Draft Buzz - Hasheem Thabeet to Enter NBA Draft
By Aran Smith
4/6/07
Sources close to the situation have indicated that center Hasheem Thabeet will enter his name into the 2007 NBA draft.
He will likely test the draft process and wait to hire an agent.
Thabeet, from Tanzania had a solid first season playing for the UConn Huskies. He averaged 6.2 ppg, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game.
He is extremely raw offensively and would benefit in the long run by returning to UConn for his sophomore season. But he is anxious to help out his family and bring his mom to the United States.
With such a premium on centers, NBA teams do not hesitate to take a player such as Thabeet with a high pick.
Just in the past three years five center projects were taken in the lottery: Andris Biedrins - 11th pick in 2004, Robert Swift - 12th pick in 2004, Andrew Bynum - 10th pick in 2005, Patrick O'Bryant - 9th pick in 2006 and Saer Sene - 10th pick in 2006.
As centers with limited immediate impact, but a lot of potential these are high risk/reward picks.Thabeet is considered a great kid with an excellent work ethic and enthusiasm for the game.
He's not to be confused with Peter John Ramos, or considered a player with questionable motivation or off court concerns. He has proven himself (at least defensively) on the NCAA level.
Having played the game for just a few years, Thabeet can be awkward on the offensive end and easily pushed off balance.
But as former coach and current ESPN analyst Rick Majeras described him, he has "soccer feet", his dexterity and foot speed are freakish for such a big player. His balance and offensive skills will improve with experience and added strength.
At worst, Thabeet will be a defensive stopper and rebounder. His offensive game could really come around as he shows solid shooting form and touch from the free throw line.
Although he shot just 50% from the line, his numbers are sure to increase with repetition.With considerable upside, Thabeet is considered a lock to be a first round pick and likely a late lottery to mid first rounder.
dogo acha papara, unacheza fresh lakini inabidi u-improve kabla hujapeleka jina lako kwenye draft cheza college mwaka mwingine uongeze experience. tamaa itakuponza utakosa kila kitu game lako lina-improve lakini bado haliko kwenye std ya NBA fanya tamaa uone ka hautabakia kuitwa ngongoti
ReplyDeleteHasheem Hongera sana kwa kupiga hatua hiyo. Mimi kama Mbongo niko nyuma yako kukupa moyo na kwa sifa utakazoiletea TZ. Tunakufagilia tena kwa fagio la chelewa --Kwaaa!!!!! kwaaaa!!!!!. Zumba's
ReplyDeleteHamna kitu. Kuna mlolongo wa vijana kutoka NCAA na kila mtu anataka kucheza NBA. Tatizo la huyu Mbongo anaonekana kuwa na tamaa nyingi sana. Anataka kumleta mama yake U.S NBA si kuwa kwenye Draft tu, na dakika za kucheza hatakupa nani?
ReplyDeleteWatanzania kwa roho mbaya bwana sijui kama tutafika! Jamaa kajitaidi na angalau ana iweka Tanzania ktk ramani ya dunia lakini utaona wenye miroho mbaya na wivu ikija juu na kumponda.
ReplyDeleteMtu akifanikiwa ktk elimu, maisha, biashara tunamponda au kuleta mambo ya kiswazi!! Angekuwa mzungu mngemfagilia sana tena kwa sana tu.Tutafika?
Watanzania tuanze kupendana na kusaidiana kama mpango wenyewe ndio huu hatutafika. Akiendelea Mtanzania ni dhambi lakini sio dhambi kwa mzungu. Akili finyu hizo mwacheni afanye chochote apendacho kila mtu atakula anachopanda duniani kama wewe longo longo basi jaribu kutengeneza maisha sasa kwani haujachelewa.
Taifa haliwezi kuendelea kama raia wana roho mbaya, Chafu, Chuki, Kutosaidiana, kutokuwa na elimu, Mawazo finyu na duni n.k
wewew mjinga mjinga hapo juu unayesema watanzania wana wivu na hatutakiani maendeleo unaonekana hujui unachoandika hapo ila unaropoka tuu na unaonekana hujwahi kutoka nje ujue system za watu zinavyofanya kazi na kwa taarifa yako watu kama nyie na majungu yenu ndio mtakaomlostisha dogo akiwasikiliza na wote hapo waliotoa maoni yao ndio wako right maana hawaongei pumba tuu na wanamuona akicheza everyday na kwa taarifa yako dogo tunamtakia mema na game yake tunaijua na tunaishi connecticut kwa hiyo tunajua tunachoongea hapa sio pumba zako...DOGO HASHEEM USHAURI WA BURE SUBIRI mpaka next year na ongeza bidii ya mazoezi na kama unaweza make sure mnaingia final four na hapo ukiweza mzee mamilioni ya dola yatakuwa mbele yako
ReplyDeletedogo anajitahidi lazima ataingia nba next yr. atulize makalio mwaka huu sababu ranking yake iko alright lakini sio uhakika sana. yuko kwenye 3 star ranking which is very good ila uchezaji wake bado kidogo.
