A National Basketball Association record was set at the league’s June 23rd draft, with four international players selected in the first seven picks. Never before has the influence of foreign-born players been more evident in pro basketball’s top league. German-born Dirk Nowitzki recently led the Dallas Mavericks to their first NBA title, becoming the first European player to win the Finals MVP award in the process. Less than two weeks later, more than a dozen players who played overseas last season became part of NBA franchises.

A weak draft class could be the reason for the sudden influx of internationals. This is a result of a looming suspension of all league activities because of an owner-player dispute. Some college players decided to stay in school and not enter the NBA Draft because of the labor impasse. Although some of the NBA-ready athletes decided against going pro, the depth of talent coming from around the world is undeniable. Four Africa-born players were selected in the draft, including 2.06 meters tall (6’9”) forward Bismack Biyombo from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was the seventh pick overall. Biyombo’s incredible athleticism and defensive prowess make him an immediate weapon for Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats.  You can check out a post-draft video interview with Biyombo at this NBA link.

Although many of these prospects are extremely talented, the unpolished aspects of their game make them a risk to stay overseas or a coaching challenge to their NBA franchise. Biyombo, for instance, has been criticized for his lack of offensive ability for a post player. Although he can throw down some highlight-reel dunks in transition, he lacks the post-up game that is priceless in today’s game.

The wait for these players to reach their full potential is a calculated risk that NBA general managers consciously take. These risks can make front office personnel look like a genius (take Nowitzki for example) or cost them their reputations (see Darko Milicic). There is no question that international stars are becoming a bigger part of the American game, but it remains to be seen whether they are worth the large investment. These players come with a warning label, and it’s up to the NBA teams to heed that warning or not.

This blog post written by VOA intern Nicholas Berault.

South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius

The resiliency of South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius is unquestionable. After seeing what he has been through, some might even call it almost impossible. Pistorius was born in November 1986, and 11 months later doctors discovered he was missing bones in both of his lower legs. His legs were amputated below the knee, ending any hope of competing as a professional athlete for all but a select few. Pistorius is one of those few.

Now a decorated Paralympic sprinter, Pistorius has his eyes set on the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. While in the midst of qualifying events for the 2008 Beijing Games, Pistorius received a ban from the IAAF, track and field’s world governing body, saying he was forbidden to compete in able-bodied competitions. The IAAF said the carbon blades he runs on give him an advantage over able-bodied runners. Pistorius won an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but his preparation time had been taken away. He ran the 400 meters in 46.25 seconds in Switzerland, failing to beat the Olympic qualifying time of 45.55 seconds. After not qualifying for the 400 meters for the Beijing Games, “The Blade Runner” is prepared to beat the Olympic qualifying mark this time.

Pistorius competed in the 2011 Adidas Grand Prix, a premier qualifying event that was held in New York on June 11th. Although he finished 5th in the 400, he ran a personal best 45.69, very close to the Olympic qualifying mark. With about a year to go until the start of the London Games, Pistorius is still defying odds, and is closer than ever to achieving his Olympic dream. With the opportunity to reach his full potential this time around, the hopes are high for South Africa’s “Blade Runner.”

This blog post written by VOA intern Nicholas Berault.

Ernie Els holding the U.S. Open trophy in 1997

South African golf star Ernie Els has returned to Congressional Country Club here in the Washington area this week, the site where he won his second U.S. Open title in 1997. Els has had many changes in both his personal and professional life since that victory. Away from the course, Els married his wife, Liezl, in 1998, and they now have two children, Samantha and Ben. He also started the Els for Autism campaign to fund research of the disease after his son was diagnosed. The Els Center of Excellence is a $30 million plan to combine The Renaissance Learning Center with a research facility. This center is a charter school for autistic children, and the research facility would focus on curing and preventing the disease in the future.

All of this helps put in perspective what Els does in between the ropes. He has 35 wins on the PGA and European tours since that ’97 U.S. Open victory, including the 2002 British Open championship at Muirfield in Scotland. Earlier this year, Els was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, as he nears what could be the back nine of an illustrious career. However, Els’s recent struggles are a part of why coming back to Congressional is giving him hope.

Since winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2010, Els has just one victory worldwide, back home at the South Africa Open. Coming back to a course where he has prevailed in a major before just might help the 41-year-old get back on track. Patience is something he’s learned in all his years of professional golf. “The Big Easy,” Ernie’s unofficial nickname, will try to recapture his winning form with that patented, silky smooth swing of his. No matter what happens this weekend, Els will be known for his decorated career on and off the golf course, while maintaining the utmost class. A Sonny Side of Sports salute for Ernie Els!

Watch Ernie chipping in here at the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club:

This blog post was written by VOA intern Nicholas Berault.

Nwankwo Kanu

Top African stars gathered in Lagos June 11 for a tribute match in honor of Nwankwo Kanu, Nigeria’s two-time African Footballer of the Year.  The 34-year-old Kanu takes a bow from soccer as Nigeria’s most decorated footballer ever.

The tall, lanky striker captained Nigeria’s gold medal-winning soccer team at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.  At the club level, Kanu won several big honors, including a UEFA Champions League title with the Dutch club Ajax; a UEFA Cup crown with the Italian club Inter Milan; two English Premier League championships with Arsenal; and three FA Cup Winners Medals – one with Portsmouth and two with Arsenal.

At the international level, Kanu’s 86 appearances for Nigeria’s national team, “The Super Eagles,” ties him with the late Muda Lawal as the most capped Nigerian players of all-time.  Kanu scored 13 goals for “The Super Eagles” and played at three World Cups: France 1998, Japan-South Korea 2002 and South Africa 2010.

