Thabo : "From Chicago to Oklahoma"

Jim · Post #1 » by **Jim** » Sat Mar 7, 2009 2:31 pm

Hi everyone,

I am a NBA Swiss fan, and of course a Thabo fan ! I used to come on realgm on the bulls board and I am happy to visit the Thunder site now.

I have been watching the last three games from the Thunder and I enjoy to see our guy playing huge minutes with the Thunder and having some success !

You should visit Thabo's website. He postes some messages some times and his last entry speaks about the trade to the Thunder. (Translation is in progress but have a look at it in the coming days!)

He says he hopes to grow with that young team and that the future is bright for the Thunder !

http://www.thabosefolosha.com/

PerkinsFor3 · Post #2 » by **PerkinsFor3** » Sat Mar 7, 2009 8:00 pm

hey... where from CH are you? im often in zurich, but bball is not very populair there hehe.. any nice stores with nba stuff there? there was a sportscards shop in bern with a huge collection. i was there once

Post #3 » by **SD2042** » Sat Mar 7, 2009 9:40 pm

Welcome aboard Jim. We look to hear more from you since you follow Sefolosha's game.

Jim · Post #4 » by **Jim** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:57 pm

Thanks SD - I will try to participate more !
Loot - I am coming from the french part and dont really know Zurich ! But indeed basketball is not that popular altough we hear read Thabo everyday on the newspaper.

I am posting the full article written from Thabo on his website :

Hello everybody!

What a crazy week! As you noticed, I was transferred last week from the Chicago Bulls to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. The transfer is coming at the right time for many reasons. I will, first of all, play more with the Thunder and I will improve in all the different aspect of my game. Our head-coach, Scott Brooks, likes what I'm going to bring defensively but I also hope to improve my offensive skills quickly. Even if the Play-Off cannot be reached this season, we will play each game at 100%.

Everything went so fast about my transfer to Oklahoma City. On February 19th, my bro' Kgomotso called me in the afternoon to announce me that I was transferred to the Thunder. The same morning, I was having my daily training session with the Bulls ! I boared it the next day to Oklahoma where I had to do a check-up (a formality for the team to be sure you're not injured). Then, I boared it again to San Francisco to join the team and play my first game with the Thunder against the Warriors (18 minutes). As you can see, everything went so fast that I didn't have time to move in. I'm going to stay at the hotel until the end of the season. My girlfriend and my daughter just joined me. My bro' Kgom is taking care of the house in Chicago.

My first games with Oklahoma are going well and I'm excited about the future. I just scored 15pts three times in a row and realized my first double-double of the season against Memphis. We have a bright future with some players as Kevin Durant, Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook.

Last but not least, I read all your messages on my website and Facebook. Thank you so much for the support. It's always a pleasure to read you and I'm sorry if I can't reply to you as often as I want.

Stay tuned!

Thabo

Post #5 » by **SD2042** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:37 pm

Looks like Thabo is glad the move to the Thunder took place. To this point, he has taken advantage of his opportunities when they presented themselves. He knows that he has some ways to go towards improving his offense. It's his defense is what's keeping him on the floor. Just keep at it and he'll be a better player in the future.

Jim · Post #6 » by **Jim** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:27 pm

I agree with you... His defense is why he is playing 40 min. a game.... but I think he is doing something else very well and that helps the team a lot also :
He is always trying to make the extra pass, trying to find the open man ! And he is also moving without the ball to give options to his teammates !

I really d'like to see him develop a consistent 3pts shoot and he could be a very good player.

He is playing with confidence now - I hope he can continue to produce at that level when KD will be back !

Post #7 » by **SD2042** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:31 pm

Hopefully he does.

Like you said, it would be good to see him develop into a consistant perimeter shooter, especially from beyond the arc.

Post #8 » by **wizkid27** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:37 pm

Aside from not being much of a deep threat, Thabo's offensive game continues to impress me. He's always making great plays for himself and others by moving without the ball and making smart decisions. His impact on D has definitely been larger, but I don't think it's by a huge margin.

drewfogarty · Post #9 » by **drewfogarty** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:04 am

Thabo is a great fit for the Thunder. With all the scorers already on the court (Durant, Green, Westbrook) you need a player that doesn't have to take 10-15 shots every game but has the potential to score if needed. He seems very focused on improving his game too. a total steal for the thunder for the pick they gave up to get him. His defense and unselfish play should keep him as a starter in my opinion.

jax98 · Post #10 » by **jax98** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:29 pm

As a Bulls fan who's watched him closely, I can say he needs to re-shape the form of his jumper to get a decent 3-ball. It's often very flat and doesn't get proper spin. At his age, I doubt he'll ever become a good shooter from behind the arc. But if he really develops, I think he could be a 33-35% shooter.