ReplyDeletekwanini kucheza patapotea na nba wakati akisubiri mwakani anakuwa kwenye top 3 pick.
ni uamuzi wake lakini yetu macho,
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/Draft/2008/index.htm
hakuna sababu ya kumtukana huyo kijana ila kwa ushauri wangu bado ni mchanga sana kwenda nba anahitaji bado kwenda shule at least afike senior year ndiyo afikirie kwenda nba lakini kwa sasa bado kidogo game yake ni changa kwa nba hatutafurahia kumwona akikaa bench no good.all the best hasheem god bless u.
ReplyDeleteHASHIMU!!!USHAURI WA BUREEEEEEEEE!SUBIRI BWA' MDONGO,ACHA PAPARA,MI NI MMOJA WA WATU NINAOFATILIA HILI GAME KWA KARIBU,STAY IN COLLEGE ONE MORE YEAR,JINA LAKO HATA KWENYE FUNUNU ZA DRAFT HALISIKIKI,LABDA UNATAKA UWE 50 OVERALL PICK?WEWE KWA UMBO LAKO UNAPASWA UWE KWENYE TANO BORA,ACHA HIZO DOGO,PAPARA ZITAKUPONZA.
ReplyDeleteKwa kweli nimekuwa nikifuatilia sana maendeleo ya Hasheem akiwa na Uconn Men's basketball team.Kijana anastahili sifa kubwa sana hasa ukizingatia he has just started playing basketball 4 years ago.Na sisi watanzania tunatakiwa kujiavunia kwa hatua aliyofikia.He is a project in progress kama kocha wake John Colhoun alivyosema.Kwa sasa kama Hasheem na Mama yake Rukia Manka watasisitiza awe drafted for NBA itakuwa ni njaa tu yetu ya kitanzania ndo inamuingiza NBA, ambapo atapata dolla chache za kumfanya atanue akiwa hapa Tanzania na si kwingineko ulaya na America.....But if he want to be an NBA star he better wait for one or two years playing College basketball and iam sure he is going to make millions of Dollars.Kwa sasa Hasheem anatakiwa kujifua sana,aachane na mademu akoncetrate na basketball...aige mfano wa Kobe Briayant.Asifikirie kufanyishwa mazoezi sana na kocha wake kama ni extra drill.Ajitume sana , atatutoa watanzania kimasomaso kama Dikembe Mutombo alivyowatoa wazaire.
ReplyDeletehebu acheni ujinga nyie! hivi mnajua hata mnachoongelea? eti anaenda kwa ajili ya kumleta mama yake! kha hivi unajua mama yake yupo huku ana miezi miwili sasa? mimi nimemuona yeye na mama yake NYC wanafanya shoppin kwa hiyo sio mnakaa na kuropoka vitu msivyovijua, alafu dogo yupo top 10 pick unajua atalipwa shilingi ngapi kama akifika huko? nani ameshawahi kulipwa $2,000,000 per year just kucheza kikapu? au hata kama atakaa benchi, nyie muwage mnafikiria kwanza sio mnakaa hapa tu na kuanza kuropoka tu wapuuzi nyie! baadae nyie nyie ndio mtakaoanza kuulizia mikopo! shenzi type!!!!
ReplyDeletewe anony unaesema dogo yuko top 10 pick toa link basi tuone, au unaongea tu sababu una mdomo?
ReplyDeleteangalia mock draft hii chini pumbafu we umepagawa na box
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/Draft/mockdraft.htm
we anonymous wa 8:34.april 11,tupe hiyo link inayosema jamaa yupo katika top 10 siyo unakurupuka tu na mahasira yako,dogo anahitaji muda kidogo NBA haiendi kokote,acha kumpotosha dogo,hiyo hela unayosema anaweza kupata kwa kipindi fulani alafu wakamtosea euro na asirudi tena STATE kucheza ball,HASHIMU EHEE AKINA RASHEED WALACE WANAKUSUBIRI HUKO.
