Hasheem Thabeet :The Tanzanian Phenom

March 3, 2008
Men's Basketball
7,600 Miles From UConn, Thabeet Is Big Man Off Campus
By MIKE OGLE

STORRS, Conn. — An airplane landed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in May 2007 with a man of immense stature aboard.

The crowd that had gathered to greet him was so large the street by the airport had to be closed. And when he set foot in his home country for the first time in more than two years, he was overwhelmed by the reception in his hometown of 2.5 million people.

Hasheem Thabeet’s physical standing had always been large. But his social importance and celebrity in that East African nation had risen to heights congruent to that of the crown of his head — 7 feet 3 inches.

Thabeet received a king’s welcome, and even visited with his country’s president during his two-week stay. Strangers wearing Connecticut Huskies T-shirts and his No. 34 jersey cheered his arrival and hung posters of him all over town.

All of this fuss even though he was a relative unknown when he moved to the United States in 2005.

“I was not expecting to see all that,” Thabeet said. “At the time when I was leaving, nobody really believed I was going to be the person who I am right now.”

Now Thabeet, who Americanized his name from Hashim Thabit Manka, is a 21-year-old sophomore studying psychology at the University of Connecticut. He is a source of inspiration for Tanzanian children, who continuously send him letters hoping for advice, help or money.

The Connecticut basketball team is receiving the immediate benefits of Thabeet’s emergence as it continues its rebound from a one-season fall after finishing 30-4 and reaching the Round of 8 in the N.C.A.A. tournament in 2006.

Last year, Thabeet was one of eight UConn freshmen who experienced a bumpy season (17-14, 6-10 Big East). A year later, the No. 15 Huskies (23-6, 12-4) are in third place in the conference, one loss behind Georgetown and Louisville.

Connecticut’s improvement is a direct correlation to the maturation of its young players, including Thabeet, who began playing basketball only five years ago.

Thabeet’s size and 7-5 wingspan have made him a defensive force. He is tied for second in career blocked shots at UConn (245) and twice he has tied a program record with 10 blocked shots in a game. This season, Thabeet has more blocks (127) than nine Big East teams.

“If somebody beats us off the dribble or in the post, it’s really good to know you have that help,” the junior forward Jeff Adrien said. “It’s almost like having six players instead of five.”

But Thabeet grew up a soccer player, and the offensive part of basketball has proved difficult for him to master.

He runs the floor with ease and displays exceptional footwork. In fact, he juggles a basketball with his feet and knees like a soccer ball so frequently in practice that his teammates are no longer impressed.

But learning how to use his hands has been another story. He has worked hard to become a more consistent contributor on offense.

“The whole summer, that’s all I did was offensive workouts,” Thabeet said. “Last year, I couldn’t buy a basket.”

But last year, his potential was already so intriguing that Thabeet said he continuously received telephone calls and text messages from agents trying to lure him into entering the N.B.A. draft.

After lengthy consideration — made more difficult by the fact that after the death of his father, he has felt obligated to provide for his mother, brother and sister still in Tanzania — Thabeet returned to school. He said his mother struggled to support the family by selling traditional African clothing.

So not only is he receiving an education, but he is also being groomed for a once unthinkable job playing basketball, which would enrich his family living 7,600 miles away.

UConn coaches have tried several tricks to improve Thabeet’s comfort level with the basketball, including throwing passes to him as he sits on a rolling office chair and making him wear special gloves that force him to use his fingertips.

During the summer, he worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon and Emeka Okafor, among others, and he has developed a jump hook he is comfortable taking with either hand.

He is far from a dominant offensive player. But with plenty of scorers, the Huskies do not need him to be one. They need Thabeet to be a threat, and that he has become.

Thabeet has scored 22 points or more three times this season (his high as a freshman was 15), and dominated a victory against Georgia Tech last month with 24 points, 15 rebounds and 6 blocked shots. All of his major averages are up, too. He has improved to 10.2 points a game, from 6.2; 7.8 rebounds, from 6.4; and 4.4 blocked shots, from 3.8. He is also shooting at higher percentages.

