Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
GREENBURGH,N.Y. –– He is just 15 years old and stands 7 feet, 1 inch tall.
His name is Pascal Chukwu and he is a rising sophomore at Trinity Catholic in Greenwich, Conn.
“He’s only been playing basketball for about a year, but he’s extremely coordinated [and] hardworking,” said Paul Staubi, Chukwu’s AAU coach with Greenburgh-based Team Frenji. “He has all the ingredients to become a very good player.”
A Nigerian, Chukwu will appear this summer at the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge at Philadelphia University July 5-9. He has already drawn interest from Big East, ACC, MAAC and A-10 schools.
“He is defintiely drawing interest,” Staubi said. “July will become a hot month. He’s going to get looked at by a lot of ACC, Pac-10 and Big East schools.
“He’s rated right now as a high-major prospect. He has a great attitude. If he works hard, he has a chance to be a very special player.”
Chukwu was discovered at the Ejike Ugboaja camp in Atlanta, and now lives in Rye, N.Y.
“During the camp a couple of players were selected at the camp to come here for school and I was among the players that was selected,” he said.
Like many Nigerians, he grew up playing soccer but soon gave basketball a try.
“Actually, I was playing soccer,” he said. “I’m like 7 feet tall so my [basketball] coach [at camp] was like, ‘You’re going to be a nice player’ and I’m pretty athletic. So he’s like, ‘Try it out.’ After I play it I like it.'”
Chukwu says his favorite player is Dwight Howard and his goal is to play American college basketball.
“Yeah,” he said. “Definitely.”
(Photo courtesy Conn Post)
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
GREENBURGH,N.Y. –– He is just 15 years old and stands 7 feet, 1 inch tall.
His name is Pascal Chukwu and he is a rising sophomore at Trinity Catholic in Greenwich, Conn.
“He’s only been playing basketball for about a year, but he’s extremely coordinated [and] hardworking,” said Paul Staubi, Chukwu’s AAU coach with Greenburgh-based Team Frenji. “He has all the ingredients to become a very good player.”
A Nigerian, Chukwu will appear this summer at the Reebok Basketball Breakout Challenge at Philadelphia University July 5-9. He has already drawn interest from Big East, ACC, MAAC and A-10 schools.
“He is defintiely drawing interest,” Staubi said. “July will become a hot month. He’s going to get looked at by a lot of ACC, Pac-10 and Big East schools.
“He’s rated right now as a high-major prospect. He has a great attitude. If he works hard, he has a chance to be a very special player.”
Chukwu was discovered at the Ejike Ugboaja camp in Atlanta, and now lives in Rye, N.Y.
“During the camp a couple of players were selected at the camp to come here for school and I was among the players that was selected,” he said.
Like many Nigerians, he grew up playing soccer but soon gave basketball a try.
“Actually, I was playing soccer,” he said. “I’m like 7 feet tall so my [basketball] coach [at camp] was like, ‘You’re going to be a nice player’ and I’m pretty athletic. So he’s like, ‘Try it out.’ After I play it I like it.'”
Chukwu says his favorite player is Dwight Howard and his goal is to play American college basketball.
“Yeah,” he said. “Definitely.”
(Photo courtesy Conn Post)