ReplyDeleteTanzanians! Why are you always talk negatively when it comes to some of your own? What? Because you can have what he has? You better start changing that habbit or you will always end up worship others. This boy is gonna make it wether you like it or not! Whatever he is gonna make in NBA you will never make it for the rest of your life. And wether you like it or not,one day you will be sitting on your sofa watching this guy playing. Come on! What he is doin' is not only for himself but for the country in general. While he will be remaining in our country history as the first Tanzanian to play in NBA you will probably remained in News Paper for stealing government money because that is what we all know the best.!!! GOOD LUCK YOUNG TZ!!
ReplyDeletewe anonymous wa hatuzungumzii negativelly hapa na tunajua atacheza NBA n way,lakini anahitaji muda kupata uzoefu, thats all!!
ReplyDeletewewew hapo juu unayeshutumu watanzania wana wivu kwa kumshauri hasheem asubiri unaonekana hufuatilii game yake na huna idea nini kinaendelea,nakuhakikishia game yake hata top ten kwa sasa kwenye draft hawezi na hata akimake first round ni bahati ni bora asubiri tuu ....umeangalia lakini kikosi cha Florida,Ohio,Texas wote wale ni first round na hakuna hata mmoja Hasheem anamweza....Doooooogo subiri na pata mafanikio Ucon kwanza watu waone mambo yako sio urefu tuu
ReplyDeleteCalhoun says Thabeet wants to stay, but faces problemsWed, Apr 11, 2007
ReplyDeleteBy Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut Huskies center Hasheem Thabeet would like to return to the school for his sophomore season, but must first determine if that is financially possible.
UConn coach Jim Calhoun said Wednesday the 7-foot-3 Thabeet will likely announce in the next week whether he'll make himself eligible for the NBA draft. Players have until April 29 to declare for the June 28 draft.
The 20-year-old Thabeet is from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He was 14 when his father, Thabit Manka, an engineer and well known soccer player, died. Thabeet came to the United States to help ease the financial strain on his widowed mother, Rukia Manka, and two younger siblings.
Calhoun said the family was relatively well off when Manka died, but is now facing some financial hardship.
''He wants to stay very badly,'' Calhoun said. ''He's just got to find ways in which some help can be given the mother. I don't mean financial help. Maybe some type of work program, it's very complex.''
Thabeet's mother and an aunt have traveled to the United States to help Thabeet make his decision, Calhoun said. His brother and sister remained in Tanzania.
''He's very happy at UConn, he's very happy being a student,'' Calhoun said. ''He just has some responsibilities that are a little unique from most kids, very unique from most kids.''
Thabeet has an insurance policy against being injured while in college, and would get a bigger one next year, Calhoun said. But unlike American players, he is not eligible for a Pell Grant or similar programs.
He can work during the summer.
Thabeet has been playing organized basketball for less than five years. Considered a raw talent, he averaged 6.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. He also blocked 118 shots, and was named to the Big East all-rookie team.
Calhoun said he has no idea where in the draft Thabeet might be taken. But if he leaves school, and is not drafted high enough to secure a guaranteed NBA contract, Thabeet could face immigration and other problems.
''This is not a simple case of a kid wanting to go out, or not go out,'' Calhoun said.
This is my therapy! thanx michuzi kwa blog yako maana watu wanavyobishana humu ndani? kila mtu anajua basketi boli, kila mtu anajua mamaake Hashim yuko wapi,kila mtu anajua drafti/bao what ever! basi hapo ndio raha ya blogu inaponoga.Mie sina ninalolijua so sina ushauri wowote zaidi ya kukupongeza kaka Hashim oops dogo maana kwenye hizi komenti kila mtu anakuona wewe bwamdogo. Hasheem lazima utakuwa unacheka sana na hizi komenti??? 4 real
ReplyDeleteWapenzi wa kweli wa TZ basketball tutapenda na tutapata faraja kubwa saana kumuona Hasheem akiwa na Jezi "34" ya Boston Celtics au Charlotte Bobcats. Japokuwa kijana offence bado haijawa ya kutisha ila blocks "matawi" kiwango mno, kadhalika Dikembe Mutombo pia bado mpaka hivi leo offence "hoi"!
