Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Encyclopedia
Nana Papa Yaw Dwene "Pops" Mensah-Bonsu (born 7 September 1983) is a British
professional basketball player of Ghana
ian descent.
club Hackney White Heat
, Mensah-Bonsu moved to the USA. He spent his sophomore year of high school playing at the Hun School of Princeton
in Princeton, New Jersey
, then transferred to St. Augustine College Preparatory School
in Richland, New Jersey
. He majored in psychology
at the George Washington University
, where he played power forward
and center
. He was second team all-conference in 2004–05 and averaged around 15 points per game for his career. He was best known for explosive dunks and became a favorite of ESPN
SportsCenter
host Scott Van Pelt
, who would often mention Mensah-Bonsu at the end of telecasts.
At George Washington, Mensah-Bonsu helped lead the Colonials
to the 2005 NCAA Tournament
, where they lost in the first round. The next season was more successful, with the team ending the regular season 26–1 and being ranked in the national top 10 for the first time in 50 years. However, he suffered a knee injury near the end of the regular season and he did not return until the 2006 NCAA Tournament
, where the injury lessened his production. The injury probably led to Mensah-Bonsu not being drafted by an NBA
team. GW lost to Duke
in the second round of the NCAA tournament after defeating University of North Carolina Wilmington.
, and played for the Fort Worth Flyers
, the NBA D-League
affiliate of the Mavericks. He made the D-League All Star Team
and was MVP of the game, with 30 points and 7 rebounds.
Mensah-Bonsu was recalled to the Mavericks on 8 February 2007. He scored his first NBA points against the Atlanta Hawks
.
For the 2007–08 season, he played with the Italian Serie A
team Benetton Treviso
, averaging 8.3 points and 9.2 rebounds, shooting 59% from the floor and 77% from the free-throw line. During the following summer, there was much uncertainty whether he would return to the NBA or sign a contract in Spain, but he finally inked a one-year deal with the Spanish ACB team DKV Joventut. He was released in December due to a shoulder
injury, after averaging 18.5 points per game in 2 league matches.
In February 2009, Mensah-Bonsu began playing with the Austin Toros
, the San Antonio Spurs
NBA D-League affiliate. In his eight games with the Toros, Mensah-Bonsu averaged 26.6 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. On 25 February, he signed a 10 day contract with the San Antonio Spurs
. On 4 March 2009 the Spurs released Mensah-Bonsu.
In March 2009, the Toronto Raptors
picked up Mensah-Bonsu, giving him a guaranteed contract until the end of the season. Pops made his debut with the Raptors the same day, against the Miami Heat
, posting 4 points and 10 rebounds. He became a fan favorite with the Raptors.
On 21 August 2009, Mensah-Bonsu verbally agreed to a deal to join the Houston Rockets
for the 2009-10 season to provide frontcourt depth after the injury to Yao Ming
. The signing was made official on 3 September 2009. On 13 November Mensah-Bonsu was released from his Houston Rockets
contract, and on 17 November he re-signed with the Toronto Raptors
after being picked up on waivers. On January 5, 2010, he was released by the Raptors to make room for their returning injured reserves, and signed with PBC CSKA Moscow
.
He returned to the NBA, where he played for the New Orleans Hornets, but was released in January 2011. On February 17, 2011, he signed a contract with the French
team ASVEL Villeurbanne until the end of the season.
that qualified for the Eurobasket 2009
. During qualification he averaged 12.2 points, 10 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
In 2009 Mensah-Bonsu joined the British squad for their first appearance in the Eurobasket Tournament. The team lost all three of their first round games but were competitive throughout including a very close game with current world champions Spain.
Mensah-Bonsu was again part of the GB team in 2010 as they qualified for the Eurobasket 2011
with a 6-2 record. During qualification he led all Division A players with 13.5 rebounds per game, and also finished sixth in points (19.3), and blocks (1.3).
, Mensah-Bonsu's name means King (Nana) Father (Papa) Thursday Born (Yaw) Three (Mensah) Whale (Bonsu). In several interviews Mensah-Bonsu has suggested that his family earned its surname when an ancestor slew a whale
.
Mensah-Bonsu has a number of nicknames, including "King Whale Killer" from his name's meaning and "Big Daddy," popularized by Toronto play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin
and other commentators.
Having been born and brought up in North London
, England, Mensah-Bonsu is a big fan of Tottenham Hotspur.
