2007 IBN African Player of the Year

[mvblair]

Please use this thread - IBN Award Nominee Reference Thread, which will attempt to list all the 2007 accomplishments, awards and performances for each nominee. Please use it as your hub for information so as you can make the most informed-decision for the 2007 iBN Awards.

African Player of the Year nominees:
Keleena Azubuike
Luol Deng
Joaquim Gomes
Olímpio Cipriano
Luc Richard Mbah A Moute
Ime Udoka
Marques Houffman
Rob Thomson
Ahmad Ismail

[HoopNightmare]

African Player of the Year nominees:
Keleena Azubuike
Luol Deng
Joaquim Gomes
Olímpio Cipriano
Ime Udoka
Marques Houffman
Rob Thomson
Ahmad Ismail

Loul Deng was born in Sudan but his current nationality is England. I don't thin he qualifies. I think the member has to atleast play on a African Countries National team.

[stuart]

And your nominees are:

Kelenna Azubuike - Golden State's 7.1 ppg player who signed a new shiny new NBA contract over the summer

Olímpio Cipriano, Angola - AfroBasket Champion, Afrobasket Ideal Five.

Luol Deng, Sudan - Best season in NBA, averaging career-bests 18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals while shooting a career-high 51% from the field. Deng played a huge role part in Chicago Bulls successful season and put himself in the spotlight of great up-and-coming players.

Joaquim Gomes, Angola - Afrobasket MVP, Afrobasket ideal five, AfroBasket Champion.

Marques Houffman -

Ahmad Ismail - Egypt's 6'7" small forward who averaged almost 20 points per game with Riyadi in 2007 before scoring 19 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game at AfroBasket. He won the 2007 Lebanese Championship and was named to the 2007 All Africa Team.

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute, Cameroon - Led Cameroon to a surprise silver in Afrobasket, was named to Afrobasket Ideal Five; played for UCLA team that reached NCAA final four; currently plays for UCLA.

Rob Thomson - California-born player who moved to Rwanda with his girlfriend, then became naturalized so he could play for the Rwandan NT in Algeria. He's coaching the junior NT and now playing in Romania.

Ime Udoka - Holding a Nigerian passport, Udoka has moved from Lithuania to the US, scoring a contract with the Spurs that netted him a 17 point game in 2007.

[stuart]

General Reminder: we're not just looking at the player potential or just one performance in one tournament, but a combination of all their accomplishments, awards and performances throughout all tournaments, leagues, regional championships, local cups etc. in 2007 only. This is just a general reminder. Thanks

Stuart

[mvblair]

I would love to vote for Gomes, just because I'm a fan and he had a great season...but he's not even the best player on his club. Cipriano is better and Cipriano had a great year, even playing with the Detroit Pistons.

I just don't know enough about Ismail, other than he played out of his mind at the Africas in the summer. Thomson is my sentimental favorite, because if I were 7'1" with no chance of playing in a good league, I'd love to do what he did. Azubuike and Udoka played well last year, but Udoka needs to find another league if he wants to show his real talents.

I hate to vote for a Chicago Bulls player, but I think Luol Deng deserves to win this award. Yeah, maybe it's not fair that he's in the Africa Award since he represents Great Britain, but he still identifies himself with Sudan. He's a very smart player and an incredible athlete. Last season, he, Nocioni, and Gordon took Chicago deep into the Play-Offs and he proved how good he is. The only bad thing is that he's started the 2007-08 NBA season a little slow.

Deng gets my vote. Reluctantly.