The assistant Andre LaFleur, who recruited the then lightly (or barely) regarded Thabeet, says today’s Thabeet is “light years” apart from the raw player he first saw two years ago.

“The first time I saw him, he looked like a soccer player that was playing on a basketball court,” LaFleur said. “His size, his physical coordination was very intriguing. Then I remember seeing him improve in just months, learning subtleties of the game and post play, he’d come so far. Put it like this: the first time I saw him play, I didn’t think he’d be able to play in a college game right away.”

Part of Thabeet’s learning curve was to stop shying away from the physical nature of the game — something he acknowledged caused him to avoid basketball growing up. And since coming to Connecticut — a place he initially balked at when he looked at a map and realized how cold it would be compared with his homeland — he has become more comfortable on the court and in his environment.

Last Friday in Storrs, with snow on the ground and the wind chill making it feel like 16 degrees, Thabeet arrived for practice bundled beneath a letterman’s jacket and multiple sweatshirts but with socks and sandals.

“He always wears sandals,” Adrien said. “So I don’t think he can be too cold if he always wears sandals.”

The Huskies, who have won 12 of their last 13 games with Thabeet filling up the stat sheet several times, could just be warming up. They look poised to make a deep postseason run.

If they do, perhaps Thabeet, surely wearing sandals, will walk with his teammates in another hero’s welcome when they fly back to Connecticut from the N.C.A.A. tournament. Just like the one he received in Dar es Salaam.

[YournameisMINE]

Kuhani,

Umesahau kuwa natumia Stiba (banned), Ndayizeyi (banned), Tunkumbo (nimesahau password), mwanajeshi (nimebatizwa na CEO/Invisible, mie silijui) na coming soon Kisandu....kama una issue(s) na suala hili, basi anzisha "thread" yake tujadili, lakini hapa tuna jadili bwa'mdogo ambaye ni NBA bound na wewe kama kawaida yako umeleta majunguz!!

asante.

[Kuhani]

	Quote:	YournameisMINE
	LOL, mambo ya Chinks, Kuzatika na Mike Jones yanatokea wapi tena!? Mambo ya Kuzatika na other aliases ilikuwa ni irrelevant kwa lengo la mjadala huu...usitoke nje ya topic

Sijajadili your "other aliases" kama ulivyoyaita mwenyewe, ila nilikuwa naku address tu. Unajua vile tunaanza posti na kumua address mtu kwa jina? Sasa kama unamuheshimu mtu unamu address na majina yake yote. Ndo maana nikasema YournameisMIKEJONES-KUZATIKA-CHINKALA.

	Quote:
	Unajua balozi gani nilikuwa naongelea, kama unajifanya hujui/umesahau ili kuonyesha ujuaji wako, basi umeshinda...lakini kuwa fair na sema ukweli wako.

Umesema kwamba, umetuambia kwamba, mkutano ambao dogo alivaa kapelo alikuwa na balozi na kwamba balozi mwenyewe haku mind. Huhusema hivyo ? Wakati kumbe keshawahi kukutana na Rais. Kwa hiyo whether I know the balozi you are talking about or not umesema kiongozi aliyemvalia Kapelo alikuwa ni balozi. Kumbe kuna Rais pia, ulikuwa hujui ukadhani nadanganya. Sasa kubali, naona unacheka hapo juu, kubali. Muungwana akivuliwa nguo huchutama. Chutama!!

	Quote:
	Je makutano hayo ya Kikwete na dogo yalikuwa rasmi?

Mkuu Chinkala, mtoto wa shule mcheza basket atakutana na Rais rasmi kwa minajili gani ? Mkutano ndo huo ndo huo, hakuna cha rasmi wala cha mkutano wa kienyeji unaoruhusu kumvalia Rais wako midabwada ya baseball hats na baggy pants!!

