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Very nice. Thanks and welcome to the forum.
Everything I've read about this guy states that he's getting better at a very fast pace. Hopefully he has a good year in France and then perhaps he'll be ready for the NBA next season.
o,
This is the translation of a french newspaper,
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,...-639976,0.html
Ian Mahinmi, from soccer to NBA in only five years
By Guillaume Lainé
07/13/05
Le Monde
A giant of 2,08 m (6-10) and 104 kg (230 lbs) that nobody saw coming, not even experts of the NBA. The American league of professional basketball was unable to pronounce the name of the young 18 year old French, Ian Mahinmi, June 28 in New York at the time of the "Draft" 2005. This ceremony is organized each end of season to integrate the best hopes of the discipline in the American teams.
Recruited by San Antonio Spurs, new champion NBA where Tony Parker plays, Ian Mahinmi remains still an quasi-unknown in the world of the french basketball. It acknowledges besides that it is "hard to believe" what happens to him. In 2001, Parker "had been drafted" with the 28th choice by San Antonio. It is also with this choice that the GM of Spurs decided to recruit Mahinmi, making him sign a contract for three seasons. A curious coincidence which authorizes the player to believe in a destiny as glorious as Parker. While waiting for his beginnings at Spurs, the new attraction of the french basketball should still carry out a season in championship of ProA France with the STB Le Havre, his formative club.
THE PER ACITY OF THE RECRUITERS
Ian Mahinmi has stopped the soccer to be only devoted to the basketball for five years. A fulgurating rise for the principal leader of the team of France Hopes, with which it disputes, since July 8, the championship of Europe with Chehov, in Russia. "He is a player that I Discover , acknowledge Jacques Commères, the national selector. His adaptabilities to the high level have surprised me: he is very inclined for the basketball, but he has especially a high basketball IQ."
In Le Havre, his trainer, Christian Monschau, measures the extent of progress of the young man, starter since January: "When I gave him his chance with the first team, I had much apprehension. His beginnings were not very convincing. But Ian absorbed all the instructions with an exceptional speed. He is called The Sponge."
Born in France from a Beninese father and a Jamaican mother , Mahinmi seems to have inherited the genetic inheritance of his African grandfather, a chief of village measuring more than 2 meters (6-7). His physical capacities are exceptional for a player who hardly has just finished his period of growth. That's why he is still too skinny. "It must carry out a large work of muscular reinforcement if it wants to compete with the best , Christian Monschau ensures. The principal danger to him, it's injuries."
The potential of the boy does not have escaped with the per acity of the recruiters of San Antonio Spurs. The best team of the NBA built her success on the great stability of it roster and a perfect knowledge of the international basketball. These last years, Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Rasho Nesterovic (Slovenia) and Tony Parker (France) helped San Antonio to take down two les in three years (2003, 2005). "Spurs have a glance very sharpened on the European compe ions, judges Jacques Commères. They followed Mahinmi since long months. They are seldom mistaken in their choice."
Ian Mahinmi acknowledges being "reassured" by the stability of San Antonio. Jacques Commères moderates this idyllic table: "For some time, he is very requested and it is difficult for him to take the necessary distance. To manage all that is a part of the construction of a young professional sportsman. In NBA, it will have to find good balance. His progression then his achievement depend on it. "
Very nice. Thanks and welcome to the forum.
Everything I've read about this guy states that he's getting better at a very fast pace. Hopefully he has a good year in France and then perhaps he'll be ready for the NBA next season.
Thanks for posting/translating the article. And welcome to the forum.
I assume this means that he eventually will get a 3 year contract. They haven't signed him yet.It is also with this choice that the GM of Spurs decided to recruit Mahinmi, making him sign a contract for three seasons.
It's difficult for a french journalist to understand the NBA CBA
Very few American journalists understand it eitherIt's difficult for a french journalist to understand the NBA CBA
Hmmm. I seem to remember another soccer player who decided he'd rather use his hands, too. He played just a few hours down I10, and didn't do too badly, either.
bienvenu bruno.
en esperant que tu restes parmi nous sur ce super forum
really cool article.
they confirm his good vision of the game. and the incredible rate of progression of IAN
let s call him the "sponge" now
ian is the big man that will be the franchise after duncan
david>tim>david reborn in ian
Nice quote. This is great to read if you are a Spurs fan. They aren't content to rest on their past successes. It is of interest to note that the Kings, another franchise with a history of success in international scouting, hasn't drafted a non-American born player since Turkoglu in 2000."Spurs have a glance very sharpened on the European compe ions, judges Jacques Commères. They followed Mahinmi since long months. They are seldom mistaken in their choice."
If it plays out like that it would be rather crazy, to say the least. Having a 'farm team' is rather nice. Too bad they can't call up guys for the playoffs. Wait, they can...
hmm so we trade rasho this season
so we have oberto>nazr
then nazr goes some place else and we bring over ian
we have oberto>ian?
I mean after nazr contract exprires, i didn't think ian would come over so soon though
Thank you everybody, it's a great forum.
Ian has a great upside but he is still very young and raw (even if I haven't seen him play). Spur's front office has understand that he needs time to improve his skills and his body.
I think the FO will sign him in two years and that in his first nba years he will only play garbage time.
Le Havre is the perfect place to spend this two years :
- It's not a flashy town, so Ian could really be focused on playing basketball.
Le Havre is an industrial city, it's not Paris.
- French championship is an average europeen one where he will be faced with rough older player (Jerome James, Udonis Haslem have played in France).
- He will be coached by men who loved basketball and who are not money minded (It's not the same mentality in better europeen championship like Spain or Italy). The owners in France are not rich men.
- NCAA is a bad thing for french player, it's too much mad for them. The only one who succeeded in Turiaf because he is a hard worker and Gonzaga is a serious university.
If only...
I've watched this guy play though....he's not ever going to have a game like Duncan or Hakeem...
But if he gets stronger and learns to drive and use his size and length to score...he might turn out with a similar type of game to Drob. He's definitely got the potential to be a Drob type of defender.
And he really hustles.
In 93-94, Le Havre was not in the best french league. A 22 young american plays for them. His name was Bruce Bowen.
ANOTHER DREAM?????
What makes you say this? Certainly not his physical assets...
I've watched him too, and while he certainly needs coaching and decision-making experience, he has no inherent weaknesses that cannot be improved upon to prevent him from greatness as far as I can tell.
How's his raw hand-eye coordination?
Last edited by caspian; 07-17-2005 at 03:17 PM.
this guy is a young david robinson who cares if he is like tim duncan when you get a big man that is going to play like david robinson to take over for tim
david>tim
it's a dream. get it? It's always good to dream. true judgements can only be made on this kid when steps into the league and shows some potential. All I hear is he is a good shot blocker etc etc. We'll just have to wait and see.
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