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jokergreen0220 Offline

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04.01.2019 08:03
CHICAGO - The young man with broad shoulders and a bright smile leans back, relaxed in his chair, and crosses his muscular arms, Antworten

CHICAGO - The young man with broad shoulders and a bright smile leans back, relaxed in his chair, and crosses his muscular arms, because young men like him, with broad shoulders and bright smiles dont have much to worry about. Andrew Billings Jersey . Theyre big enough for every moment. The world and its opportunities should belong to him: Hes 23, 6-foot-6, and a recent graduate of Iowa State — and oh, this Brampton boy is headline news in Des Moines, Iowa. And if this was Des Moines, and the young man was sitting inside the Hilton Coliseum - where the Iowa State Cyclones play - hed be affectionately crushed by so many wearing so much cardinal and yellow, because they know him. Hes Melvin Ejim: No one has played more basketball games for Iowa State (135). Few Cyclones have ever been as successful on a basketball court (12th in scoring with 1,643 points). But this isnt Des Moines, this is a big gymnasium on Chicagos west side. Its the second day of the NBA combine and in this large gym are plenty other large, young men with huge reputations from other corners of America. And they want to steal Melvins dream. Because in front of NBA general managers and scouts there are no pep bands to proclaim Ejims college achievements; all he has are his broad shoulders and a basketball - his tools to answer the crucial question: Who is Melvin Ejim? But dont they not know him already? "I dont think they knew as much about me," Ejim says, and his smile turns into a sneer. "If anything, people knew about me more in the Big 12 (NCAA conference), and everybody appreciated what I did, but it was still kind of downplayed. "But I think once I got the Big 12 Player of the Year, and I beat out Andrew Wiggins - who is a phenomenal player - people started to realize: Wait, Wiggins was in that league? Marcus Smart was in that league? Joel Embiid was in that league? And THIS guy got the Big 12 Player of the Year? It solidified for people: Well he might actually be pretty good, but it still left some doubt in people." Doubt? What kind of doubt? There was Ejim on Day 1, fluttering along the true NBA 3-point line, hitting more shots from distance than any other prospect. Then on Day 2 hes screaming on the court, communicating, waving his arms, exploding from one end to the other, making himself too loud and too energetic to be forgotten. Meanwhile, his fellow high-ranked Canadians, Tyler Ennis and Nik Stauskas, decided to participate in only selective drills. And Wiggins, Embiid, and Jabari Parker, the provisional Top three prospects ahead of June 26s NBA draft, decided to skip the event entirely. Doubt? There cant be any doubt of Melvin Ejims passion and potential. Does he really have to sell himself so hard to get drafted? "I think he does," says Matt Kamalsky, director of operations for the college prospect website DraftExpress. "When you look at guys getting drafted who are significantly older than their class, its very rare for guys over 23/24-years old to get picked at all, let a lone make a team, and then be successful at all in the NBA. "But just because it hasnt happened doesnt me it wont work for him." Its not a unique perspective: Too old and too small are ubiquitous descriptions of Ejims flaws in most scouting reports. He spent four years at Iowa State, while Wiggins, Ennis and Stauskass immediate talent created immediate hype. The highest Ejim is projected to be selected is somewhere in the mid-to-late second round. After the Top 30 draft picks, however, there are little-to-no guaranteed contracts. But criticism and long odds wont blunt Ejims smile. Defiance somehow makes it brighter. "People say Im too old, because on the paper it says Im 23 and the other guy is 22 and were born in the same year— its silly," Ejim says. "They say stay in college for four years, and I wasnt going to get any younger by staying. Its part of the process. "The undersized thing, Ive been hearing that from Day 1. That has kind of been overplayed now. Theyre saying Im undersized because they have to, because there is nothing else to say. Can you say I cant shoot well enough because I think I proved that [on Day 1 of the combine]. What are they going to say? That I didnt do well enough on the perimeter? Thats what they do here, they criticize—they want to evaluate." And Ejim wants to be evaluated. He wants to be poked and prodded and tested, again and again. He graduated with a history major and business minor, and in the future he wants to go to law school. But thats tomorrow. Today, he measures his growth with