	Quote:
	Hivi hiyo picha ina shida gani kwa 20 yo kid ambaye yupo college kukutana na rais wake ktk mkutano usio rasmi?

Mkuu Kuzatika, we mwenyewe umetamka kwamba ulipoona dogo kamvali kofia balozi ukauliza "what's up with that ?" Ulipoambiwa balozi haku mind ndo ukaridhika. Kwa hiyo hata wewe unaona there is something unbecoming a respectful youngster to do that, right ? Au, kwa nini basi na wewe uliuuliza kwa nini alivaa hivyo ? Kuwa mkweli YournameisMINE.

	Quote:
	Kuwa fair, weka picha ambayo dogo kapiga na rais huku kavaa suti

MIKEJONES, hapa tunaongelea ulilobisha kwamba hakumvalia Rais wetu kapelo. Hapo alipovaa suti hapo haita batilisha, haitageuza ukweli, kwamba kuna siku alipewa audience na Rais wa Jamhuri akaenda na sagging pants na mkapelo!!

	Quote:
	Of koz najua ninachokiongea.....je wewe unajua unachokiongea?

Niliuliza kama unajua unachokiongea sababu ulikuwa hujui dogo kaenda kukutana na Rais kamvalia mkapelo, ukasema alikuwa ni balozi tu. Kumbe uliteleza.

[YournameisMINE]

Unafanya kitu kile kile unachofanya kila siku. Nilipojibu post yako ya kwanza nilijua kuwa tutafikia huku....ile ya balozi ilikuwa "targeted" kwasababu ni suala uloongelea in the past ku-attack character ya dogo....

Mie nataka uwe fair na kuweka picha ya dogo akiwa na Rais huku kavaa suti..kama hakuna mkutano rasmi basi tagemea a 20 yo kid kuvaa "Kapelo" na baggy jeans, vinginevyo ni husda na haya kama ni mashindano basi mie simo!!.

Not tonight na acha majungu...

[YournameisMINE]

K,
Hakuna kuteleza in my book, mie sio mtu wa "ze dataz," kwahiyo usitegemee kukunufaisha kupitia mtandao wa jamii!!

Kuwa fair, weka picha ya dogo (akiwa kwa suti) na Rais wa jamhuri, halafu tuendelea na yeye kufanya vagi kwenye "feki" kilabu ya "east coast."

Mambo ya "majina" yapo deep, yatakushinda, ni characters tu! LOL.

[Kuhani]

Kama unasema you expect a 20 year old to wear a baseball hat and saggy pants meeting the president, then why did you ask his handlers as to why he met with the ambassador dressing like that ? Kwamba kumvalia balozi mkapelo sio sawa lakini kwa Kikwete sawa ? Sio ?

Halafu sina nia mbaya. Kama mtoto alikuja baadae ku dress up alipokutana na Rais next time around inawezekana alijifunza kutokana na constructive backlash aliyoipata baada ya kituko kile siku ile. Sio wengi walopenda lile tukio, hata baadhi ya marafiki zake. Niliwahi kuongea na mmoja wa marafiki zake ambae yuko kidogo mature mature aliyekuwepo pale siku ile, nikasema ilikuwaje mkamwacha mwenzenu kaenda kihuni huni mbele ya Rais, akasema "hata mimi nashangaa sijui alipenyeza penyeza vipi pale nimeshtukia yuko pale kama Flavor Flav superimposed on Yao Ming anaongea na Rais."

Hakuna anaemjali Thabeet kama Watanzania. Huko kwenye ma blog ya Kimarekani watamwongelea kimpira na siku aki flop watamkandia, watamsahau. Sehemu kama JamiiForum ndo anaweza akapata feedback ya watu wanaomjali kweli. Tunasema haya kujaribu kumuinua mwenzetu tu.

