Papa Lo: The Forgotten Senegalese Minuteman

When recalling a player like Papa Lo, we can't turn to numbers or stats. Papa was a mediocre bench player for Umass at best, and to turn this story over to a discussion of points, blocks and minutes would be a waste of time. Papa, whether he knew it or not, played an important role for the Umass Minuteman in his one year he gave as a freshman second stringer. He was the wild card, the oddball, the goober. Fans love this type. If he scores or gets a block or even gets a rebound then the whole place goes nuts. As a coach, putting the goofy guy in is a way to fish for momentum. If the guy gives you nothing after after five or six minutes then sub in a well-rested and better player.

The trouble with players like Lo (tall, lanky, slightly uncoordinated) is that there is no place for them in the NBA. Players these days are too athletic. There is no advantage to being tall when other guys are both tall and built. Lo didn't have to travel to the NBA to experience this. The Atlantic 10 has enough big men to make Lo feel like the string bean that he is. Another thing that Papa does not have going for him is that he doesn't like basketball. He'd actually rather be playing soccer, but unfortunately he's better at basketball. Playing collegiate hoops was his ticket to a free education in the states, and for Lo, becoming an engineer and contributing to the development of Senegal is his greatest ambition.

If Lo was driven enough to try his luck in the NBA his chances would still remain bleak. However, there are sources of inspiration that Papa may consider looking into:

Wilt Chamberlain a.k.a "Wilt the Stilt"

Chamberlain was 7'1 and very lanky. He did eventually bulk up significantly but he remained a gangly superstar throughout the 1960's. Chamberlain's physical development could be instructional to a young player like Papa Lo. Take a look at Chamberlain in high school......

Players in the NBA today just look more comfortable with the basketball. They also appear to be more comfortable in their uniforms. Chamberlain looks like he can barely dribble in those first few shots, but by looking at his career it is easy to observe that he possessed the raw talent that Lo lacks. Papa Lo similarly does not look comfortable in his uniform or with the basketball. Neither did this guy, but he could do this:

Manute Bol

At 7'7 Bol was the tallest guy to ever enter the NBA before George Muresan entered the league years later. Bol, like Lo, was raised in Africa and came to the States to play basketball. Lo is nowhere near Bol in terms of height, but they are both total goofballs that are primarily out there to block shots. Bol however, is a three-point shooter? Yes, that's right. If Manute Bol hits a three to put the 76ers up late in the fourth then they will win that game. Manute's awkwardness turns into genius.

I don't think Papa Lo has what it takes to be a "Wilt the Stilt" or a Manute Bol, but that is not to say I don't think he has come a long way with a sport that he feels impartial towards. I just root for guys like Lo because they're different.

So now we know that Papa Lo's potential is limited. But that wasn't the real point of all this. What I originally wanted to know was the whereabouts of Lo. After the 07-08 season at Umass he disappeared. Since then, it has come to my attention that he has taken a year off, he has married his wife Moumy, and he now lives with her in Rhode Island where he plays for Bryant University. He starts at center, but Bryant was the only Division one basketball school that was unable to lock down a single victory this past season.

After failing to respond to my e-mail in which I requested an interview, I decided to catch up with Papa in the only way I saw possible--his past. Seeing as how it was very difficult to find a photo that featured Lo's lower body, you can imagine that there is not much on this man. He did attend his English 112 in Bartlett hall.

Lo stood at 81 inches. That's ten inches taller than me. I have no problem going through the doors of Bartlett but for Lo, nothing was easy. It is my suspicion that he used to duck through these doors on his way to class.

It is beyond suspicion and indeed fact that Papa Lo was one of the only students to use the elevator in Bartlett. His Freshman writing professor recalls him speaking of the convenience and luxury of rising to the second floor twice a week. The doorway turned out to be a sufficient height for Lo which may have added to the elevator's charm.

Surely there have been other basketball players that have ducked under the front entrance of Bartlett, but there is a reason why I am not standing on a table and measuring their respective heights in a doorway. They will be forgotten and so will Papa Lo. So I ask you to please remember him. Remember the emphatic cheers that boomed from the crowd when he entered the game and remember what it felt like to have him come through with a block or a nice board. Unexpected yet deserving, and ultimately rewarding.