BLACK RUSSIAN
If the NBA does not come calling, will Alex Aidediran use his Russian citizenship to fulfill his hoop dreams?

Sam PERKINS
for

At 6-8, 260 pounds, and resembling a walking house with dreadlocks, Alex Adediran stands out in a crowd, stands out for a lot of different reasons.

Easily the most unique fact about Adediran is that he possesses Russian citizenship.

“My mother is Russian and my father is Nigerian and they met at a Russian University. My father needed help in Russian Language and my mother needed help in math, and they we’re both getting their PHD’s, My father was helping my mother in math, and my mother was helping my father in Russian,” explained Adediran.

After spending his childhood in Russia, Adediran moved to the US with his family when he was thirteen, but has kept both his Russian accent and, more importantly his Russian citizenship.

“I would like to go to Russia and play over there, or in another premiere league, and my goal is to one day make the Russian Olympic team,” said Adediran.

“I’ve had contract offers from teams in Europe ever since I graduated,” said Adediran, adding “most teams can only carry a few Americans, so I’ve been getting offers because I don’t count as an American.”

However, Adediran has declined every...

Continued...

<<BACK | 1 | 2 | 3 | NEXT>>