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Dallas
| 12 || 0 || 5.9 || .647 || .000 || .389 || 1.8 || .0 || .1 || .0 || 2.4
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | San Antonio
| 3 || 0 || 6.7 || .714 || .000 || .714 || 3.3 || .0 || .3 || .3 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Toronto
| 19 || 0 || 13.8 || .354 || .000 || .683 || 5.4 || .3 || .4 || .2 || 5.1
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Houston
| 4 || 0 || 3.3 || .250 || .000 || .500 || 1.0 || .3 || .2 || .2 || 1.3
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Toronto
| 16 || 0 || 6.7 || .414 || .000 || .556 || 1.9 || .1 || .2 || .5 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 54 || 0 || 8.8 || .412 || .000 || .589 || 3.1 || .2 || .3 || .3 || 3.3
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
professional basketball player of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian descent.
Amateur career
After starting out as a junior at the English Basketball LeagueEnglish Basketball League
The English Basketball League is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League....
club Hackney White Heat
Hackney White Heat
Hackney White Heat is an English basketball team from the district of Hackney in London competing in the English Basketball League, Division 3. Established in 1999. Pops Mensah-Bonsu played for the team....
, Mensah-Bonsu moved to the USA. He spent his sophomore year of high school playing at the Hun School of Princeton
Hun School of Princeton
The Hun School of Princeton is a private, coeducational, secondary boarding school located in Princeton Township, New Jersey, United States. The school has a Princeton, New Jersey mailing address. The school serves students from grades 6 through high school. Currently, the headmaster is Jonathan...
in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, then transferred to St. Augustine College Preparatory School
St. Augustine College Preparatory School
St. Augustine College Preparatory School is an all-boys Roman Catholic four-year high school located in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township, New Jersey, United States...
in Richland, New Jersey
Richland, New Jersey
Richland is an unincorporated area within Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08350....
. He majored in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, where he played power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
and center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
. He was second team all-conference in 2004–05 and averaged around 15 points per game for his career. He was best known for explosive dunks and became a favorite of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
host Scott Van Pelt
Scott Van Pelt
Scott Van Pelt is an American sportscaster. He is an anchor for the 11 p.m. edition of SportsCenter on ESPN, the host of The Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio and has also covered various golf events for the network.-Early life:...
, who would often mention Mensah-Bonsu at the end of telecasts.
At George Washington, Mensah-Bonsu helped lead the Colonials
George Washington Colonials
The George Washington Colonials are the athletic teams of George Washington University. The school sponsors 21 varsity sports , the majority of which compete in the Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. The men's and women's water polo teams compete in the Collegiate Water Polo Association and the...
to the 2005 NCAA Tournament
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
, where they lost in the first round. The next season was more successful, with the team ending the regular season 26–1 and being ranked in the national top 10 for the first time in 50 years. However, he suffered a knee injury near the end of the regular season and he did not return until the 2006 NCAA Tournament
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
, where the injury lessened his production. The injury probably led to Mensah-Bonsu not being drafted by an NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
team. GW lost to Duke
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in the second round of the NCAA tournament after defeating University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Pro career
Mensah-Bonsu initially signed a two-year contract with the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, and played for the Fort Worth Flyers
Fort Worth Flyers
The Fort Worth Flyers is the name of a now defunct team of the NBA Development League minor league basketball expansion team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005-06 season. The decision was made by the NBADL to not operate this team for the 2007-08 season.- Franchise history...
, the NBA D-League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
affiliate of the Mavericks. He made the D-League All Star Team
NBA Development League All-Star Game
The NBA Development League All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game held by the National Basketball Association Development League . The D-League was founded in 2001 as the National Basketball Development League . The league adopted its current name at the start of the 2005–06 season...
and was MVP of the game, with 30 points and 7 rebounds.
Mensah-Bonsu was recalled to the Mavericks on 8 February 2007. He scored his first NBA points against the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
.
For the 2007–08 season, he played with the Italian Serie A
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
team Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
, averaging 8.3 points and 9.2 rebounds, shooting 59% from the floor and 77% from the free-throw line. During the following summer, there was much uncertainty whether he would return to the NBA or sign a contract in Spain, but he finally inked a one-year deal with the Spanish ACB team DKV Joventut. He was released in December due to a shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
injury, after averaging 18.5 points per game in 2 league matches.
In February 2009, Mensah-Bonsu began playing with the Austin Toros
Austin Toros
The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...
