Mike005
02-12-2010, 02:29 PM
From interbasket.net (http://www.interbasket.net/news/2010/02/12/after-2003-nba-draft-ndudi-ebi-finds-way-in-europe/)
In amongst all the NBA castoffs plying their trade across Europe, one is often shown up as the poster boy for going professional too soon, but Ndudi Ebi is starting to show the talent that had scouts excited for his future back in 2003.
Ebi is now four years removed from the ultimate embarrassment, when he was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves a couple of years after being drafted 29th overall in the first round out of high school.
The London-born forward was talked of in the same breath as LeBron James and drafted ahead of such luminaries as Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa and Josh Howard.
Ebi had little impact in the US, eventually being waived in nonsensical fashion when the Wolves tried to send him down to the Developmental League despite the fact he was in his third season and was therefore ineligible.
Although it has taken a drop all the way to Lega Due in Italy with the Rimini Crabs, Ebi has been one of the top performers in the league this season and basketball predictions suggest he might just be restoring his hopes of a place in the British or Nigerian teams at the 2012 Olympics, for he is dual qualified.
The Crabs have not been having a particularly brilliant season ? ninth place with a 10-9 record ? but Ebi and Carlton Myers have been among the league?s best, with Ebi dominating on the boards, just as some scouts had expected he would in the NBA all those years ago.
He appears now to have grown up as a player, being inside the top 30 points scorers in Lega Due and well clear at the top of the rebounding standings as he averages over 13 boards per game ? at least three better than any other player ? as well as being second in blocks and shooting 67% from the floor.
A move back to Serie A could be on the cards at the end of the season, since he is under contract with Rimii only until June, but it does go to show that every player does have his level and persistence will pay off in the end.
In amongst all the NBA castoffs plying their trade across Europe, one is often shown up as the poster boy for going professional too soon, but Ndudi Ebi is starting to show the talent that had scouts excited for his future back in 2003.
Ebi is now four years removed from the ultimate embarrassment, when he was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves a couple of years after being drafted 29th overall in the first round out of high school.
The London-born forward was talked of in the same breath as LeBron James and drafted ahead of such luminaries as Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa and Josh Howard.
Ebi had little impact in the US, eventually being waived in nonsensical fashion when the Wolves tried to send him down to the Developmental League despite the fact he was in his third season and was therefore ineligible.
Although it has taken a drop all the way to Lega Due in Italy with the Rimini Crabs, Ebi has been one of the top performers in the league this season and basketball predictions suggest he might just be restoring his hopes of a place in the British or Nigerian teams at the 2012 Olympics, for he is dual qualified.
The Crabs have not been having a particularly brilliant season ? ninth place with a 10-9 record ? but Ebi and Carlton Myers have been among the league?s best, with Ebi dominating on the boards, just as some scouts had expected he would in the NBA all those years ago.
He appears now to have grown up as a player, being inside the top 30 points scorers in Lega Due and well clear at the top of the rebounding standings as he averages over 13 boards per game ? at least three better than any other player ? as well as being second in blocks and shooting 67% from the floor.
A move back to Serie A could be on the cards at the end of the season, since he is under contract with Rimii only until June, but it does go to show that every player does have his level and persistence will pay off in the end.