Kum support mtu sio lazima umsifie. Unaweza ukatoa unfavorable assesment na bado ikamsaidia. Off-court antics akijiingiza tu zinaweza ku affect career yake. I'm just saying.

Angalia Joakim Noah ambae Capitol Hill hapo juu kamsema kama mfano wa mtoto mwenye public antics, kwenda whitehouse na ndala na suti baada ya kushinda NCCA. Kaingia NBA mara ka pick fight na Ben Wallace, mara kakamatwa na contraband kwao Florida huko, mpaka akapigwa benchi at some point. Bahati yake ni mkali. I am sure Thabeet will avoid such inauspicious start. I am just saying.

[YournameisMINE]

	Quote:	Kuhani
	Kama unasema you expect a 20 year old to wear a baseball hat and saggy pants meeting the president, then why did you ask his handlers as to why he met with the ambassador dressing like that ? Kwamba kumvalia balozi mkapelo sio sawa lakini kwa Kikwete sawa ? Sio ? Halafu sina nia mbaya. Kama mtoto alikuja baadae ku dress up alipokutana na Rais next time around inawezekana alijifunza kutokana na constructive backlash aliyoipata baada ya kituko kile siku ile. Sio wengi walopenda lile tukio, hata baadhi ya marafiki zake. Niliwahi kuongea na mmoja wa marafiki zake ambae yuko kidogo mature mature aliyekuwepo pale siku ile, nikasema ilikuwaje mkamwacha mwenzenu kaenda kihuni huni mbele ya Rais, akasema "hata mimi nashangaa sijui alipenyeza penyeza vipi pale nimeshtukia yuko pale kama Flavor Flav superimposed on Yao Ming anaongea na Rais." Hakuna anaemjali Thabeet kama Watanzania. Huko kwenye ma blog ya Kimarekani watamwongelea kimpira na siku aki flop watamkandia, watamsahau. Sehemu kama JamiiForum ndo anaweza akapata feedback ya watu wanaomjali kweli. Tunasema haya kujaribu kumuinua mwenzetu tu. Kum support mtu sio lazima umsifie. Unaweza ukatoa unfavorable assesment na bado ikamsaidia. Off-court antics akijiingiza tu zinaweza ku affect career yake. I'm just saying. Angalia Joakim Noah ambae Capitol Hill hapo juu kamsema kama mfano wa mtoto mwenye public antics, kwenda whitehouse na ndala na suti baada ya kushinda NCCA. Kaingia NBA mara ka pick fight na Ben Wallace, mara kakamatwa na contraband kwao Florida huko, mpaka akapigwa benchi at some point. Bahati yake ni mkali. I am sure Thabeet will avoid such inauspicious start. I am just saying.

Kwanza dogo is not Joachim Noah, NOT even close!! Pili, constructive criticism(s) ua hazitolewi kwenye JF, JF hasa wewe na wenzako ni majungu tu kwa mwendo wa kwenda mbele! Nimekuomba huko juu ututajie basi jina, mji na state ya hizo kilabu "feki," lakini unazunguka zunguka na kuhamia kwa kina Kuzatika...LOL

Mtu yeyote akikusoma vizuri, ataona tone flani hivi ya ki-jealous jealous ktk maandishi yako, una judge watu usio wajua vizuri, unataka ku-impose values na stds zako kwa watu wengine kwasababu tu wewe ndio unajihisi upo bora na kujua kila kitu ktk hii dunia! Umesema hapo juu kuwa "alijipenyeza penyeza," kwahiyo kumbe haikuwa rasmi, hawakuwa wamepanga kukutana...sasa kwanini unafanya a big deal?? Kuna tofauti ya hiyo kukutana na Kikwete (ktk picha hapo juu) na ile siku alokutana na Balozi (lakini kwa purpose ya mjadala huu nitaiishia hapo...lol, mie sio Msee wa "Ze Dataz").

