Stéphane Lasme

Yann Ulrich Stéphane Lasme[1] (born December 17, 1982) is a Gabonese professional basketball player. He played college basketball at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), with the UMass Minutemen,[2] and he was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the second round, 46th overall, in the 2007 NBA draft.[3] He earned an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2014 and won the EuroLeague Best Defender award in 2013.

Stéphane Lasme
Lasme with Partizan in February 2009
Free agent
PositionCenter
Personal information
Born (1982-12-17) December 17, 1982
Port-Gentil, Gabon
NationalityGabonese
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolLéon M'ba (Libreville, Gabon)
College
NBA draft2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46th overall
Selected by the Golden State Warriors
Playing career2002–present
Career history
2002Capo Libreville
2007Golden State Warriors
2007–2008Los Angeles D-Fenders
2008Miami Heat
2008–2009Partizan
2009–2010Maccabi Tel Aviv
2010Spartak Saint Petersburg
2010–2011Maine Red Claws
2011–2012Obradoiro
2012–2014Panathinaikos
2014–2015Anadolu Efes
2015–2016Galatasaray
2017Texas Legends
2017–2018UNICS
2018–2019Panathinaikos
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Early career

On December 17, 1982, Lasme was born in Port-Gentil, Gabon, to Onanga Liliane. He was brought up in Port-Gentil, Gabon, his father being an oil company engineer. His mother, Liliane, was an economist. Lasme knew how to speak French and his native language of Myene in his childhood, but learned some English through high school classes.[4]

Lasme grew up loving soccer, but began playing basketball at 14,[5] when he was introduced to his school's coach. When asked why he started playing the game, Lasme said, "I was growing faster than the other kids my age." One media report stated that he nailed a basketball hoop to a tree at age 15 and estimated the official NBA requirement of 10 feet, but instead put it 12 feet above the ground. He said, "I had a rim put in at my house. It was higher than 10 feet, though." His favorite players as a child were Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan, whom he used to watch on television by sneaking out of bed at night. He also grew up as a fan of Marcus Camby.

Lasme competed for Aveley Club Port-Gentil, a youth club that was designed to be an after-school program. He attended high school at Léon M'ba in his native Gabon[2] and was called up by Arimbi Nkolo, head coach of his country's national team. While at Léon M'ba, whose basketball team competed in the African High School Federation, he played under Ebolo Firmin. Lasme also played for Capo Libreville in the 2002 FIBA Africa Basketball Club Championship.[5]

College career

In February 2003 Lasme moved to the United States. Lasme's cousin, Serge Lapeby gave him a home in Boston. He helped him adjust to the new environment, saying, "He had to learn the culture, the language, the colder weather—that was a bit of a challenge—and the lifestyle." He was forced to compete in a gymnasium, as he arrived in the United States in the winter, and played in Emmanuel College. Lapeby tried to recruit Lasme to play for the school's team, and succeeded, but it did not offer athletic scholarships as a NCAA Division III college.[4]

Lasme subsequently enrolled in Emmanuel College, primarily for its ESL program. He began playing basketball for the college and attracted the attention of many NCAA Division I programs. Lasme's performance in the Eastern Invitational All-Star Game, which took place in New Jersey, was most noted.[5] The game was attended by Massachusetts Minutemen basketball coach Steve Lappas, who was searching for potential recruits.[4]

Lappas was impressed by Lasme's raw skills and offered him a scholarship to play for the Minutemen. He signed an institutional financial aid agreement to compete with Massachusetts for the 2003–04 season and was eligible to participate in the winter.[6] When the move was made official, the coach said, "We are excited to have Stephane join our program. We believe that he is a quality student and athlete. It is very exciting to find someone of his caliber at this point in time, and we feel he will be a very good addition to our program."[6]

Freshman

On November 9, 2003, Lasme made his first appearance in a Massachusetts uniform in an exhibition game against the Harlem Globetrotters. He finished with 1 point and 5 turnovers in 9 minutes of playing time, as the Minutemen fell to Harlem, 68-77.[7] He competed in another exhibition game on November 14 against the Playaz basketball club, but was awarded 22 minutes on the court.[8] In his official collegiate debut, a win over St. Francis (NY), Lasme contributed 6 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.[9] He grabbed 13 rebounds in a quarterfinals game of the Preseason National Invitational Tournament vs Texas Tech, the first time he recorded double-digits in any major statistical category at the collegiate level. He also had four blocked shots,[9] as UMass fell, 50-90.[10] Lasme scored a season-high 13 points on February 8, 2004, vs Dayton. He was awarded his first-ever start with the Minutemen on January 18, 2004, against Duquesne, but scored no points.[9] He was named the winner of Massachusetts' Jack Leaman Defensive Award at the end of the season, ranking second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in blocked shots. Lasme finished the year with averages of 3.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.[2]

Sophomore

As a sophomore, he started all 28 games for the Minutemen, and again finished as the league's second-leading shot blocker.