every shot he attempts, and every defensive challenge. He can feel himself growing into an NBA player. "A lot of people dont think I can shoot from the perimeter, and a lot of people dont think I can defend the perimeter," he says. "Im just trying to prove them wrong, and I think that is just the first step. Letting them know I can be a knockdown shooter. I can space the floor. I did it in college and being able to translate that to the (NBA) 3-point line — just showing people that I have the capability to do that, the capability to play on the perimeter as a [small forward] and it was gratifying." "Just listening to him talk its very obvious - and its not with all these guys - he knows what he needs to do in order to put himself in the best position to get drafted," Kamalsky says. "Guys dont have that kind of degree of self-awareness and maybe that maturity is a positive." And maturity, and perspective are Ejims greatest strengths. He came to the combine not just to show, but to tell. He wonders: Why would a general manager just obsess over a freakish, young talent that needs constant work? When here he is, learning, adapting, and thriving. Ejim remembers those early, early mornings - sometimes 6 am - walking or biking or busing to the Brampton or Mississauga YMCA. Sometimes hed have to bring his brothers health card and pretend to be someone else, because money was too tight for a membership, and one person can only have so many guest passes. And most of the time young Melvin wouldnt even get on the court; hed be off to side with a ball, watching his uncle and his uncles friend play, listening whenever he was told to: "Melvin, work on your handles." And he grew bigger and stronger and better, but he was still often an inch or inch and a half shorter than many others. So he worked and worked, from Amateur Athletic Union basketball to the NCAA. He counts his uncle, David, AAU coach Mike George (now his agent) and Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, as part of his inner circle because they ingrained in him the everlasting directive; and if you listen to older, wiser Melvin long enough the mantra hits you like his smile: "I still think I can do a better job of being a better player. Solidify in peoples mind that Im a player, that Im good, that Im good enough." Those ranked higher than Ejim completely agree. "Ive worked out with him," says Ennis, projected to be selected in the Top 20. "I think he really shoots the ball better than people expect. At Iowa State he was playing more (small forward), going forward I think he has the ability to dribble the ball well enough to move to the wing." "We (Michigan) played Iowa State this year - Melvins a beast," says Stauskas, also potentially a Top-20 pick. "Hes a little bit undersized. Hes a guy I feel is going to go to workouts and really impress some people." Only when asked about workouts and meetings with NBA teams does Ejim become skittish. Dig deep enough and he reveals a meeting with the Utah Jazz next week, and then maybe three or four other teams after that. But each session is like a little secret, meant only for him. "My dream is to play in the NBA, to be a contributing part of a NBA team and continue to work, and be a solid player - the best player I can be. However I get there, time will tell." Maybe its why hes smiling: This is Melvin Ejims moment, after all. His big shoulders can bear it. Clint Boling Jersey . LOUIS -- The Atlanta Braves used a two-run rally in the ninth to end their road trip with a win. Clark Harris Jersey . The 7-foot-1 Hawes, who is in the final year of his contract, is averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds, both career highs, and shoots 40 per cent from 3-point range. The 25-year-old Hawes is in his seventh NBA season. http://www.officialcincinnatibengalsfootball.com/authentic-joe-mixon-jersey-womens . Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States made lighter work of her day as she beat 2009 champion and Swiss wild card Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-3. Two seeds fell: No. 4 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium lost to Katarzyna Piter of Poland 6-4, 6-2, and No. MINNEAPOLIS -- Adrian Peterson thought his Minnesota Vikings had won and lost the game against Chicago about three times during a dizzying, exhilarating overtime. When the game was finally over, after two missed kicks and two made kicks, three changes of possession and one premature celebration, he walked off the Metrodome turf a winner, the nagging groin injury that has bothered him for weeks feeling just fine. Peterson carried the ball 35 times for 211 yards and Blair Walsh kicked a 34-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Vikings to a wild 23-20 victory over the Bears on Sunday. Walsh drilled his winner after a 