Pape Sy
Encyclopedia
Pape Sy is a French
-Senegal
ese professional basketball
player who is a member of BCM Gravelines of France. He is also under contract with the Atlanta Hawks
of the NBA, but is playing overseas because of the 2011 NBA lockout
. A versatile combo guard/forward
, Sy was drafted by the Hawks as the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft
after spending five seasons with STB Le Havre of the Ligue Nationale de Basketball
.
, a small town in north-western France
to a Senegal
ese family. He learned to play basketball in a local club. Sy later moved to Massy
before joining Le Havre's youth club in 2004 at the age of 16. While playing in France, Sy was recruited by the University of Wyoming
men's basketball coach
Fred Langley.
Sy's older sister, Penda Sy, was a professional basketball player in Europe.
as a virtually unknown entity. He paid his own way to come to the United States to showcase his talent for NBA teams. Only the Atlanta Hawks
agreed to allow him to work out for them. After an impressive workout, Sy was drafted 53rd overall. Sy continued to impress in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 4.5 points per game in 8 minutes per game and exhibiting his defensive prowess. On September 15, 2010, Sy signed a three-year contract with the Hawks, with the first year guaranteed at $473,604.
Sy began his rookie season beset with injury, suffering an Achilles
injury during summer league. He subsequently missed all of training camp due to a bad back and was listed on the injury report for the first 18 games of the regular season before being cleared to practice. On December 27, 2010, the Hawks sent Sy to the Utah Flash
of the NBA Development League
.
Sy made his debut for the Flash on January 2, 2011, in a 99–83 loss the Bakersfield Jam
. Sy notched 6 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. On January 30, 2011, in a game against the Austin Toros
, Sy had his best game to date with the Flash, notching 22 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 26 minutes.
On March 2, 2011, it was announced that Sy would return to the Hawks for the remainder of the 2010–11 season
. Sy made his NBA debut against the Indiana Pacers
on April 8, 2011. He recorded a steal and a foul in 3 minutes.
squad at the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
. Though Sy appeared in every game, he ended up just 10th in minutes played for France, with averages of 2.0 points, 0.6 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 10.4 minutes in 8 games.
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Le Havre
| 7 || 0 || 4.9 || .50 || .33 || .50 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 0.0 || 2.4
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Le Havre
| 1 || 0 || 2.0 || .00 || .00 || .00 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Le Havre
| 30 || 0 || 14.2 || .55 || .41 || .71 || 1.7 || 1.3 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 5.2
|-
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Utah
| 23 || 11 || 22.1 || .424 || .150 || .737 || 3.4 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 0.04 || 8.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 23 || 11 || 22.1 || .424 || .150 || .737 || 3.4 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 0.04 || 8.0
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 3 || 0 || 7.0 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.0 || .7 || .3 || - || 2.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 3 || 0 || 7.0 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.0 || .7 || .3 || - || 2.3
| align="left" | 2010-11
| align="left" | Atlanta
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .667 || .000 || .500 || .3 || .8 || .2 || - || 1.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .667 || .000 || .500 || .3 || .8 || .2 || - || 1.5
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...
-Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who is a member of BCM Gravelines of France. He is also under contract with 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:...
of the NBA, but is playing overseas because of the 2011 NBA lockout
2011 NBA lockout
The 2011 NBA lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . The owners began the work stoppage at 12:01 am EDT on July 1, 2011. The main issues dividing the owners and the players are revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap...
. A versatile combo guard/forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
, Sy was drafted by the Hawks as the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
after spending five seasons with STB Le Havre of the Ligue Nationale de Basketball
Ligue Nationale de Basketball
The Ligue National de Basket is the top men's French professional basketball league. There are two divisions: French Pro A League and French Pro B League .-Pro A:...
.
Biography
Pape Sy was born in LoudéacLoudéac
Loudéac is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-A market town:Loudéac is a very pretty market town with many traditional buildings and mediaeval streets to enjoy. The weekly market, which sells the best and freshest of local produce, goes on as it has for...