Junior

Lasme continued his progression during his junior year. He started 27 of the team's 28 games (Senior Day being the exception), scored in double figures 15 times, and finished the year with a 10.5 average. Lasme was two blocks short of a triple-double against St. Peter's on December 27, 2005, with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 8 blocks. By the end of the season, Lasme blocked a total of 108 shots, an average of 3.9 per game, good for third-highest in the nation. The A-10 honored Lasme with their Defensive Player of the Year award.[11]

On March 5, 2006, at 1:21 AM, Lasme was arrested in an Amherst restaurant for disorderly conduct and allegedly resisting arrest. He was supposedly slapped in the face and was yelling and cursing in a crowded bar. Police made attempts to calm him down, but he would not leave the scene. According to reports and The Daily Collegian, Lasme also harassed two unknown women as he was escorted out by police, leading to his arrest.[12] He was convicted of "non-criminal charge of resisting arrest" and was fined due to the incident. In order to clear his criminal record, Lasme would have to not get into trouble until the hearing, which was postponed until September 26, 2006.[13]

Senior

Lasme's senior year at UMass was filled with personal accomplishments, records, and team success. He was named an AP Honorable Mention All-American,[14] the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.[15] He ranked first in the league in blocks and rebounding, and second in field goal percentage. He scored more than 20 points on four occasions, grabbed 10 or more rebounds on 17 occasions, and 10 or more blocks on four occasions. During the season, Lasme averaged 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.1 blocks per game, and led the Minutemen into the NIT, the team's first post-season play since the 1999–2000 season.

In the 2006–07 season, Lasme tied an NCAA record with four triple-doubles in a single season, joining Jason Kidd (1994 at Cal) and Michael Anderson (1986 at Drexel). While Kidd and Anderson accomplished the feat by achieving double figures in scoring, rebounds, and assists, Lasme's triple-doubles are in scoring, rebounds and blocks. His four triple-doubles were:

  • vs. St. Francis on November 22 (19 pts, 10 reb, 11 blocks);
  • vs. George Washington on January 10 (23 pts, 15 reb, 11 blocks);
  • vs. Rhode Island on February 8 (18 pts, 12 reb, 11 blocks) and
  • vs. La Salle on February 28 (17 pts, 10 reb, 10 blocks).[16]

Also in 2006–07 Lasme set new UMass records for career blocked shots (399), single season blocked shots (168), and blocks per game (11), passing Marcus Camby on all three lists.

Professional career

In June 2007, Lasme was selected in the second round, 46th overall, in the 2007 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, using the pick they got from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Clifford Robinson.[3][17] He made his NBA debut on November 8, playing only 3.8 seconds of game time in the Warriors 120–115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.[18][19] On November 17, Lasme was waived by the Warriors.[20] Later that month, he was signed by the NBA Development League's Los Angeles D-Fenders.[21][22]

On March 21, 2008, Lasme was signed to a ten-day contract with the Miami Heat,[23] whose roster had been depleted by injuries. He later signed for the rest of the season.[24] In 15 games (four starts), he averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 20.2 minutes.

In September 2008, Lasme signed with the Adriatic League champions Partizan Belgrade, for the 2008–09 season.[25] After the opening three games in EuroLeague, he was ranked second in both blocks and rebounds per game.[26] Lasme finished the season well, averaging 10.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, 25.5 minutes a contest, after Partizan's strong showing that ended in the quarterfinals with a loss to CSKA Moscow. He was instrumental in helping the team to another regional ABA championship, with 11.3 points per game. He also won Serbian national championship and the Serbian Radivoj Korać Cup titles with Partizan.

