What Next for Sani Ibrahim
Sani Ibrahim is hoping to make the most out of the 2003-2004 junior college basketball season.
Ibrahim, a 6-11 center from Gulf Coast C.C. in Panama City, Fla., played his freshman year at the College of Southern Idaho. Then, he declared for the NBA Draft and later withdrew.
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JUCO Junction caught up with Gulf Coast Head Coach Jim Hatfield this past weekend at a jamboree in Georgia, and we got his input on Ibrahim's situation.
"I am not sure about the NCAA rule, but high school kids and college kids to pull their names out, so I don't know why they wouldn't allow a junior college kid to do that," he said.
Ibrahim will play this winter at Gulf Coast. If he is OK to go the Division I route and can graduate, that could be an option for the Nigerian big man. Otherwise, he could wind up looking at the professional ranks once again, either here in the United States or abroad.
"We've had a lot of people come in and express interest," Hatfield said. "People that recruited him in high school, like Alabama, Florida State and Auburn."
"His thing will be graduating and seeing what his options are, Hatfield continued. "He has a chance to be a summer school graduate, but his ultimate goal is to be in the NBA."
Hatfield likes the offensive skills that Ibrahim brings to the table at Gulf Coast. He is hoping that Ibrahim can bring the same focus on the defensive side of the basketball.
"Offensively, his game is really good," the coach said. "When he's shooting that 17 to 18 foot jump shot, he's got good one on one moves, and back to the basket he's really good."
"Defensively, we want him to get that same intensity," Hatfield continued. "He competes, and I am really pleased with Sani, he's got a future."
The Milwaukee Bucks were in Georgia on Sunday to scout Ibrahim, and NBA "Superscout" Marty Blake has called Gulf Coast to request a schedule.
JUCO Junction plans on catching Ibrahim in action again during the regular season, so keep it here for the latest.