Part IV

Bob Myers | Arn Tellem | Makhtar Ndiaye

En Français

The bond between Makhtar Ndiaye and Bob Myers goes way back, long before either of them even knew what their careers would entail. As is with much of the NBA family, you probably ran into one another at some point in high school or college. These two met in 1993, when Bob hosted Makhtar on his official visit to UCLA. Bob went onto win a national championship with UCLA in 1995, and Makhtar onto some historic teams: the Michigan Fab 5 and a Final Four Tar Heel team. A few years later, they would work together as their professional careers began and remain friends to this day.

“As Makhtar was entering the NBA, so was I. He was entering as a player, and I, as an agent, a little over 20 years ago. He was kind of my first client,” Bob laughs. “When I worked with Arn Tellem, Arn let me fly out a little bit on my own for the first time for Makhtar, it was cool to feel that responsibility.”

In the 1998 NBA draft, Makhtar went undrafted in his quest to become the first Senegalese player to make the NBA. He was wiggling to find his shot in the league, and so was Bob, who was interning under successful agent and current Vice Chairman of the Detroit Pistons, Arn Tellem. Humble beginnings for two men who have gone on to inspire millions across the world.

While preparing for the NBA Draft, Makhtar and Arn would sit at Arn’s dinner table for hours talking about life, the NBA, and what the business meant. While fighting for a chance to fulfill his NBA dream, the business side peaked Makhtar’s interest from the start.

Arn reminisces the first day Makhtar showed up to his house as a draft prospect. “My youngest son was 7 at the time, and went through his extensive basketball collection while sitting on Makhtar’s lap. They made an incredible connection. Eric would show him the cards, and Makhtar would laugh asking him about the players and to organize them by what he thought of them,” Arn laughs. “I have 3 sons, and I consider him a 4th.” Being blessed to learn under one of the greats, Makhtar’s destiny was written on the wall.

The notion of the NBA being a family could not be more true. You really cannot escape one another. Luckily, for Bob and Makhtar, they developed a true friendship that thrives to this day. “It’s the people you meet early, that if they are impactful people, you stay in touch with them. They know your journey. He is one of the few people I knew that far back within the NBA,” says Bob. As we released Makhtar’s journey from Senegal to the NBA, Bob himself was eager to see the history he never witnessed.

The Warriors President of Basketball Operations reflects, “There is so much about Makhtar prior to meeting him that even I don’t know. The only way I can picture his journey is imagining myself getting dropped in Africa at 17, and not knowing anything - the language, the culture, the people. I don’t know how I would make it through. He has, and he has thrived. He keeps ascending within the NBA.”

Bob’s ascension was no surprise either. He always has had a special knack for gaining players’ trust - something we have seen manifest itself strongly with the Warriors today. “He helped [Antawn and I] learn the ropes of the NBA - we had a bond from the jump - playing in the same field with different roles. Bob always had a certain intelligence as a leader. He is more of a silent leader that gets stuff done. His success is no surprise at all to me,” Makhtar lauds.

As fate would have it, in 2008, after retiring from playing, Makhtar joined Bob and Arn at Wasserman Media Group as an agent, helping with clients like Wayne Ellington, Gerald Henderson, and Antawn Jamison. With a unique tact for mentoring the African players, Makhtar was vital in recruiting current NBA centers Gorgui Dieng and Joel Embiid to Wasserman.

“Makhtar always had a really good feel for our overseas players. He was well connected and respected by all the coaches and general managers in Europe. He was very helpful in looking at players abroad, analyzing and evaluating who to pursue,” says Arn.

Throughout Makhtar’s journey, the themes to describe his impact ring with a consistent tone: skillful in communicating and relating to players, constantly studying the industry, never tip-toeing around matters and being 100% honest with people — even if that meant being the cold splash of water in their faces.

In 2011, Bob Myers joined the Golden State Warriors as an Assistant GM, and has since risen the ranks to becoming President of Basketball Operations, with 3 championships under his belt. Makhtar, too, has moved beyond the agent world, and is scouting the future of the New York Knicks. The tutelage of Arn Tellem has proven extraordinary for both. This is what it is all about — passing on knowledge in hopes of seeing others thrive. Much more success awaits these three, who have always been sincere to their crafts, peers and goals since day one.