Off the pitch, Kanu should also be saluted for his humanitarian endeavors.  Shortly after winning the Olympic gold medal in 1996, he was diagnosed with a serious heart defect and underwent surgery in the USA.  This trying experience led to him founding the Kanu Heart Foundation, which helps young African children with heart problems.  Nwankwo Kanu also helps African children in his role as a UNICEF ambassador.

Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso

The future looks bright and lucky for undefeated Nigerian prizefighter Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso (18-0, 16 KOs). The 26-year-old world welterweight contender has been based the past few years in Australia, but he recently moved to Los Angeles, where he’s being guided by Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

Nnamdi “Hollywood” Moweta

In an interview with Nnamdi “Hollywood” Moweta, VOA’s undisputed Reigning Prince of Pugilistics, “Lucky Boy” said he definitely feels lucky to be taught by someone like Roach, who is also the trainer for Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.  Omotoso said it’s a dream come true to have Roach in his corner.

Australian boxing promoter and trainer Murray Thomson was in Omotoso’s corner in Australia.  “Lucky Boy” described Thomson as a good man who helped him become a top-ranked welterweight, but to reach his full potential, he had to come to the USA and get more exposure and bigger paydays.

“The way to move forward is to come to America,” says Omotoso.  “If you’re a fighter, and you want to become a world champion, you have to be in the United States.  And you have to train in the USA and fight in the USA.”

Looking back on his 18-bout pro career, “Lucky Boy” says one of his easiest fights came in 2008 against another African, Cameroon-born Samuel Colomban.  Omotoso won a 10-round, unanimous decision.
Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso says one of his favorite fighters is Floyd Mayweather Jr., who will take on fellow-American and WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz September 17th. Only time will tell if Omotoso wins a world title like Mayweather, one of the top pound-for-pound boxers of his generation. But Freddie Roach, for one, is very optimistic about Omotoso’s world-class skills in the ring: “He’s a great prospect and I think we’re gonna have a new Nigerian champion on our hands very soon.”

Rafael Nadal serving at 2011 French Open

When Rafael Nadal raised his sixth French Open trophy June 5, he also vaulted himself into the discussion of the all-time tennis greats. He joined Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg as the only men to have won double digit Grand Slam titles. He also tied Borg for the most French Open titles in history. The best part is, he’s only 25 years old. At this point in Federer’s career, he had won only nine of his record 16 Grand Slam championships. If Rafa keeps up his pace, who knows how many he can win?

How can Federer be considered the greatest of all time, when he is not even the best player in his own time?

While Federer will be worshipped for his graceful, flowing style of tennis, Nadal is the intimidating, powerful force that has bested Federer even in his prime. Once only a strong clay court presence, Rafa has evolved his skills to the point where he has at least one of every Grand Slam title, including two at Wimbledon where he struggled for years. With the Swiss maestro Federer turning 30 this August, his best tennis might be behind him, although he has shown he can still compete. Whether or not he can still win Grand Slams is a completely different story now, though. His last Grand Slam title came more than a year ago, at the 2010 Australian Open.

Wimbledon this year figures to be the answer to a glaring question in the world of professional tennis. Can Nadal keep playing at this high level and defend his title? When Rafa is playing his best tennis, no one can beat him. He wears opponents down and then finishes them off without remorse. But, as they say, that is why you play the game. Only time will tell if Nadal can move his name from the all-time greats discussion, and into the greatest of all time one. 

Check out Nadal winning match point against Federer and falling to the red clay at Roland Garros at the 2011 French Open.

This blog post written by VOA Sports intern Nicholas Berault.

Chinedu Offor

Here’s a Sonny Side of Sports salute for my longtime VOA colleague Chinedu Offor, who has left the Voice of America and returned to Nigeria to take a new job as spokesman for the Imo State governor.

I’ll miss Chinedu’s sporty banter during my show, especially when he would “sing the Blues” for “The Blues” of Chelsea, his favorite football club.

You can check out Chinedu “singing the Blues” and wearing his Chelsea FC jersey in this video.

Chinedu is an avid soccer fan and I’m sure when he’s not doing official business in Nigeria he’ll be perusing the sports pages for the latest tidbits about Chelsea and “The Super Eagles,” Nigeria’s national football team.

Best of luck to Chinedu in his new job.

Part of the mystery surrounds Biyombo’s age.  Officially, he was born August 28, 1992, in Lubumbashi, a city in the southern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, near the DRC’s border with Zambia and Angola.  Some NBA scouts, though, believe Biyombo is older than 18, perhaps partly based on his facial features and muscular, developed physique.  At 2.08 meters tall and a chiseled 110 kilograms, Biyombo has impressed scouts with his athleticism and shot-blocking ability.

Former Angolan national team coach Mario Palma is credited with discovering Biyombo when he was 16 at a youth tournament in Yemen.  The Congolese player made his pro basketball debut earlier this year in Spain, where he appeared in 14 games for Fuenlabrada in the country’s top division, averaging 16.6 minutes, 6.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

In April, Biyombo earned accolades for his play at the Nike Hoop Summit in the northwestern U.S. state of Oregon.  You can check out some of his highlights in this video.

Bismack Biyombo has been compared with Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who is from Congo-Brazzaville.  Ibaka recently completed his second season in the NBA, and he showed big improvement from his rookie year, especially on the offensive end.  There are more than a few NBA teams that believe Biyombo can also develop his offensive skills and find a place in basketball’s premier league.