Ansu Sesay
Encyclopedia
Ansu Martin Sesay (born July 29, 1976 in Greensboro, North Carolina
) is an American
professional basketball
player, formerly in the NBA
.
in Houston, Texas
. He led his team to the school's first state title in basketball.
Sesay starred at University of Mississippi
, where he was named first-team all-SEC during both his junior and senior seasons and was the SEC's player of the year during his senior year.
in the 1998 NBA Draft
. After the NBA's lockout ended, he tore his ACL during a condensed training camp and spent the entire 1999 season on the injured list. Apparently, there were some questions about Sesay's attitude in Dallas. Allegedly, the Mavericks were unhappy that he did not sit on the bench for games while injured and then failed to participate in the team's summer league program in 1999. He then spent the 1999-2000 season in the CBA, playing 54 games for Rockford, where he averaged nearly 12 points and five boards per game.
The Mavericks invited Sesay back to camp in 2000 but early in the preseason was dealt along with guard Dana Barros
to Detroit for forward Loy Vaught
. The next day, the Pistons released Sesay, and he returned to the CBA, playing 13 games for Quad City and finishing with averages of 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
He signed for a brief period in training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers
in 28 September 2001, but did not see any official playing time with the team. He was cut after playing in just one game and was subsequently the second-round pick of the NBDL's Greenville Groove in the league's supplemental Draft. Playing for the NBDL's best team, Sesay displayed a multitude of talents and was one of the league's leaders in several categories, including scoring, rebounding, and assists. He was named first-team all-NBDL and the league's inaugural MVP, but the highpoint of Sesay's season had to be when he was called up on a 10-day contract by the Seattle Supersonics on 29 March 2002 as injuries ravaged their roster. Though Sesay was expected to just be a warm body, he joined the team's rotation the next night in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers a night later, playing 12 minutes and scoring seven points in his NBA debut. Three nights later, still less than a week from the NBA's minor league, Sesay was playing 28 minutes against the Houston Rockets and was on the court down the stretch. Throughout the rest of the month, Sesay played intermittently as the Sonics clinched a playoff berth. When the second season started, the return to health of forwards Rashard Lewis
and Vladimir Radmanovic
put Sesay on the bench for only garbage minutes in the series' first games. After Lewis went out again midway through game three, Sesay became a key part of the team's game four rotation. His eight rebounds in 26 minutes helped out a 91-79 victory which forced a deciding game five.
Ansu Sesay impressed enough during his eight-game stint with the Sonics, on a 46.3% shooting, that he made his way onto the team’s playoff roster and was part of Nate McMillan
’s postseason rotation. After the season, the Sonics re-signed the restricted free agent to a two-year deal, and Sesay was expected to be a part of the team’s rotation. Sesay’s season got off to a bad start when he strained his back during training camp, keeping him out of the majority of the Sonics preseason games. More of a concern in the long run for Sesay was his ability to make shots. By opening night, however, Sesay was in the lineup and played 16 minutes.
Sesay dropped off dramatically in the next season. During the month of November 2002,, he shot 29%, and scarcely improved to 30% in December 2002. Nonetheless, he remained valuable and stayed in the rotation because of his defensive ability. Sesay had the ability to defend shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards, and he saw action at each of the three positions. A natural small forward, Sesay started at power forward during the month of January when the Sonics were without injured Vladimir Radmanovic. Playing more regularly, Sesay’s touch began to return, and he shot 41.9% in January 2003 and an even 50% in February 2003.
The Sonics pair of trades at the trade deadline 2003 effectively ended Sesay’s season. He was placed on the injured list with a lower back strain and remained there for the rest of the season. The Sonics missed his versatility during that period. In addition to the three positions mentioned above, the Sonics coaching staff also discussed playing Sesay at the point when backup Kenny Anderson was injured during the early part of the 2002-2003 season.
He went on to play for the Golden State Warriors
(2004-January 2005).
He played 127 regular season NBA games with averages of 10.2 MPG, 3.2 PPG and 1.8 RPG on .434 field goal percentage and .640 free throw pecentage in 10.2 minutes per game. He also appeared in 4 playoff
games for the Sonics.
for the Sta. Lucia Realtors
in the summer of 2000, winning the Best Import award
. He led the Realtors to their first Finals appearance on 2000
, losing in 5 games to the San Miguel Beermen
led by Stephen Howard
.
