New Kid in Town

The Houston Rockets agreed to terms yesterday with free agent power forward Nana Papa Yaw Dwene (Pops) Mensah-Bonsu. He is British of Ghanaian descent. He played college ball at George Washington in DC, but went undrafted after declaring for the 2006 draft. Since then, he has had a cup of coffee with the Spurs, Mavericks and Raptors, with stopovers in the D-league at Ft. Worth and Austin. He also played overseas until he had shoulder surgery last December.

At 6' 9" and 240, Mensah-Bonsu's stats in college were good against weak Atlantic-10 conference foes and at times he seemed to be a man among boys. But when his small-college team faced more powerful opponents, his numbers were pedestrian at best. The same goes for the NBA. He tore up the D-League, but hasn't been able to catch on permanently with a big league team. Well, now he has a chance.

How will he fit in with the Rockets? He will be in direct competition with Joey Dorsey, that's how. I have to believe that Dorsey will win that battle. Mensah-Bonsu has a dozen holes in his game. His defense is lacking, he can't pass, dribble or hit an outside shot. He can score at will against weak competition, but he won't see much of that in the NBA. He can rebound like crazy that way too. The scouts kept talking about his upside, then didn't draft him. Unfulfilled potential, thy name is Stromile Swift.

I say that this is what the D-League should be for. Sign him and send him down to the minors for some NBA quality coaching for a year or two. I think that's the way the league is headed, but it won't happen yet. So for now, if he makes the team he will be competing with Dorsey, David Andersen, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry for playing time at two positions. Good luck Pops.