Solomon Alabi
Encyclopedia
Makafan Solomon Alabi is a Nigeria
n professional basketball
player with the Toronto Raptors
of the NBA. He attended Florida State University
where he helped them to a third-place finish in the ACC standings and a trip to the NCAA Tournament where they fell to Gonzaga in the first round.The 7-foot-1 Alabi was a two-time ACC All- Defensive team selection in both his freshman and sophomore years. He played soccer before taking up basketball at age 15 .
at the age of 15. He attended high school
at Montverde Academy
in Montverde, Florida
where he was an all-state performer and helped lead Montverde Academy to a perfect 30–0 record during his senior season. He attended the same high school as Milwaukee’s Luc Mbah a Moute. Alabi started for the Nigerian Junior National Team at the 2007 Nike All-American camp. He also helped Nigeria qualify for the 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.
year, Alabi had to take a medical redshirt. As a redshirt freshman, he earned All-ACC
Freshman Team honors by averaging 8.4 points per game and leading the ACC in blocks with 2.1 per game. For his great shot-blocking ability, he was named to the ACC All-Defensive team in 2008–2009.
As a redshirt sophomore
, Alabi ranked 26th in the nation in blocked shots with an average of 2.39 while increasing his scoring average to 11.7 points per game. On April 23, 2010, he declared himself eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft
.
with the 50th pick, and traded to the Toronto Raptors
for cash considerations.
On July 8, 2010, he signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors assigned him to the Erie BayHawks
on November 15, 2010. He was recalled on December 9, 2010, sent back to Erie on January 6, 2011, and recalled once again by the Raptors on January 14, 2011. The Raptors assigned him to the BayHawks for a third time on March 9, 2011. Afterwards, Alabi was recalled back up to Toronto for a third time on April 5, 2011.
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Toronto
| 12 || 0 || 4.9 || .200 || .000 || .000 || 1.2 || .2 || .2 || .2 || .5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 12 || 0 || 4.9 || .200 || .000 || .000 || 1.2 || .2 || .2 || .2 || .5
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n 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 with the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
of the NBA. He attended Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
where he helped them to a third-place finish in the ACC standings and a trip to the NCAA Tournament where they fell to Gonzaga in the first round.The 7-foot-1 Alabi was a two-time ACC All- Defensive team selection in both his freshman and sophomore years. He played soccer before taking up basketball at age 15 .
Early life
Alabi grew up in Kaduna, Nigeria before moving to Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
at the age of 15. He attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at Montverde Academy
Montverde Academy
-Athletic Programs:...
in Montverde, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
where he was an all-state performer and helped lead Montverde Academy to a perfect 30–0 record during his senior season. He attended the same high school as Milwaukee’s Luc Mbah a Moute. Alabi started for the Nigerian Junior National Team at the 2007 Nike All-American camp. He also helped Nigeria qualify for the 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.
College career
After breaking his leg 10 games into his freshmanFreshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year, Alabi had to take a medical redshirt. As a redshirt freshman, he earned All-ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Freshman Team honors by averaging 8.4 points per game and leading the ACC in blocks with 2.1 per game. For his great shot-blocking ability, he was named to the ACC All-Defensive team in 2008–2009.
As a redshirt sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
, Alabi ranked 26th in the nation in blocked shots with an average of 2.39 while increasing his scoring average to 11.7 points per game. On April 23, 2010, he declared himself eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
.
Toronto Raptors
On June 24, 2010, Alabi was drafted 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...
with the 50th pick, and traded to the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
for cash considerations.
On July 8, 2010, he signed a contract with the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors assigned him to the Erie BayHawks
Erie BayHawks
The Erie BayHawks are a 2008-09 expansion team in the NBA Development League. The team plays its home games at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania.The "BayHawks" name is a reference to Presque Isle Bay, on which the city of Erie lies...
on November 15, 2010. He was recalled on December 9, 2010, sent back to Erie on January 6, 2011, and recalled once again by the Raptors on January 14, 2011. The Raptors assigned him to the BayHawks for a third time on March 9, 2011. Afterwards, Alabi was recalled back up to Toronto for a third time on April 5, 2011.
Illness
On June 27, 2010, it was revealed that Alabi had Hepatitis B, which was the reason for him sliding so far in the NBA Draft.Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 12 || 0 || 4.9 || .200 || .000 || .000 || 1.2 || .2 || .2 || .2 || .5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 12 || 0 || 4.9 || .200 || .000 || .000 || 1.2 || .2 || .2 || .2 || .5