejri 

BORN: June 15, 1986

POSITION: Center

HEIGHT: 7’1 

FUN, FACTS & STATS: Mejri is the first Tunisian to appear in an NBA game.  He is a winner of the Euroleague, Spanish league and two-time Spanish Kings and Super Cup titles with Real Madrid. He was an integral part of the victorious Tunisian side that won the FIBA Africa Championship in 2011, taking home the Most Valuable Player Award. An Olympian from the London 2012 games and a crucial part of the 2019 FIBA World Cup team.