Welcome to a different installment of Hoops, Rap and All the things Black, a weekly column that zeroes in on the 2 elementary elements of SLAM—hoops and rap—whereas threading in different elements of the colourful tapestry of Black tradition. Let’s get it.
Quiet because it’s saved, Osman Bangura’s fingerprints are all around the recreation at each stage—highschool, faculty and even the NBA. At completely different factors over the previous twenty years, he coached one of many nation’s finest basketball applications in Virginia’s Paul VI Excessive Faculty, and at Howard College for a stint. He’s additionally helped construct Staff Durant and Staff Takeover, respectively, to change into two of the premier Nike EYBL applications within the nation. In relation to teaching and basketball, you title it and Osman has performed it. He’s performed many roles, each huge and small, in serving to a large number of hoopers obtain their dream of enjoying Division I basketball and a few to the league. He has unequivocally change into THE man within the DMV grassroots basketball panorama.
“I’ve been teaching for a really very long time,” says Osman. “However individuals don’t actually know that as a result of I don’t boast. Folks do the speaking.”
Osman, 46, who was born in Sierra Leone and moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland when he was eight, has no qualms about enjoying the background whereas others get the shine. His soft-spoken confidence units him aside from lots of his friends. He’s not in it for his ego. He is aware of his function—whichever one the second requires—and he performs it about in addition to anybody within the nation in his subject. He merely needs to assist put youngsters able to get scholarships and assist youngsters enhance their high quality of life by way of the sport, and he’s performed each ten instances over. It’s not that he shies away from the notoriety and a spotlight, however he’s not in search of it both.
“I’ve performed a lot for teenagers and I don’t anticipate nothing again,” he tells me. “The best way I used to be raised, you do proper and the blessings are gonna come.”
Osman acquired into basketball late, and although he developed to be a reasonably good participant, admits he was by no means fairly the prospect like his brother, Alpha Bangura, who went on to play for St. John’s College earlier than carving out a strong profession abroad. “I’ve at all times been a strong participant. I used to be extra of a defensive man, I wasn’t a stud or all-American,” says Osman describing his recreation. And whereas he earned some alternatives on the subsequent stage, his faculty enjoying profession was filled with forks within the street.
Sadly for Osman, he suffered a handful of accidents together with a ruptured Achilles and indifferent retina, which might finally get the perfect of him and forestall him from having the enjoying profession he envisioned for himself. He final performed for Division III powerhouse Virginia Wesleyan in Virginia Seashore earlier than hanging up his jersey for good. “I used to be so beat, I believed basketball simply wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get by way of it,” he says.
However Osman knew he nonetheless had extra to offer to the sport, even when it was now not predicated on his athletic talents. Osman returned to Maryland and one of many first individuals he reached out to was Glenn Farello, then-head coach at Eleanor Roosevelt Excessive Faculty, top-of-the-line public highschool basketball applications within the space on the time.
Farello has since moved on to teach Paul VI, the place he’s been for the previous 16 seasons. Farello has been named Coach of the 12 months 13 instances. He’s coached greater than 80 faculty basketball gamers and counting, with 22 who’ve performed professionally 5 who’ve performed within the NBA. And Osman was there for a piece of that. “I advised Farello, ‘Man, hear, I’m again residence [from school]. I been by way of a lot and I wish to give again. I’ve rather a lot to share,’” Osman recollects. It was a no brainer for Farello who coached Osman’s brother, Alpha, years prior.
The yr was 2003 when Osman made that cellphone name and jumped into teaching, and he hasn’t regarded again since.
“I felt [coaching] is what I needed to do, I felt like I offered myself quick as a participant. I do know I might’ve performed a lot extra however I simply coasted by way of it,” says Osman. “I needed to give again, even when only one particular person acquired one thing out of it.” Properly, in the event you think about all the present faculty coaches, Division I hoopers and NBA gamers who Osman coached alongside his journey, it’s protected to say that rather a lot of individuals acquired one thing out of it. Brooklyn Nets’ Dariq Whitehead, New Orleans Pelicans’ Jordan Hawkins, Syracuse’s Judah Mintz, Oregon’s Kwame Evans and Florida State’s Jalen Warley are only a tremendous tiny pattern dimension of Osman’s former gamers.
This record of basketball success tales that Osman is connected to is simply going to continue to grow, too. In the present day, he’s the top coach at Thomas Pullen, which Osman says is among the finest center college basketball applications in Maryland. He additionally lately determined to half methods with Staff Durant as their program director and head coach, and rejoin crosstown rival Staff Takeover, the place he acquired his first style of teaching AAU hoops within the early 2010s. Even with Osman leaving Staff Durant and becoming a member of forces with a rival squad, you’d be hard-pressed to seek out somebody badmouth him or query his integrity. And that’s as a result of Osman’s intentions are made very clear; it’s at all times all in regards to the youngsters.
Many individuals think about the DMV to be the promise land for faculty basketball recruiting, and Osman is on the middle of it. He’s not the one main determine on this area, however he’s on the prime of a shortlist of essentially the most impactful. And whereas Osman might justifiably stroll round together with his chest out, he prefers to play it cool. He offers the credit score again to his student-athletes and his workers each likelihood he will get.
“With out the children, there’s no teaching,” says Osman. “And the largest factor I’d say is that there’s manner you may do all of this by your self. I’d completely not achieve success if I didn’t have my workers. I’ve it straightforward as a result of I get up [and coach], however these guys take rather a lot off my shoulders from scouting, recruiting, washing uniforms and driving vans.”
There aren’t many youth coaches on the market with a monitor document that’s akin to Osman’s. He’s performed nearly all the pieces this recreation has to supply. However he’s nonetheless decided to continue to grow and evolving. He says he nonetheless has feats to perform and objectives to examine off. He’s labored at each stage besides the NBA, and that’s the place he has his eyes set when interested by the distant future. “I’ve performed a lot on this [youth basketball] area and I believe I’m wanted on this area. However long-term I’d like to be an NBA scout or GM sooner or later,” says Osman. “I couldn’t play on the highest stage however perhaps I can coach, be a scout or within the entrance workplace on the highest stage and impression the sport that manner.”
Positive, his objectives are lofty however I wouldn’t wager towards Osman. And it goes again to one thing he mentioned early on, “you do proper and the blessings are gonna come.” He’s not good, no one is. However Osman has performed a whole lot of proper through the years. It’s protected to imagine the blessings are going to proceed coming tenfold.
Curtis’ Nook
Hoops: One other week of faculty hoops and one other freshman placing the world on discover for what to anticipate for years to return. This time it was LSU WBB freshman Mikaylah Williams who dropped 42 factors in a win towards Kent State. LSU is loaded with expertise and a championship pedigree made obvious by final yr’s nationwide championship. Including proficient freshmen like Mikaylah to the fold simply means LSU shall be a pressure to be reckoned with within the foreseeable future.
Rap: Should you’re on the hunt for a refreshing hear full of elegant manufacturing, clean flows and high quality substance, take a look at Oddisee’s album “To What Finish,” which dropped early this yr. I only in the near past got here throughout it and have been operating it constantly.
All the things Black: This week Brandon Jennings penned a visitor story for SLAM about his Tuff Crowd collaboration with Stephen Curry’s Curry Model. Brandon referred to as it “essentially the most impactful collaboration the league has ever seen” and he made some legitimate factors to help his declare. You’ll want to give {that a} learn and take a look at the gathering right here.
As at all times, right here’s the official Hoops, Rap and All the things Black playlist. It’ll be up to date weekly with every column. Add the playlist to your library to remain within the know, and make sure to comply with SLAM on Spotify.