In 2001, he also "served" a 1-day contract with Montepaschi Siena
, not appearing in any games. In January 2005, he joined Italian league
team Sedima Roseto
(Jan-Jun 2005). From 2005-07, Sesay stayed with Carpisa Napoli (Eldo Napoli in 2006-07)
, where he helped win the Italian Cup
title in 2006.
In 2007-08, Sesay signed with another Italian team, Armani Jeans Milano
, where he averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 14 Euroleague
games. On August 2008, ALBA Berlin
inked power forward Ansu Sesay to a one-year deal, with an option to extend it until the end of the 2009-10 season. Alba head coach tells that Sesay is the athletic power forward who can hit outside shots that they were looking for.
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, formerly in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
High school and college career
Sesay attended Willowridge High SchoolWillowridge High School (Houston)
Willowridge High School is a secondary school in Houston, Texas, United States and part of the Fort Bend Independent School District. Willowridge serves grades 9 through 12....
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He led his team to the school's first state title in basketball.
Sesay starred at University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, where he was named first-team all-SEC during both his junior and senior seasons and was the SEC's player of the year during his senior year.
NBA
Sesay was selected 30th overall by the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the 1998 NBA Draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
. After the NBA's lockout ended, he tore his ACL during a condensed training camp and spent the entire 1999 season on the injured list. Apparently, there were some questions about Sesay's attitude in Dallas. Allegedly, the Mavericks were unhappy that he did not sit on the bench for games while injured and then failed to participate in the team's summer league program in 1999. He then spent the 1999-2000 season in the CBA, playing 54 games for Rockford, where he averaged nearly 12 points and five boards per game.
The Mavericks invited Sesay back to camp in 2000 but early in the preseason was dealt along with guard Dana Barros
Dana Barros
Dana Bruce Barros is a retired American professional basketball player from the NBA. Before the NBA he played at Boston College, finishing as one of the school's all-time leading scorers....
to Detroit for forward Loy Vaught
Loy Vaught
Loy Stephen Vaught is a retired American professional basketball player who spent ten seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Los Angeles Clippers....
. The next day, the Pistons released Sesay, and he returned to the CBA, playing 13 games for Quad City and finishing with averages of 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
He signed for a brief period in training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in 28 September 2001, but did not see any official playing time with the team. He was cut after playing in just one game and was subsequently the second-round pick of the NBDL's Greenville Groove in the league's supplemental Draft. Playing for the NBDL's best team, Sesay displayed a multitude of talents and was one of the league's leaders in several categories, including scoring, rebounding, and assists. He was named first-team all-NBDL and the league's inaugural MVP, but the highpoint of Sesay's season had to be when he was called up on a 10-day contract by the Seattle Supersonics on 29 March 2002 as injuries ravaged their roster. Though Sesay was expected to just be a warm body, he joined the team's rotation the next night in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers a night later, playing 12 minutes and scoring seven points in his NBA debut. Three nights later, still less than a week from the NBA's minor league, Sesay was playing 28 minutes against the Houston Rockets and was on the court down the stretch. Throughout the rest of the month, Sesay played intermittently as the Sonics clinched a playoff berth. When the second season started, the return to health of forwards Rashard Lewis
Rashard Lewis
Rashard Quovon Lewis is an American professional basketball player, currently with the NBA's Washington Wizards as a small forward and a power forward.-Seattle SuperSonics:...
and Vladimir Radmanovic
Vladimir Radmanovic
Vladimir Radmanović is a Serbian professional basketball player who last played for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association...
put Sesay on the bench for only garbage minutes in the series' first games. After Lewis went out again midway through game three, Sesay became a key part of the team's game four rotation. His eight rebounds in 26 minutes helped out a 91-79 victory which forced a deciding game five.
Ansu Sesay impressed enough during his eight-game stint with the Sonics, on a 46.3% shooting, that he made his way onto the team’s playoff roster and was part of Nate McMillan
Nate McMillan
Nathaniel "Nate" McMillan is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers...
