In today’s writing, we will look at 5 notable modern professional athletes born on the continent of Africa.
Top 5 Athletes Born in Africa: African American athletes have a profound impact on professional sports as we know them. However, for globally recognized professional athletes born in Africa, the list is limited, but no lacking in quality.
In today’s writing, we will look at 5 notable modern professional athletes born on the continent of Africa.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo was technically born to Nigerian parents in Greece, but he did not qualify as a Greek citizen because of the legitimacy of parenting in the country.
The Milwaukee Bucks point forward has stormed the league with his incredible size and his athleticism, mobility and highly-developed basketball IQ. Giannis won the NBA MVP in 2019 and will be the favourite to win it again in 2020.
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He has brought the Milwaukee Bucks back to basketball prominence, and his Bucks will be hungry to make it to the NBA Finals this year. This game has never seen a player like Giannis have the skill and drive of a guard the size of an NBA centre
Didier Drogba
Hailing from the Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba’s career is the best of any African-born footballer. Drogba, who was one of the key figures in the Chelsea Cup in the late 2000s and early 2010s, was one of the most successful Africans of all time in the European game. Of course, no Ivorian has accomplished much.
Highlights, of course, will be Premier League titles with Chelsea and Champions League victories of 2012. Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that the Ivorian frontrunner won the latter’s title by a single.
Unfortunately, the Drogba and Ivory Coast’s “Golden Generation” did not achieve the domestic success they had hoped for. Despite appearing in three World Cups, they have never won an African Cup. Drogba has won the African player twice.
Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid was born in Cameroon and did not speak English until he came to the University of Kansas campus. He dominated as a Jayhawk but suffered a leg and back injury at the end of his freshman year, which led to his first two seasons in the NBA.
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Two years after being drafted #3 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, Embiid finally made his NBA debut in 2016. The “trust the process” team became magical, and he nicknamed himself the “process”.
He is now a 3-time NBA All-Star, a 2-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, and has led the 76ers to three consecutive playoffs.
Sadio Mane
As talented as he has been throughout much of global football, Sadio Mane has exploded into the world spotlight since signing for Liverpool in 2016.
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The Senegal winger travelled from Red Bull Salzburg to Southampton in 2012 for $15 million. Liverpool bought him for $40 million in 2016, and have played a huge role in their revival ever since.
He has appeared in more than 115 games for the Merseysiders to score 59 goals, while Senegal has scored 20 goals in 70 appearances.
At just 28 years old, Mane is playing his best football, entering the prime years of his career. He helped Senegal to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Serge Ibaka
Talk about a big family, Serge Ibaka was born in the Republic of Congo and is the 3rd of 18 children. It’s not a spell. Serge got into basketball at a young age and was playing professionally in Europe at the age of 17. He was then drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he joined Kevin Durant, James Horton and Russell Westbrook as one of the best teams to ever win a championship.
He will eventually earn that championship as a member of the Toronto Raptors for the 2018-2019 season. It was the first championship for the Raptors, and he was one of only two African-born players on the roster, including Cameroon’s Pascal Siakam.
Ibaka has been a defensive presence since entering the league and has steadily improved his offensive game throughout his career.
He was a three-time All-Defensive 1st Team selection from 2012-2014 and represented Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics, becoming a citizen there while playing for Paxi Manresa.
Source: Lifestyleug.com