, the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
NBA D-League affiliate. In his eight games with the Toros, Mensah-Bonsu averaged 26.6 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. On 25 February, he signed a 10 day contract with the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. On 4 March 2009 the Spurs released Mensah-Bonsu.
In March 2009, the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
picked up Mensah-Bonsu, giving him a guaranteed contract until the end of the season. Pops made his debut with the Raptors the same day, against the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, posting 4 points and 10 rebounds. He became a fan favorite with the Raptors.
On 21 August 2009, Mensah-Bonsu verbally agreed to a deal to join the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
for the 2009-10 season to provide frontcourt depth after the injury to Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
. The signing was made official on 3 September 2009. On 13 November Mensah-Bonsu was released from his Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
contract, and on 17 November he re-signed with the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
after being picked up on waivers. On January 5, 2010, he was released by the Raptors to make room for their returning injured reserves, and signed with PBC CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow
PBC CSKA Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team that is based in Moscow, Russia. The club is a member of the VTB United League. It is often referred to in the West as "Red Army" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army. CSKA has won two titles between 2006 and 2009 in Europe's...
.
He returned to the NBA, where he played for the New Orleans Hornets, but was released in January 2011. On February 17, 2011, he signed a contract with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
team ASVEL Villeurbanne until the end of the season.
British national team
Mensah-Bonsu was part of the Great Britain national basketball teamGreat Britain national basketball team
The Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
that qualified for the Eurobasket 2009
EuroBasket 2009
The EuroBasket 2009 was the 36th EuroBasket, the biennial regional basketball championship contested by European nations and held by FIBA Europe. The tournament, which was hosted by Poland, began on 7 September 2009 and concluded with the final on 20 September 2009...
. During qualification he averaged 12.2 points, 10 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
In 2009 Mensah-Bonsu joined the British squad for their first appearance in the Eurobasket Tournament. The team lost all three of their first round games but were competitive throughout including a very close game with current world champions Spain.
Mensah-Bonsu was again part of the GB team in 2010 as they qualified for the Eurobasket 2011
Eurobasket 2011
EuroBasket 2011 was the 37th men's European Basketball Championship, held by FIBA Europe. The competition was hosted by Lithuania. This was the second time Eurobasket had been held in Lithuania, the country having also hosted the 1939 championship. FIBA Europe asserted that Lithuania managed to...
with a 6-2 record. During qualification he led all Division A players with 13.5 rebounds per game, and also finished sixth in points (19.3), and blocks (1.3).
Personal life
In the Ghanaian language TwiTwi
Asante, or Ashanti, is one of three literary dialects of the Akan language of southern Ghana, and the prestige dialect of that language. It is spoken in and around Kumasi, the capital of the former Ashanti Empire and current subnational Asante Kingdom within Ghana.Along with the Akuapem dialect,...
, Mensah-Bonsu's name means King (Nana) Father (Papa) Thursday Born (Yaw) Three (Mensah) Whale (Bonsu). In several interviews Mensah-Bonsu has suggested that his family earned its surname when an ancestor slew a whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
.
Mensah-Bonsu has a number of nicknames, including "King Whale Killer" from his name's meaning and "Big Daddy," popularized by Toronto play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin
Matt Devlin (sportscaster)
Matt Devlin is the play-by-play TV announcer for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA, replacing Chuck Swirsky in 2008.Matt spent 6 years as the lead play-by-play voice of the National Basketball Association's Memphis Grizzlies and 3 for the Charlotte Bobcats...
and other commentators.
Having been born and brought up in North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, England, Mensah-Bonsu is a big fan of Tottenham Hotspur.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Dallas
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
| 12 || 0 || 5.9 || .647 || .000 || .389 || 1.8 || .0 || .1 || .0 || 2.4
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
| 3 || 0 || 6.7 || .714 || .000 || .714 || 3.3 || .0 || .3 || .3 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Toronto
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
| 19 || 0 || 13.8 || .354 || .000 || .683 || 5.4 || .3 || .4 || .2 || 5.1
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
| align="left" | Houston
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 4 || 0 || 3.3 || .250 || .000 || .500 || 1.0 || .3 || .2 || .2 || 1.3
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Toronto
| 16 || 0 || 6.7 || .414 || .000 || .556 || 1.9 || .1 || .2 || .5 || 2.1
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 54 || 0 || 8.8 || .412 || .000 || .589 || 3.1 || .2 || .3 || .3 || 3.3