39-yarder earlier in overtime was wiped out by a penalty and a 57-yard miss put the Bears in prime position to close it out. But the normally reliable Robbie Gould missed a 47-yarder for the Bears, leaving the door open for the tireless Peterson. He rushed nine times for 51 yards in overtime alone, including 30 on the final drive that set up Walsh. "Youre at an all-time high because you think youve got a victory, and then youre sitting there waiting for what the call is and youre at an all-time low," Peterson said. "Ultimately we were able to give him another opportunity and he nailed it." Matt Cassel threw for 243 yards with one touchdown and one interception in relief of the injured Christian Ponder for the Vikings (3-8-1), who tied Green Bay last week. Petersons fifth career 200-yard game helped him surpass 10,000 yards for his career in just 101 games, third fastest to do it behind Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown. "Its been my mindset since I was young to be the best to ever play," Peterson said. "Youve got to believe it in order to accomplish it." Goulds wife gave birth to the couples first child at 1 a.m. Sunday, and he hopped a flight from Chicago shortly after to get to the game. He said that wasnt an excuse for the miss. "It was one of the greatest days of my life, and Im happy for my wife and my little boy," Gould said. "Sorry I couldnt do it for my teammates like I did for my wife this morning." Alshon Jeffery had 12 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears (6-6), who led by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter. Matt Forte rushed 23 times for 120 yards and Josh McCown was 23 of 36 for 355 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for the Bears. Greg Jennings had seven catches for 78 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings and was halfway up the tunnel early in overtime when Walshs 39-yard field goal sailed through the uprights for an apparent victory. But Rhett Ellison was flagged for a facemask while trying to block Devin Hester. Jennings had to husttle back on to the field for another play on third down to try to gain some of the yardage back. Jordan Willis Jersey. Peterson was thrown for a 3-yard loss and Walshs 57-yard field sailed wide left, giving the Bears the ball just across midfield. Chicago drove into Vikings territory before a decision by rookie head coach Marc Trestman cost it dearly. On second-and-7, the coach elected to let Gould try a 47-yarder. His kick went wide right, giving the Vikings new life. "We were definitely in range, and I didnt want to at that point in time risk a possible penalty that would set us back, similar to what happened on the other side, or a fumble of some kind," Trestman said. "Something unique." With their second straight tie looming, Cassel hit Jennings for 17 yards, and the offence then rode Peterson to get Walsh in position for a second try. He buried this one, capping an unlikely comeback and prompting owner Zygi Wilf to rush the field and hug his players. Jeffery caught touchdown passes of 80 and 46 yards in the third quarter to give the Bears a 20-10 lead. Vikings defensive back Chris Cook was ejected after the second one for bumping side judge Laird Hayes while arguing for a pass interference call. But just when Jeffery had seemed to suck the life completely out of the Metrodome, Peterson delivered a jolt against a Bears defence missing five starters. Peterson ran through four tacklers for a 19-yard run that set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Cassel to Jennings with 7:41 to play in regulation. The Vikings faced fourth-and-11 from their 8 with under two minutes to play, but Cassel positioned them for Walshs 30-yard field goal with 24 seconds to play. Amazingly, both teams still had a chance to win in regulation after that kick. Goulds 66-yard prayer in the final seconds landed in Cordarrelle Pattersons arms in the end zone, but his bid to match the miracle return from Auburns Chris Davis that beat Alabama on Saturday was stuffed. When it was all over, the Bears were in no mood to talk about the craziness of the game. "Weve got to put up a win in the win column. ... The standings dont matter if you dont win football games," said McCown, playing again for the injured Jay Cutler. NOTES: Bears DE Julius Peppers had 2 1/2 sacks. ... Bears LB Khaseem Greene had an interception. ... Ponder left in the second quarter with a concussion. ... Patterson had a 33-yard TD run in the second quarter, making him the first Vikings rookie to have score on a return, a catch and a run in the same season. ... Vikings LB Erin Henderson dressed but did not play after it was revealed last week he was arrested for DWI and possession of a controlled substance. 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