J'can player optimistic despite NBA rejection

Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:06 PM

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by Livingston Scott Observer staff reporter

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Despite missing out on being an NBA second-round draft pick, Providence Frair College and Jamaican basketballer Ortiseweyinmi Efejuku still has his eyes firmly set on making it into the most prestigious league this summer.

Efejuku... people from NBA tell me I have talent

Efejuku, who trained with a number of NBA teams prior to the naming of the draft picks last Thursday, said he was disappointed after not being selected. However, he said that there was still an open window.

The six-foot-five-inch guard/forward who spoke to the Sunday Observer prior to the departure of the Jamaican team to the Caricom Basketball Championship in the British Virgin Islands, said he was disappointed because he thought a couple of the teams would have wanted him.

"I don't know, maybe they thought they should go with somebody else and take me up in a free agency if I did not get drafted," he analysed.

"So now I expected to be picked up in the free agency, which is sometimes better than being drafted in the second round because you get to pick where you go instead of a team picking you," he reasoned.

The 22-year-old player had training stints with the Portland Trailblazers, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and Washingston Wizards, "plus there were a couple of other teams interested as well", he confirmed.

"But maybe they were not looking for a guard, because some of the teams picked 'big men' from overseas who are not going to play right now. So maybe they did not want anybody for right now," he added.

Efejuku, who was born in the United States of a Nigerian father and Jamaican mother, Tony and Inez Efejuku, says his focus now is to win the CBC championship for Jamaica before returning to the US to see if he can seal an NBA deal for himself.

"In the time I will be giving my all to win the Caribbean Championship... but after that I'll be working out and training in Chicago with a trainer and I'll probably play the NBA Summer League if I can find a team.

"But I'm positive, because I think I can make it (to the NBA), because people from the NBA tell me that I have NBA talent... but I just need to work on some things and I'll be fine," he said.

Efejuku, who had his best season in his final year and was named the Jimmy Walker MVP by Providence Friars at their awards ceremony, averaged 15.7 points per game and finished 12th on the all-time scorers' list for the Friars.

He was also named Big East Player of the Week on March 1 of this year after impressive displays which include a career-high 31 points against Notre Dame on Febuary 18; 16 points versus No 1 seeds Pittsburgh three days later and 28 points against Rutgers on the 24th.

Before attending Providence, Efejuku played for Brewster Academy and helped them to a top 10 ranking in the 2004/2005 season when he averaged 18 points and eight assists.

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