ReplyDeleteSasa Hasheem akipenda kuenda NBA au kubaki college kwetu wapenzi wa basketball zote shega tu. Muhimu tu dogo akiwa summer apunguze anasa na atengeneze offence ili msimu ujao popote atakapokuwa: UConn, Bulls au Celtics tuende kupata starehe kumuona kijana wetu akituwakilisha.
Maombi: Tuwe kidogo na heshima na mamuzi ya watu wengine kwani hakuna hata mmoja wetu ambaye atamchangia kijana posho endapo fees ya college haitatimia. Kadhalika wako wachezaji kama Vince Carter na Jerry Stackhouse walienda shule pole pole huku wanatafuna posho nono za NBA. (Basketball mnafuatilia au majungu 2?)
Asanterabi
N.B: Hasheem leo ni 14th draft pick aliwahi kuwa 3rd ila ameshuka kutokana na UConn kutokufanya mamboz ya nguvu msimu huu. Bofya... http://www.nbadraft.net/
Hashim mawnangu hogera sana kwa hapo ulipo fika, niko praud na wewe tu bi onesty, ushauli wangu ni kwamba,hapo ulipo fika ni pazuri, mfano wake ni kama mtu mwenye digirii, akifanya kazi mshahara wake ni mzuri, lakini kama ukiendelea zaidi utakuwa na master au PHD, ukifika hapo utakuwa na mshahara mnono sana, kwa hiyo is up to you wewe na familia yako kuchugua ni sasa au mpaka mwakani, sio mtu kukupangia,jitume sana kwa mafanikio zaidi.
ReplyDeleteZac Boyer
ReplyDeleteUConnReport.com Senior Writer
Talk about it in The Fieldhouse
Center Hasheem Thabeet, long rumored to be leaning towards leaving UConn for a chance to pursue a career in the NBA, announced Thursday afternoon in a press release that he will be returning to UConn for his sophomore season.
Hasheem Thabeet started all 31 games last season.
"I am very excited about next season and returning to UConn for my sophomore year," Thabeet said in the release. "I look forward to continuing my education as a person and as an athlete. We have all been working very hard since the season ended and will continue doing everything we can to get better each day and have a great season next year."
Head coach Jim Calhoun had said repeatedly in the past that he did not believe Thabeet was ready to leave the Huskies, but his family's financial situation at home in Tanzania strengthened the possibility of his departure.
"We obviously have high expectations for Hasheem in the coming year," Calhoun said. "He had a very good freshman year for us and showed great improvement as the year went on. He has the opportunity to take it to the next level during this coming summer and heading into next season and can really be a big part of our team achieving success in the future."
Thabeet started all 31 games for the Huskies last season, their first since 1986-1987 that they did not qualify for a national postseason tournament. He finished with an average of 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game and his total of 119 blocks was the second-highest ever for a freshman behind Emeka Okafor's effort in 2000-2001.
The decision to return to UConn answers the final questions the Huskies had at center. Fort Washington (Md.) National Christian Academy center Anthony McClain was heavily interested in playing for Connecticut but committed to Cincinnati last week. The Huskies have also picked up a commitment from Lawndale (Calif.) Leuzenger point guard Donnell Beverly.
UConn Big Man Makes Right Decision
ReplyDeleteApr 26, 2007 | 1:29PM | report this
Hasheem Thabeet would have been DeSagana Diop.
The UConn freshman from Tanzania would have collected a nice paycheck for the first few years of his NBA career, but he wouldn't have gotten off the bench for a meaningful minute if he had made the jump to the pros.
The 7-foot-3 big man from Tanzania has plenty of potential, but he was lost for much of the time he spent on the court - especially on the offensive end.
He averaged 6.2 points, 6.4 boards and 3.8 blocks per game as a freshman under Jim Calhoun, but his freshman finale was a 3-point, 6-rebounds stinker against Syracuse in the Big East tournament in which he fouled out in just 20 minutes.
Thabeet's family needed the money, but he's also got a multi-million dollar insurance policy and stands to become a Top 5 pick a year from now if he develops - and true centers like Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes remain in the draft.
Thabeet's best game was when he put up 12 points, 10 boards and seven blocks against St. John's. He swatted seven or more shots six times this season, but looked like Mark Eaton at times offensively.
Now, instead of barely seeing the floor his first four years in the NBA as Diop did, Thabeet will have a chance to actually make an impact when he arrives in the NBA.