Monday, March 14, 2011

The Nigerian Sensation

By Ray Glier
 
I saw a fascinating player in the Georgia Dome during the SEC Tournament. A Nigerian. He is 6-foot-11 and his name in Festus Ezeli. Remember him. Cheer for him.

Ezeli plays for Vanderbilt and his ego will fit in the toe area of his shoe. You know how some tall kids are too good to play in the post? Not this guy. He doesn’t want to bring the ball up; he doesn’t want to shoot 3s.

He gets in the low block and he stays there. He moves side to side, he hunts for position. Ezeli is a center. He knows he’s a center.

I mentioned his name to an NBA scout and before I could say another word the scout said, “Love him.” I turned around on press row to see the scout’s expressions behind me after he would make a play and they smiled and nodded.

That was it. Why? Ezeli has not been spoiled by summer basketball or ESPN highlights. He grew up playing soccer___”I was mediocre,” he says____and he didn’t get brainwashed into thinking he was something he was not.

When the Commodores lost to Florida in the SEC semifinals, Ezeli made 7 of 9 shots and nine points and no turnovers in 25 minutes. Usually when a big man is getting nine shots, his team is looking for him and he will fumble the ball.

Not this guy. He has big, sure mitts.

The thing is Vandy’s outside shooters were tired playing their third game in three nights. They should have thrown him the ball more inside. Instead, they shot 3s, instead of throwing it to their tree, and they lost.

Ezeli did not pout about not getting the ball more. That’s just another thing to like about him.

He is a junior; he’ll probably stay another year at Vandy. When he does come out, Ezeli will be a first-round pick and you will cheer all day for him.