, a small town in north-western France
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...
to a Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese family. He learned to play basketball in a local club. Sy later moved to Massy
Massy
Massy is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 14.7 kilometres from the center of Paris.-Population:...
before joining Le Havre's youth club in 2004 at the age of 16. While playing in France, Sy was recruited by the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
men's basketball coach
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
Fred Langley.
Sy's older sister, Penda Sy, was a professional basketball player in Europe.
STB Le Havre (2005–2010)
Sy joined the French team STB Le Havre in 2005. In 2009–10, his last season with Le Havre, Sy averaged 5.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in just over 14 minutes per game.Atlanta Hawks/Utah Flash (2010–2011)
Sy entered the 2010 NBA Draft2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
as a virtually unknown entity. He paid his own way to come to the United States to showcase his talent for NBA teams. Only 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:...
agreed to allow him to work out for them. After an impressive workout, Sy was drafted 53rd overall. Sy continued to impress in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 4.5 points per game in 8 minutes per game and exhibiting his defensive prowess. On September 15, 2010, Sy signed a three-year contract with the Hawks, with the first year guaranteed at $473,604.
Sy began his rookie season beset with injury, suffering an Achilles
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
injury during summer league. He subsequently missed all of training camp due to a bad back and was listed on the injury report for the first 18 games of the regular season before being cleared to practice. On December 27, 2010, the Hawks sent Sy to the Utah Flash
Utah Flash
The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah...
of the NBA Development 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...
.
Sy made his debut for the Flash on January 2, 2011, in a 99–83 loss the Bakersfield Jam
Bakersfield Jam
The Bakersfield Jam is an expansion franchise of the National Basketball Association Development League that began play in 2006-07. It plays its home games at the newly-built Jam Events Center in Bakersfield, California, United States, which had been built as their practice facility...
. Sy notched 6 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. On January 30, 2011, in a game against 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...
, Sy had his best game to date with the Flash, notching 22 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 26 minutes.
On March 2, 2011, it was announced that Sy would return to the Hawks for the remainder of the 2010–11 season
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
. Sy made his NBA debut against the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
on April 8, 2011. He recorded a steal and a foul in 3 minutes.
BCM Gravelines
In August 2011, Sy signed with BCM Gravelines in France. His deal has an out-clause that would allow him to return to the NBA when the lockout ends.International play
Sy was a member of the ninth-place FrenchFrance national basketball team
The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...
squad at the 2009 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, previously known as European Championship for Men 'Under22 and Under, is a basketball competition inaugurated in 1992. Until 2004 it was held biannually, but from 2004 onwards it is held every year. The current champions are Spain.Since 2005, a second level...
. Though Sy appeared in every game, he ended up just 10th in minutes played for France, with averages of 2.0 points, 0.6 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 10.4 minutes in 8 games.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Le Havre
| 7 || 0 || 4.9 || .50 || .33 || .50 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 0.0 || 2.4
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | Le Havre
| 1 || 0 || 2.0 || .00 || .00 || .00 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0
|-
| align="left" | 2009–10
| align="left" | Le Havre
| 30 || 0 || 14.2 || .55 || .41 || .71 || 1.7 || 1.3 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 5.2
|-
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Utah
Utah Flash
The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah...
| 23 || 11 || 22.1 || .424 || .150 || .737 || 3.4 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 0.04 || 8.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 23 || 11 || 22.1 || .424 || .150 || .737 || 3.4 || 1.3 || 0.3 || 0.04 || 8.0
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Atlanta
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:...
| 3 || 0 || 7.0 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.0 || .7 || .3 || - || 2.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 3 || 0 || 7.0 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.0 || .7 || .3 || - || 2.3
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2010-11
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Atlanta
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:...
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .667 || .000 || .500 || .3 || .8 || .2 || - || 1.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 4 || 0 || 2.8 || .667 || .000 || .500 || .3 || .8 || .2 || - || 1.5