In July 2009, Lasme signed with the Israeli League club Maccabi Tel Aviv, along with Alan Anderson.[27] On June 8, 2010, Maccabi announced that they had released Lasme, after a foot injury had limited his playing time towards the end of the season.[28] In 20 games of EuroLeague play, he averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in 18.5 minutes per game. Lasme then signed a two-year contract with the Russian League club Spartak Saint Petersburg in July 2010.[29] However, he was released in September, due to some administrative problems that he had in the United States.[30]

Lasme was invited to join the Boston Celtics for their 2010 training camp.[31] However, he was waived on October 20.[32] Subsequently, Lasme joined the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League, an affiliate of the Celtics.[33] However, Lasme fractured his foot just 2 minutes into the team's preseason opener against the Springfield Armor, and immediately underwent surgery.[34] After recovering, he returned to action in March 2011.[35]

In August 2011, Lasme returned to Europe and signed with the Spanish League newcomers Obradoiro CAB.[36] On July 5, 2012, the Boston Celtics announced that Lasme was added to their roster for the 2012 Orlando Pro Summer League and the 2012 NBA Summer League.[37]

On September 29, 2012, Lasme signed a one-year contract with the Greek League club Panathinaikos Athens.[38] He was named the EuroLeague Best Defender for the 2012–13 Euroleague season. He averaged 1.86 blocks and 6.14 rebounds per game, while his team allowed 69.8 points per game, thus displaying the second best team defense in the league.[39] Also, Lasme earned the Greek Basket League MVP award, as well as the Greek League Best Defender award for the 2012–13 season.

On July 1, 2013, Lasme renewed his contract with Panathinaikos for two more years.[40] In May 2014, he was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team of the EuroLeague.[41] He also earned the Greek League Best Defender award and was named to the Greek League Best Five for the 2013–14 season. Panathinaikos decided to exercise an "opt out" clause in his contract for the upcoming 2014–15 season, on 12 June 2014.[42]

On June 22, 2014, he signed a two-year contract with Anadolu Efes Istanbul.[43][44] On July 29, 2015, he signed with Galatasaray.[45] Lasme was instrumental in winning the Eurocup title 2015–16, and earned the Eurocup Finals MVP award.[46] On August 29, 2016, Lasme was suspended for one year after failing a doping test.[47]

On February 10, 2017, Lasme was acquired by the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League.[48]

On July 13, 2017, Lasme signed with Russian club UNICS for the 2017–18 season.[49]

On June 27, 2018, Lasme officially returned to Panathinaikos after four years, signing a one-year deal.[50]

National team career

Lasme played with the senior Gabonese national team at the 2005 FIBA Africa Championship, averaging 11.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game, in seven games played.[1]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season. He also played in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

NBA

Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2007–08 Golden State 10.0.000.000.000.0.0.0.0.0
2007–08 Miami 15420.2.451.000.5943.5.2.91.55.5
Career 16418.9.451.000.5943.3.2.81.45.2

Domestic leagues
Season Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2007–08Los Angeles D-FendersD-League3728.6.521--.7557.31.21.02.610.4
2008–09Partizan NiSAdriatic League2825.1.563.250.7136.51.11.01.64.2
KLS1523.7.548.400.8097.41.3.91.510.7
2009–10Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.ISBL2419.0.642.000.7034.5.9.51.78.8
2010–11Maine Red ClawsD-League1020.1.449.143.6226.0.7.7.87.0
2011–12Blu:sens MonbúsACB3427.1.506.143.7216.3.8.71.910.9
2012–13PanathinaikosGBL3220.1.626--.6975.4.8.51.29.8
2013–143319.6.619--.7645.0.8.6.710.7
2014–15Anadolu Efes S.K.BSL3622.3.606.600.8005.31.1.91.39.6

EuroLeague
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2008–09 Partizan 19923.6.496.222.6916.6.7.91.510.613.4
2009–10 Maccabi 20918.8.461.000.7064.4.91.01.46.58.2
2012–13 Panathinaikos 28923.9.571.000.7676.1.5.41.910.012.9
2013–14 Panathinaikos 282521.1.515.000.8254.8.6.81.08.910.5
2014–15 Anadolu Efes 271619.5.510.000.5953.91.0.7.86.77.2
Career 1226821.8.518.143.7355.1.7.71.38.510.4

Awards and accomplishments

College
  • Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year: (2007)
  • 2005-06 ATLANTIC 10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: (2006)
  • 2006-07 ATLANTIC 10 BEST SHOT-BLOCKER: (2007)
  • 2006-07 ATLANTIC 10 FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE: (2007)
  • 2006-07 ATLANTIC 10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: (2007)

