Melsahn Basabe

Melsahn Basabe

Basabe with Iowa in 2011
No. 25–Piratas de Quebradillas
Position	Power forward
League	BSN
Personal information
Born	(1992-05-29) May 29, 1992 (age 31) Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Nationality	American / Puerto Rican
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	St. Mark's School (Southborough, Massachusetts)
College	Iowa (2010–2014)
NBA draft	2014: undrafted
Playing career	2014–present
Career history
2014–2015	Helsinki Seagulls
2015–2016	Antwerp Giants
2016–2017	Doxa Lefkadas
2017	Lukoil Academic
2017	AZS Koszalin
2017–2018	Cuore Napoli
2018	Helsinki Seagulls
2018–2019	Hapoel Kfar Saba
2019–2020	Lučenec
2020	Slávia Žilina
2020–2021	Indios de Mayagüez
2021–2022	Real Estelí
2022–2023	Mets de Guaynabo
2023–present	Piratas de Quebradillas
Career highlights and awards
LSB champion (2021) Bulgarian League champion (2017) Big Ten All-Freshman team (2011)

Melsahn Basabe (born May 29, 1992) is an American-Puerto Rican professional basketball player for the Piratas de Quebradillas of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He played college basketball at the University of Iowa. ^[1]

Personal life

Basabe was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to father Carlos Basabe and mother Aloha Wilks. ^[2] Although born in North Carolina, Basabe attended St. Mark's School in Southborough, Massachusetts.

High school career

Basabe's high school coach was David Lubick. During the summer of 2009, Basabe was a member of the highly regarded New York Gauchos. He averaged 13 points and nine rebounds the following year playing for the NEPSAC Class C runner-up Lions, including an impressive showing in his team's first 2010 playoff game, in which he scored 30 points. He was a team captain, and he received all-league honors as a senior.

College career

Rivals.com rated Basabe as a 3-star power forward. ^[3] He was set to play for current Iowa coach Fran McCaffery ^[4] when McCaffery was still coaching Siena. When Iowa fired then coach Todd Lickliter after three years of mediocrity, Basabe decided to follow McCaffery to Iowa. Boston College and St. John's were thought to be interested in Basabe as well. ^{[5] [6]} He finished the year averaging 11 points second on the team, 6.8 rebounds first on the team, and 1.3 blocks per game also first on the team. Basabe had a career high 22 points against then #2 Ohio State on January 4, 2011. Basabe also added 13 rebounds and 6 blocks, despite being covered by Jared Sullinger for most of the game. ^{[7] [8]}

Basabe led Iowa in rebounding and blocks as a freshman. He is the first Hawkeye, regardless of class, to collect 325 points, 200 rebounds, and 40 blocks in a single season since Ryan Bowen in 1998.

Basabe and teammate Bryce Cartwright were awarded honorable mention all-Big Ten recognition. Basabe was named to the Big Ten's all-freshman team, which is selected by coaches. ^[9]

Professional career

Basabe signed his first pro contract with the Helsinki Seagulls of the Korisliiga. He played 42 games, averaging 31:52 minutes, 19.4 points and 12 rebounds per game. For the 2015–2016 season, he signed with Antwerp Giants of the Belgian League. ^[10]

On September 30, 2016, Basabe signed with Doxa Lefkadas of the Greek Basket League. ^[11]

On September 15, 2017, Basabe signed with AZS Koszalin of the Polish Basketball League. ^[12]

On February 5, 2018, Basabe signed with the Helsinki Seagulls of the Finnish Korisliiga, beginning his second stint with the squad. ^[13]

On August 5, 2018, Basabe signed a one-year deal with the Israeli team Hapoel Kfar Saba of the Liga Leumit. ^[14] In 11 games played for Kfar Saba, Basabe averaged 14.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, shooting 61.6 percent from the field. However, on January 15, 2019, Basabe parted ways with Kfar Saba. ^[15]

On September 10, 2019, he has signed with BKM Lučenec of the Slovak Basketball League. ^[16] Basabe finished the season with Slávia Žilina of the Slovak league, averaging 13.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

On September 30, 2020, he signed with Indios de Mayagüez of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional. ^[17]

References

1. "Melsahn Basabe Stats, News, Bio".
2. "Hawkeye Sports - University of Iowa Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on 2011-01-12. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
3. https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Melsahn-Basabe-101505 ^{[ dead link ]}
4. "Siena Lands Top Recruit Melsahn Basabe | basabe, siena, melsahn – Local Sports – WRGB CBS 6 Albany". Archived from the original on 2010-04-07.
5. "Scout.com: Melsahn Basabe Follows McCaffery to Iowa". iowa.scout.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
6. "Iowa's Melsahn Basabe doesn't take Fran McCaffery's criticism personally".
7. "Iowa showing progress despite .500 record". The Washington Times .
8. "Hawkeye Sports - University of Iowa Official Athletic Site". www.hawkeyesports.com. Archived from the original on 2011-01-12.
9. "Pair of Hawks honored by Big Ten".
10. Amtwerp Giants inked rookie Brad Waldow and Melsahn Basabe
11. A1Basket.gr Doxa Lefkadas sign Melsahn Basabe
12. AZS Koszalin tabs Melsahn Basabe, ex Lukoil Acad.
13. "Basabe is back at Helsinki Seagulls, ex Cuore Napoli". eurobasket.com. February 5, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
14. "מלסאן בסבה חתם בכפ"ס, לרון בלאק ביבנה". one.co.il (in Hebrew). August 5, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
15. "לא עוזב את הלאומית: דאליס ג'וינר חתם בכפ"ס". one.co.il (in Hebrew). January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
16. "Melsahn Basabe signs with BKM Lucenec". Sportando. September 10, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
17. "Basabe comes back to Mayaguez". Latinbasket. September 30, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.