Pape Sow - The Hardest Working Raptor
I watched Pape Sow's interview in the show Hangin'. It was interesting to a point. Pape talked about his shift from soccer to basketball . He is a native of Senegal and got fully into organized basketball when he accompanied his cousin and friend for a tryout/showcase with a 
coach.
Pape's dad did not know about his ' extra curricular ' activity (playing basketball ) until a Recruiter went to his home to ask his parent ' permission to go to school and play in the States. He played Juco basketball and was eventually drafted by Miami in the 2nd round. He was traded immediately to Toronto. He played briefy with Arkansas Rimrockers in the D league before rejoining the Raptors this season.
This story reminds me of former Raptor albeit for a short time only , Hakeem Olajuwon's . Same soccer to basketball sports shifting and absolute zero knowledge of life in the USA . The only difference is that during Hakeem's time , recruitment of African basketball players was not prevalent yet. Olajuwon arrived in the airport in the Sta
tes alone. He was suppoed to be picked up but due to some confusion , no one was around to meet him as he recounted in his book, Hakeem ( he later reverted back to the original spelling of his name - Akeem ) . The Dream almost winded up in another school but as fate would have it , University Of Houston was his real destiny. Thus was born the Phi Slamma' Jamma ' with teammates Cylde Drexler , Michael Young etc. for one of the most exciting NCAA team ever .
If Pape Sow who stands 6'10'' decides to play for Senegal in the World Basketball Championship with fellow countrymen the 7'2'' Maverick Sagana Diop , the 7'0'' Clipper Boniface Ndong and the 7'0'' former Raptor Mamadou N'diaye , their team will be awesome. You can say that, it will be a tall order to beat Senegal.
Pape is considered undersized for the center position so I don't know if the Raptors will retain him. One thing the coaches agree is how hardworking he is . Pape puts extra time to improve himself. During the interview , he kept repeating the need for someone like him to work extra hard. I guess Pape Sow is a firm believer that , you reap what you sow (sigh) .
coach.Pape's dad did not know about his ' extra curricular ' activity (playing basketball ) until a Recruiter went to his home to ask his parent ' permission to go to school and play in the States. He played Juco basketball and was eventually drafted by Miami in the 2nd round. He was traded immediately to Toronto. He played briefy with Arkansas Rimrockers in the D league before rejoining the Raptors this season.
This story reminds me of former Raptor albeit for a short time only , Hakeem Olajuwon's . Same soccer to basketball sports shifting and absolute zero knowledge of life in the USA . The only difference is that during Hakeem's time , recruitment of African basketball players was not prevalent yet. Olajuwon arrived in the airport in the Sta
tes alone. He was suppoed to be picked up but due to some confusion , no one was around to meet him as he recounted in his book, Hakeem ( he later reverted back to the original spelling of his name - Akeem ) . The Dream almost winded up in another school but as fate would have it , University Of Houston was his real destiny. Thus was born the Phi Slamma' Jamma ' with teammates Cylde Drexler , Michael Young etc. for one of the most exciting NCAA team ever .If Pape Sow who stands 6'10'' decides to play for Senegal in the World Basketball Championship with fellow countrymen the 7'2'' Maverick Sagana Diop , the 7'0'' Clipper Boniface Ndong and the 7'0'' former Raptor Mamadou N'diaye , their team will be awesome. You can say that, it will be a tall order to beat Senegal.
Pape is considered undersized for the center position so I don't know if the Raptors will retain him. One thing the coaches agree is how hardworking he is . Pape puts extra time to improve himself. During the interview , he kept repeating the need for someone like him to work extra hard. I guess Pape Sow is a firm believer that , you reap what you sow (sigh) .
posted by coach at
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
5 Comments:
Nice post.The facts are enligthening !
I hope the Raptors retain Pape. He must play as a forward . As you said , he 's too small to be the cebter. Maybe we should get Diop from the Mavs,
Phi Slamma' Jamma ' the star of creative dunkin' in the NCAA. Just watchin' them doing the round robin with an assortment of dunks was an experience , I was told.
I agree with snake jones. Pape's worth keeping as a backup at power forward/11th or 12th man, as Doug Smith suggested recently. Although sometimes he moves like he's got no feet (Pape, not Doug Smith), he's a good energy guy.
maybe the raps will keep him as the 11th or 12th man. he works hard.
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