Alfred Aboya

Alfred Aboya Baliaba (born 2 January 1985) is a Cameroonian former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, advancing to three Final Fours. He was a member of the winningest class in UCLA history with 123 wins.

Alfred Aboya
Aboya with Link Tochigi Brex in Japan in 2010.
Personal information
Born (1985-01-02) 2 January 1985
Yaoundé, Cameroon
NationalityCameroonian
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight231 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High schoolTilton School (Tilton, New Hampshire)
CollegeUCLA (2005–2009)
NBA draft2009 / Undrafted
Playing career2009–2015
PositionPower forward / Center
Career history
2009–2010Olympique Antibes (France)
2010Link Tochigi Brex (Japan)
2010–2011Hitachi Sunrockers (Japan)
2012Bucaneros de La Guaira (Venezuela)
2012Final Gençlik (Turkey)
2012–2013Shiga Lakestars (Japan)
2013Final Gençlik (Turkey)
2013–2014Fort Wayne Mad Ants (D-League)
2014Reno Bighorns (D-League)
2014Al-Ittihad Tripoli (Libya)
2014Reno Bighorns (D-League)
2014–2015Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League)
Career highlights and awards
  • JBL champion (2010)
  • Pac-10 All-Defensive Team (2009)

Aboya grew up and attended high school in Cameroon before attending prep school in the United States. He attended college at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned his undergraduate degree in three years while playing four seasons for the Bruins. Aboya began his professional career in France, and later played in Japan, Venezuela, Turkey, and Libya. He also played in the United States in the NBA Development League (now known as the G League).

Early life

Aboya was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon to his mother, Kedi Kofane Angele, and his father, Baliaba Aboya Casimir.[1]

He graduated from high school in Cameroon and then attended prep school at Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire. He was recruited by Tilton coach Scott Willard, who had only seen a picture of Aboya soaring for a slam dunk. The school was looking to grow its international student population, and it was developing an English as a Second Language program. Tilton had never had any students from Africa, and while Aboya spoke a couple of languages, none of them were English. He was a star in two sports including basketball. Though he had already graduated from high school, Aboya was willing to sacrifice two years at Tilton as a path toward an American university education.[2]

He was a raw player when he began at Tilton. He became a dominant center by his senior year, and he drew attention from colleges like Georgetown and UCLA. On a visit to the West Coast, Aboya became friends with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who grew up near him in Yaoundé.[2]

College career
Aboya on defense against Oregon State's Daniel Deane in 2009.

Joined by Mbah a Moute, Aboya began attending UCLA in the fall of 2005. The two teammates relied on each other for support. UCLA advanced to the Final Four in each of Aboya's first three seasons.[3] In his freshman year, he was originally set to be a starter until he had arthroscopic surgery on both knees, delaying his debut until the seventh game of the season. He played 33 games, starting two, in 2005–06.[4] In his sophomore year, he played in 35 of the Bruins' 36 games, including one start. That season, he had almost as many offensive rebounds (68) as he did defensive rebounds (79).[1] As a junior in 2006–07, Aboya was one of four teammates to play in all 39 games. He made 17 starts, playing 15.2 minutes per game while averaging 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds.[1]

In his senior year in 2008–09, UCLA relied on him as a rebounder after Mbah a Moute and Kevin Love had left for the National Basketball Association (NBA).[3] Aboya averaged 9.9 points and 6.3 rebounds a game, both personal bests.[2][5] He drew praise for his defense, and also developed a 12-foot (3.7 m) jump shot.[6] Aboya and fellow senior teammates Darren Collison and Josh Shipp finished their careers as the winningest class in UCLA history with 123 wins.[7][8][9] The distinction was relative, as John Wooden's legendary teams played shorter seasons and freshmen were ineligible.[8]

Academically, Aboya felt he had fallen behind during his two years in prep school. He worked with his academic adviser to earn his undergraduate degree in three years, graduating with a grade point average over 3.0 in international relations. In his fourth year, he began work on his master's degree in public policy.[2][3] He aspired to one day become the president of Cameroon.[3]

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2009 NBA draft, he joined the Dallas Mavericks for the 2009 NBA Summer League. In September 2009, he signed with BCM Gravelines.[10] However, he was released a week later.[11]

In October 2009, he signed with Olympique Antibes of the LNB Pro B, before joining Link Tochigi Brex of the Japan Basketball League (JBL) in January 2010.[12]

In the summer of 2010, he signed with the Hitachi Sunrockers of the JBL for the 2010–11 season.[13]

He signed with Bucaneros de La Guaira of Liga Profesional de Baloncesto for the 2012 season, but he left in February 2012 and in March moved to Final Gençlik of the Turkish Basketball Second League.[13][14][15]

He played the 2012–13 season with Shiga Lakestars of Japan before being released in early 2013.[14][16]

In March 2013, he moved back to Final Gençlik.

On 1 November 2013, he was selected by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the second round of the 2013 NBA D-League draft.[17] On 22 November, he was waived by the Mad Ants. On 20 December 2013, he was reacquired by the Mad Ants. On 4 February 2014, he was again waived by the Mad Ants.[18] On 20 March 2014, he was acquired by the Reno Bighorns.[19] On 28 March 2014, he was released by the Bighorns after appearing in two games for them.[20] The next month, he joined Al Ittihad Tripoli of Libya.

On 2 November 2014, he was reacquired by the Reno Bighorns.[21] On 12 December 2014, he was waived by the Bighorns after appearing in seven games.[22] Six days later, he was acquired by the Los Angeles D-Fenders.[23] On 28 January 2015, Aboya was waived by the D-Fenders,[24] only to be reacquired less than a month later on 25 February.[25]

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See also
  •  Sports portal

References
  1. "Alfred Aboya". UCLABruins.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  2. Robinson, Joshua (12 March 2009). "With Every Dunk, Aboya Soars Higher at U.C.L.A." The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  3. Katz, Andy (5 November 2008). "On the court, in the classroom, Aboya rises to the challenge". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012.
  4. Spring, Steve (5 December 2005). "Aboya Makes Long-Awaited College Debut". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
  5. "Alfred Aboya Stats, Bio". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012.
  6. Wharton, David (11 February 2009). "Alfred Aboya is happening for UCLA". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
  7. "Pac-10 Conference". USA Today. 6 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014.
  8. Wharton, David (8 March 2009). "Seniors honored after winning careers". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
  9. "No. 20 UCLA 94, Oregon 68". CBSSports.com. 7 March 2009. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  10. Gravelines adds size with Aboya
  11. Rob Lewin signs for Gravelines
  12. "Alfred Aboya". LNB.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 6 February 2013.
  13. "Aboya, Alfred". promotex.org. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013.
  14. Odeven, Ed (24 August 2012). "Ashby makes Rizing Fukuoka fifth team in Japan career". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013.
  15. "Alfred Aboya bolsters Shiga Lakestars roster". asia-basket.com. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  16. Odeven, Ed (2 February 2013). "Cinq Reves acquire veteran guard Cummard". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013.
  17. Mad Ants Chose 5 in NBA D-League Draft Archived 4 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  18. Alfred Aboya Player Profile – RealGM
  19. Reno Bighorns Acquire Alfred Aboya
  20. Sacramento Kings Assign Willie Reed to Reno Bighorns
  21. BIGHORNS FINALIZE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER AFTER D-LEAGUE DRAFT Archived 6 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  22. 2014-2015 Reno Bighorns Transactions
  23. D-Fenders Acquire Alfred Aboya
  24. D-Fenders Waive Alfred Aboya
  25. D-Fenders Acquire Alfred Aboya
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