We’ve been following Ater Majok for a while (yes, 2008) here at A Stern Warning, from his eventual debut at UConn, to his withdrawal from the program and now to his drafting to the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Whilst many observers have questioned Majok’s apparent commitment at times, they have never queried his self-belief. And possibly that trait was one factor which led the Lakers to take a shot out of the blue at him with the 58th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft — a development that shocked many, particularly given Majok’s career-to-date. That career included a rise from the relative obscurity of Sudanese-refugee origins in Sydney’s south-west, to his short stint at UConn, to a gun-for-hire role with the Perth Wildcats and Gold Coast Blaze in the NBL.
Whilst Majok has shown huge potential, particularly on the shot-blocking side of things with his 7’7″ wingspan, he has yet to make earth-shattering impressions, even in the Australian basketball community. Thus the surprise at his drafting.
However, if you were to watch this workout video that Majok undertook in July with Joe Touomou in Los Angeles, most would agree that he appears to have a tantalising skill set for a versatile big man that can block shots and swing out to the perimeter.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7YyAR6OkFN0
Recently, also during the American Summer, Inside Hoops found Majok putting on a show at EBC’s Rucker Park in New York. Take a look.
Whether Majok gets a look with the Lakers will be interesting. But it appears that they could see him as a big three-man, with the unique ability to change a lot of shots — not unlike a Lamar Odom-type player. Once the lockout finally breaks, Majok’s trajectory will be watched with interest by many, including Australian Boomers coach, Brett Brown.
