nba - Haiti Observer Blog

Here is another Haitian who makes us proud. Skal Labissière who is a former basketball player of Collège Canado Haïtien was picked on Thursday, June 23 to become a member of the Sacramento Kings team. Skal Labissière currently stands at 6'11" and weighs 225 pounds. He averaged 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He demonstrates his strongest strength in offense. There were some questions raised prior to his selection on whether or not Labissière would be a good fit for the Sacramento Kings team or whether or not he would be selected in the draft.

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) and its affiliate, South Florida's Miami Heat, have launched a kids' recreation center, devoted to technology and academics. Called the NBA Cares Learn and Play Center (LPC), it is housed in Little Haiti Cultural Complex. The rec center project falls within the NBA Cares program, committed to offering youngsters a welcoming environment where they can play and learn what their interests in life are. NBA big-wigs, past and present players, cheerleaders, and students came out for the grand opening ceremonies.

The play center in Little Haiti is a state-of-the-art space, devoted to technology, academics, and entertainment. It will be equipped with the latest technology: big-screen TVs, laptops, printers, and tablets. A reading corner will be available, with an inventory of books and a slew of children's games. The NBA has partnered with State Farm and Samsung to remodel the play space. To the kids' amazement the space is done up in a Miami Heat theme.

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In a persistent effort to attract private investment for the reconstruction of Haiti, post the 2010 earthquake, Prime Minister (PM), Laurent Lamothe, and President of Haiti, Michel Martelly, hosted the Philanthropic Summit on 3/09/2013.

Martelly and Lamothe spoke at the glamorous event at the Miami Ritz Carlton Hotel Coconut Grove, arranged by the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA). Lamothe gave the keynote address to a roomful of potential investors, among them retired NBA Hall of Famers Glen Rice, Penny Hardaway, and Haitian-American Olden Polynice, Haiti's newly-named goodwill ambassador.

Lamothe stressed the government of Haiti's actualization of the 5E Initiative (Education, Rule of Law, Energy, Employment, and Environment), particularly education. He claimed that more than a million children under the Universal Schooling Program Free and Compulsory have been attending school, but more funding is needed to continue the 5E program.

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Samuel Davis Dalembert is a professional basketball centre player. He plays for the NBA's Houston Rockets. He is famous for his shot blocking ability.

Dalembert was born in May 10,1981in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He stayed in Haiti for 14 years and later moved to Montreal. At Montreal, he began his professional basketball career. He played in Montreal and Quebec.

He schooled at Seton Hall University where he had an opportunity to play college basketball. Because of his shot blocking ability, Samuel Davis Dalembert is one of the top NBA players in this category. He has recorded an average of around two blocks for every game he has played.

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Quincy Douby is one of the few Haitian-American basketball players who have made a great career out of his great playing modes. He was born in the states though his parents had moved into the states from Haiti during one of those high tempered political moments when everyone's lives were in danger. They had therefore decided to flee to safety and thus ended up in the states.

Quincy Douby attended college at Rutgers where he joined the college`s basketball team and where he recorded a great show of talent. As a freshman at Rutgers, Douby scored 35 points to lead the team to an overtime victory in the NIT semifinal game. This led to hi naming in the Big East All-Rookie Team by the end of his freshman year.

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Born in November 21, 1964, Olden Polynice is remembered as having been the most evident Haitian athlete in the U.S history. Playing as a centre in professional basketball, Olden Polynice played for the NBA for 15 seasons. He has starred for several National Basketball Association teams; Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz.

Olden Polynice was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and did his high school education in All Hallows High School in the Bronx. His passionate for the basketball game saw him participate in college basketball at the University of Virginia.

After college, Polynice played for Hamby Riminini of Serie A in 1986-87. In 1987 Chicago bulls selected him for the team as the 8th overall in the years' NBA draft. He was later traded with Scottie Pippen to the Seattle SuperSonics.

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Mario Antoine Elie was born on 26th November 1963 in New York City. He had a brother named Clark. His sister is named Nancy. Mario is remembered as a legendary in American basketball. He has been a professional basketball player and a coach at different times in his life. He is currently the assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets.

Mario Antoine Elie has his name Mario adopted from the famous opera singer Mario Lanza. Elie was raised up in New York but he is of Haitian heritage. As soon as he graduated from college his father passed on. Elie lost his brother Clark too in a car accident in 2009. Clark was also a basketball player though not at a professional level.

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Mario Elie is one of the Haitian nationalities who have made it big in the US. He was born in Haiti but raised in the US since his parents had moved into the country as they tried to seek refuge during one of the political momentums in Haiti where there were constant attacks and demonstrations. He grew up to be a great basketball player where he made it a hobby which eventually turned out to be a career.

Elie has over the years been engaged to the game both as a player and as a coach hence has a lot of experience in the basketball game. He at first got drafted into the NBA in the season of 1990-91 playing three games for the Philadelphia 76ers, while on a 10-day contract. He then proceeded to some other clubs and teams where he got to be largely and widely known for his abilities where he showed off what he can do and what his real talent is in the field.

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In Haiti, sports play an important role in nation building and country pride, most especially soccer. In hopes of uplifting the spirit of Haitians after the earthquake, former NBA player and Yonkers icon Jim Bostic and former U.S. President Bill Clinton are now trying to revive basketball in the country. Sports are one of the most significant human activities in the world. Almost every individual and nation anticipates for such events and tries to excel in different fields.

The pair teamed up after a chance meeting at a Haitian hotel they were both staying at. Clinton is currently working on his projects for Haiti through his foundation, the William J. Clinton Foundation. Bostic, on the other hand, has been involved in several missions in the country since the earthquake.

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