’s postseason rotation. After the season, the Sonics re-signed the restricted free agent to a two-year deal, and Sesay was expected to be a part of the team’s rotation. Sesay’s season got off to a bad start when he strained his back during training camp, keeping him out of the majority of the Sonics preseason games. More of a concern in the long run for Sesay was his ability to make shots. By opening night, however, Sesay was in the lineup and played 16 minutes.
Sesay dropped off dramatically in the next season. During the month of November 2002,, he shot 29%, and scarcely improved to 30% in December 2002. Nonetheless, he remained valuable and stayed in the rotation because of his defensive ability. Sesay had the ability to defend shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards, and he saw action at each of the three positions. A natural small forward, Sesay started at power forward during the month of January when the Sonics were without injured Vladimir Radmanovic. Playing more regularly, Sesay’s touch began to return, and he shot 41.9% in January 2003 and an even 50% in February 2003.
The Sonics pair of trades at the trade deadline 2003 effectively ended Sesay’s season. He was placed on the injured list with a lower back strain and remained there for the rest of the season. The Sonics missed his versatility during that period. In addition to the three positions mentioned above, the Sonics coaching staff also discussed playing Sesay at the point when backup Kenny Anderson was injured during the early part of the 2002-2003 season.
He went on to play for the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(2004-January 2005).
He played 127 regular season NBA games with averages of 10.2 MPG, 3.2 PPG and 1.8 RPG on .434 field goal percentage and .640 free throw pecentage in 10.2 minutes per game. He also appeared in 4 playoff
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
games for the Sonics.
Overseas
Sesay played in the Philippine Basketball AssociationPhilippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
for the Sta. Lucia Realtors
Sta. Lucia Realtors
The Sta. Lucia Realtors was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association.The Universal Robina Corporation team is one of the founding members of the PBA. Formerly known as Great Taste and Presto-Tivoli Ice Cream, they have won a total of 6 championships. Sta...
in the summer of 2000, winning the Best Import award
Philippine Basketball Association Best Import of the Conference Award
The Philippine Basketball Association Best Import award is given to the most outstanding non-Filipino on a team's roster, frequently referred to as the "import." Since imports are restricted to certain conferences, the award is a conference-long award, not a season-long award.-List of...
. He led the Realtors to their first Finals appearance on 2000
2000 PBA season
The 2000 PBA season was the 26th of the Philippine Basketball Association .-Notable occurrences:*PBA's TV partner, Vintage Television was absorbed by Viva Entertainment.*Batang Red Bull Energizers entered the league as an expansion team....
, losing in 5 games to the San Miguel Beermen
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
led by Stephen Howard
Stephen Howard (basketball)
Stephen Christopher Howard is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association. Howard played collegiately at DePaul University. He played four seasons in the NBA, from 1992 through to 1998....
.
In 2001, he also "served" a 1-day contract with Montepaschi Siena
Mens Sana Basket
Mens Sana Basket, more frequently referred to as Montepaschi Siena, is an Italian League professional basketball club from Siena. More precisely, it is the now-autonomous basketball section of the comprehensive sports club Polisportiva Mens Sana...
, not appearing in any games. In January 2005, he joined Italian league
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
team Sedima Roseto
Roseto Basket
Roseto Basket also known as Roseto Sharks and Pallacanestro Roseto 1946 was an Italian professional basketball team from Roseto, Abruzzo, Italy that was established in 1946....
(Jan-Jun 2005). From 2005-07, Sesay stayed with Carpisa Napoli (Eldo Napoli in 2006-07)
Basket Napoli
Basket Napoli is an Italian professional basketball club that is based in the city of Naples. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:...
, where he helped win the Italian Cup
Coppa Italia di pallacanestro maschile
The Italian Basketball Cup , or Coppa Italia, is an annual professional basketball competition between pro clubs from the Italian League.-History and format:...
title in 2006.
In 2007-08, Sesay signed with another Italian team, Armani Jeans Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
, where he averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 14 Euroleague
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
games. On August 2008, ALBA Berlin
ALBA Berlin
-Depth Chart:* Denotes injured player.-Championships:*German Championships: 8 *German Cups: 6 *Korać Cups: 1 -Notable players:- Season by season :-External links:...
inked power forward Ansu Sesay to a one-year deal, with an option to extend it until the end of the 2009-10 season. Alba head coach tells that Sesay is the athletic power forward who can hit outside shots that they were looking for.