Acha chuki kaka, kuandika mambo ya kusikia kwenye public kama hivi si kitu fresh, mnapakazia na kuharibia watu sana yaani....ktk kitabu changu siku hizi JF ni kama "zeutamu," tofauti ni kuwa hapa haziwekwi picha za uchi! majungu, majungu, majungu, majungu mpaka inatia kinyaaa.....

Ukiona mwenzako anafanikiwa, mwombea dua'a na sio kumzushia "mastori" ya vijiweni. Isitoshe, inaonekana ume-invest time kichizi kufuatilia mienendo ya dogo, lol...typical of JF member (no life, zaidi ya kukaa kwa computer na kuongea udaku) SHAME!!

[Maane]

Kijana ni nyota nzuri kwa Tanzania. Naombeni mlio karibu naye huko mpeni maelekezo mazuri ya tabia hasa awapo huko ughaibuni. Awe mstaarabu especially unapohitilafiana na watu wa West Coast na few of East Coast!!! They are not good!! Pia heshima ni kitu kidogo sana na kinag'arisha jina la mtu!! Please, jitoleeni kuwa mentors wake tafadhali.

Unajua kwa umri pia si mkubwa, ni ule umri unaosumbua vijana wengi hasa wakipata fedha kidogo, so please take him slowly maana hatutafurahi tuone anapatwa na ubaya huko. Kumbuka vifo vya watanzani vya mashaka hasa huko marekani. We are worried na ukizingatia hata investigation za vifo hivyo haichukuliwi serious inavyotakiwa.

Jua binadamu wengine wana wivu sana. Ukweli ndiyo huo.
Pia kama ni starehe aende sehemu descent. Wakuu kazi ya malezi fanyeni huko.

[Capitol Hill]

Waheshimiwa Kuhani na YNISM I am pleading with you to get over this "saggy jeans issue" na tuendelee na mjadala. Michango yenu ya mawazo ni very valuable hapa kijijini na wadau wengi wananufaika kutokana na points zenu. Tafadhali naomba tuweke hizi tofauti pembeni tuendeleze libeneke. SHUKRAN!

[Yo Yo]

YNIM nakusoma.....

[YournameisMINE]

	Quote:	Maane
	Kijana ni nyota nzuri kwa Tanzania. Naombeni mlio karibu naye huko mpeni maelekezo mazuri ya tabia hasa awapo huko ughaibuni. Awe mstaarabu especially unapohitilafiana na watu wa West Coast na few of East Coast!!! They are not good!! Pia heshima ni kitu kidogo sana na kinag'arisha jina la mtu!! Please, jitoleeni kuwa mentors wake tafadhali. Unajua kwa umri pia si mkubwa, ni ule umri unaosumbua vijana wengi hasa wakipata fedha kidogo, so please take him slowly maana hatutafurahi tuone anapatwa na ubaya huko. Kumbuka vifo vya watanzani vya mashaka hasa huko marekani. We are worried na ukizingatia hata investigation za vifo hivyo haichukuliwi serious inavyotakiwa. Jua binadamu wengine wana wivu sana. Ukweli ndiyo huo. Pia kama ni starehe aende sehemu descent. Wakuu kazi ya malezi fanyeni huko.

Wa kwanza kwa wivu ni Kuhani, una kumbuka alosema juu ya Dr. Masau?? vistori alivyovileta ni vya kizushi, vimekaa ki-tabloid na lengo ni kupakazia na si kujenga!!

Kuna watu wazima wana dili na dogo hapa U.S (no details hapo atleast from me) na isitoshe yupo close na familia yake!! Wabongo vijana anao deal nao sana ni jamaaz flani wa Springfield, MA ambao kwa kweli ni very decent. Hayo mengine ni kama ulivyosema ni utoto wa kwenye 20's, na haipo hivyo kama ilivyoletwa hapa na "Mr. Investigator."

Wabongo kwa ujumla tumejaa majungu na ndio maana nchi bado ipo kwenye karne ya 18....