Pro career
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See also

References
  1. "13 – Yann Ulrich Stephane Lasme". Archive.fiba.com. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  2. "Player Bio: Stephane Lasme :: Men's Basketball". Umassathletics.com. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  3. "Stephane Lasme Of UMass Selected By Golden State In The NBA Draft". Atlantic10.com. June 29, 2007. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  4. Chimelis, Ron. "Springfield Republican: Out Of Africa". UMassAthletics.com. Springfield Republican. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  5. "About Us". StephaneLasme.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  6. "Minutemen Land Foreign Standout". Umassathletics.com. July 21, 2003. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  7. "Globetrotters 77, Massachusetts 68". UMassAthletics.com. November 9, 2003. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  8. "Massachusetts 95, Playaz 87". UMassAthletics.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  9. "Stephane Lasme Game Logs". RealGM. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  10. "Minutemen Fall To Texas Tech, 90-50". UMassAthletics.com. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  11. "Lasme Named A-10 Defensive Player Of Year". Umassathletics.com. March 6, 2006. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  12. Fenuccio, John; Vautour, Matt. "Stephane Lasme Arrested". UMassHoops.com. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  13. Greenfield, Rob. "Assistant coach Middleton arrested for domestic assault". CSTV.com. CBS Sports Network. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  14. "Lasme Named AP Honorable Mention All-American". Umassathletics.com. March 26, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  15. "Lasme Named A-10 Player Of The Year & Defensive Player Of The Year". Umassathletics.com. March 5, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  16. "Stephane Lasme Of UMass Garners AP Honorable Mention All-America Honors". Atlantic10.com. March 26, 2007. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  17. "Lasme Selected By Golden State Warriors With 46th Pick In NBA Draft". Umassathletics.com. June 28, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  18. "Nowitzki comes up big as Mavs hold off Warriors". Espn.go.com. November 8, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  19. "Lasme Makes NBA Debut For Warriors On Thursday Night". Umassathletics.com. November 9, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  20. "Warriors sign C DJ Mbenga, waive draft pick Lasme". Sports.espn.go.com. November 18, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  21. "D-Fenders sign forward Stephane Lasme, waive forward Marcus White". Nba.us. November 28, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  22. "Lasme signs with Los Angeles D-Fenders". Umassathletics.com. November 29, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  23. "Los Angeles D-Fender Stephane Lasme Earns Gatorade Call-Up To Miami Heat". Oursportscentral.com. March 21, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  24. "Lasme Signed For Year By Heat; Named D-League Co-Def. Player Of Year". Umassathletics.com. April 11, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  25. "Partizan lands Stephane Lasme". Euroleague.net. September 22, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  26. "Stephane Lasme, Partizan Belgrade". Euroleague.net. November 11, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  27. "MACCABI: Lasme & Anderson come aboard". Euroleague.net. July 25, 2009. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  28. "Maccabi TA released Stephane Lasme". Thehoop.blogspot.com. June 8, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  29. "Spartak St. Petersburg tabs Stephane Lasme". Eurocupbasketball.com. July 24, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  30. "Spartak St. Petersburg, Lasme part ways". Eurocupbasketball.com. September 6, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  31. "Stephane Lasme grabbing Doc's attention". Bostonherald.com. October 11, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  32. "Stephane Lasme waived by the Boston Celtics". Masslive.com. October 20, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  33. "Red Claws add nine through draft". Espn.go.com. November 2, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  34. "Lasme out 'indefinitely' after surgery". Espn.go.com. November 18, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  35. "Lasme returns to Red Claws". Espn.go.com. March 10, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  36. "Obradoiro CAB lands Stephane Lasme". Sportando.net. August 12, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  37. "Sean Williams on C's summer league roster". Weei.com. July 5, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  38. "Panathinaikos announced Stephane Lasme". Sportando.net. September 29, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  39. "Best Defender Trophy winner: Stephane Lasme, Panathinaikos Athens". Euroleague.net. May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  40. http://www.paobc.gr/page.ashx?pid=2&aid=4467
  41. "2013-14 All-Euroleague First and Second Teams announced". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  42. Ανακοίνωση ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός
  43. "Anadolu Efes lands defensive ace Lasme". euroleague.net. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  44. "Anadolu Efes officially sign Stephane Lasme". Sportando.com. June 22, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  45. "Galatasaray adds experienced center Lasme". Eurocupbasketball.com. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  46. "Lasme named Eurocup Finals MVP". Eurocupbasketball.com. April 27, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  47. "Galatasaray'ın eski oyuncusu Stephane Lasme'ye dopingten 1 yıl men!". haberturk.com (in Turkish). August 29, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  48. "Legends Acquire Stéphane Lasme". NBA.com. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  49. "Unics adds 7DAYS EuroCup champ Lasme". Eurocupbasketball.com. July 13, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  50. "Lasme, Panathinaikos together again". EuroLeague.net. June 27, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  51. Euroleague All 2nd Team.
  52. Turkish Basketball Cup Champion (2015).
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