Sonics' Sene moving quickly in the fast lane

From: seattletimes.nwsource.com
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By Jayda Evans


It's been an eye-opening experience so far for Mouhamed Sene, and everything is moving faster now that he's a Sonics starter.

They call him Flavor Flav.

The nickname Sonics teammates have given Mouhamed Sene is a cruel one, considering the rap icon's appearance. A twisted mouth with gold teeth. A skinny frame draped in dated sweatsuits. A massive clock necklace.

Sene was born in 1986, a year before Flavor Flav joined Public Enemy, so the Sonics' 7-foot rookie doesn't remember Flav's onstage antics. And the 20-year-old first-round draft choice from Senegal has no intention of finding out.

He's too busy learning a new language, culture and game to worry about much else.

"I don't want to see him," said Sene through an interpreter, although waving away an imaginary Flav with both hands needed no translation.

Out of Africa

Sene, from the western coast of Africa, is one of a few NBA players representing his continent. Instead of simply playing ball, he would like to bring more awareness to some of the problems in Africa, like the AIDS epidemic and genocide in Darfur.

Drafted as a project for the future, he was expected to play scattered minutes as the Sonics' third true center off the bench adjusted to America and the NBA.

But when anticipated starter Robert Swift tore his right ACL diving for a loose ball in a Sonics exhibition game Wednesday, Sene suddenly became a starter in a game he began learning four years ago.

With Swift out for the season, Sene is expected to average about 15 minutes and provide rebounding and defense. The season opens Wednesday at KeyArena against Portland, so the Sonics hope Sene will apply the lessons drilled into him in training camp.

"I'm trying. I'm learning," he said. "I have confidence in myself and I know that it's going to come.

"Becoming a good player is all in your head, and I know if I keep working hard, I'll eventually realize my dream because I do have dreams about the NBA. It's hard, but I'm a man, and you have to work hard to get what you want."

Engines to basketball

Dust and roaring engines are sweet sights and sounds to Sene.

The annual Dakar Rally, a desert race from Paris to Dakar, is a global event. Sene was about 12 when he moved from his family's seven-bedroom home in Fissel, Senegal (population about 10,000) to the capital city of 2.4 million to live with his older brother. Mouhamed studied to become an auto mechanic, same as his father and brother.

Yet as Sene studied, he also sprouted. His sports were karate and soccer, and he only thought about the sport imported from America when people told the teenager, who was already 6 feet 6, that he should be on a basketball court.

At 16, a friend finally took him to a playground.

A year later Sene caught a glimpse of an NBA broadcast in Dakar. He can't remember the teams, just that he instantly wanted to be one of the players in the crisp uniforms.

Basketball beginnings

His first basketball stop was Belgium.

There, he perfected his French and got his first taste of the pro game, averaging 3.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19 games for Verviers-Pepinster.

Some scouts criticized Sene's inability to dominate a weak league. Others, including the Sonics, were attracted to his 7-foot-8 wingspan and potential. Fans howled when the Sonics drafted Sene with the 10th overall choice in June.

Assistant coach Jack Sikma already was working with Swift and Johan Petro, two other young big men of the future.

"When camp started, I think Mo was a little overwhelmed at first," said Sikma of Sene, who averaged 8.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks in the team's summer league. "But when you're fully immersed, you start to develop a habit. Mo is determined. This wasn't intended for him. He found his way here.

"But he wanted play and did whatever he needed to do, not giving in to anything. He understands that he has a ways to go, but has a confidence that he can be somebody in this league."

A new world

Sene is drastically different than the day he was introduced to the Seattle media.

The complex man who reads French romance novels was nearly in tears after a semicircle of reporters armed with cameras and tape recorders peppered him with questions in English. A month later, Sene speaks the language far better, claiming it's the easiest of the five languages he knows.

The Sonics still plan to hire a professor to teach English to Sene and fellow rookie Mickael Gelabale, who's from France. A chef will start making meals for Sene in his downtown condo, until his sister, Fatou, arrives in December to help manage her brother.

Sene's love of hip-hop helps him blend into the American lifestyle, and he bought a white Escalade. And with the Parisian Petro and Gelabale, the three form an entertaining clique on the roster, although Hill has banned the trio from speaking French at practice.

"When you draft guys that young, responsibilities come with them," said Hill, who also mentioned the team will have more security on the road. "I think the Sonics organization has done a good job helping him. And the three of them kind of support one another. He's all proud about his car, so I think he's doing pretty nice."

Not that the bloopers don't still occur. There was Sene's first NBA technical, which happened during his initial start Thursday in Spokane. Sene was upset at a call, but couldn't get the words right.

"He was frustrated because he tried to say something in I-don't-know-what language," said Petro. "He just yelled and he got a technical.

"I know it's going to be stressful for him. We're going to need him, and everyone is going to help him."

Hill insists he isn't worried. "The one thing I know about Mo: When I put him in the game, he is going to play really hard," he said. "He will anchor the defense. I am not worried about him. And I think that if you support players and give them an opportunity and teach them, most of the time they will surprise you.

"If we just tolerate his mistakes and let him grow, in the long run, that will pay dividends."