Part III

Vancouver | Agent | Beyond

“People forget that the same elevator you take up, is the same elevator that you take on the back way down. If you do those things to get you to the top quickly, your fall will be just as quick. I’d rather take the stairs.”

En Français

In the summer of 1998, Makhtar Ndiaye became the first Senegalese national to make an NBA roster when the Vancouver Grizzlies signed him after a strong Summer League. This was a momentous occasion for Senegal, a country with a rich history of basketball talent. As VP and Managing Director of NBA Africa Amadou Gallo Fall states, "Makhtar became the reference point that set a standard as the first player to make a roster. He paved the way for our players accessing NBA courts. From that standpoint, he was a real pioneer."

When he made the team, Makhtar did not tell anyone except for Dean Smith and Antawn Jamison. He tried calling his mother, but could not reach her. However, it did not take long for people to find out. A French-Canadian news station that was filming a piece showcasing the Canadian NBA teams had a clip of Grizzlies players doing poolwork. Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Mike Bibby were up close, with Makhtar in the distance. “Then, the screen put the rosters up and that’s kinda how my people here found out I made the team,” Makhtar laughs. “In Senegal, the front page of the national newspaper used a picture of me and Magic Johnson at the Roundball Classic to share that I made it to the NBA. That’s how they found out. My mom always said to me, ‘Records are made to be broke. When the child is good, the whole village claims him.’ I always carried that with me. I want to be the first at everything I do.” All of Senegal took pride in celebrating their basketball son.

Makhtar played the 1998-1999 season for the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic in the NBA, before continuing his career in France, Italy, Germany, Cyprus and the NBA D-League. Since Makhtar, twelve more Senegalese players have made NBA rosters. Today, the league has Gorgui Dieng and Tacko Fall in uniform, while Desagana Diop, Boniface N’Dong and Amadou Gallo Fallo all have coaching or executive positions within the league, amongst many others. That group of young Senegalese mavericks from the ‘90’s and early ‘00’s charted a path for the next generation of Senegalese basketball players by establishing the country as an international treasure chest of talent. Enhancing the league by uncovering global gems was exactly what late commissioner David Stern imagined it to be.

Although Makhtar played a single season in the NBA, the relationships and impressions he built within the league were quite strong. As a result, his career in the NBA extended beyond the court to the present day after retiring from playing in the spring of 2008.

business as usual

In 2008, Makhtar transitioned to the business side of basketball and became an agent with Wasserman Group, a powerhouse in the industry. The business aspect of the game is no easy rope to untangle. There is a lot of hearsay that fizzles into speculation and keeps people on their toes at all times. Trust emerges as that breath of fresh air that differentiates “real ones” from the rest. At its core, survival in this industry takes strong, valuable relationships. For a basketball player, or anyone for that matter, ensuring that you surround yourself with standup people who care about you and hold you accountable with the brazen truth, often makes the difference between success and failure. In an industry with so many “yes men,” Makhtar’s objective honesty — for the good of others — is what has endeared him to many throughout the years.

North Carolina teammate Ademola Okulaja reflects on the very distinct disposition that Makhtar has carried in his twenty years around the league. “Mak has been a very honest and genuine guy. He is relentlessly honest and a straight shooter, which I absolutely love and adore. I say that with the highest respect. In today’s society, a lot of people say things to further their careers and get ahead. He doesn’t do that. He stays true to his core and beliefs. That’s why I have the highest respect for him.”

Towards the end of Antawn Jamison’s career, Makhtar became his agent. “To have your best friend making sure you get what you deserve and have your back, it was so valuable. He was probably the smartest person in the room at all times, never afraid to challenge anybody for what is right. He can read BS. So from the start, he didn’t tiptoe around issues. Most agents who are successful have to work up to that level of no longer tiptoeing. Not Mak. He really cared for the players he represented.” This brazen confidence is curious, but not something Makhtar ever lacked. As a solo immigrant at the age of seventeen with the hopes of making history, his mind and heart, in unison, inspired an energy of self-belief.

In this time, Makhtar became close with esteemed trainer Rob McLanaghan, who has worked with superstars such as Stephen Curry, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook. While Rob would train dozens of NBA players in Los Angeles, Makhtar kept a keen eye for talent and performance. If someone was not working to his potential, Rob would pull Makhtar aside to speak to him. In private moments, as Makhtar spoke, the players would listen intently. Makhtar would assess what he was seeing on the court, provide pointers on how to improve and make sure to speak with them about off-the-court things. Between managing the gravity of looming expectations, up-and-down performances and a stark change in lifestyle, the young guys have the toughest time adjusting to the pressure. Getting a complete glance into a player’s psyche is critical in being able to inspire proper growth. Guidance is absolutely essential.

Regardless, Makhtar will not mince his words. In the words of the late Kobe Bryant, “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses." This is the same ethos Makhtar drills into players aspiring for greatness.

Guiding others is another big part of Makhtar’s life. If it were not for the embrace from Steve Smith, Sonny Vaccaro, Steve Fisher and Dean Smith, who knows if this boy from Sicap would have made the league. Ingrained in his gratitude, Makhtar is constantly mulling over how he can help raise the next generation and create opportunities. Wall Street executive and one of Makhtar’s closest friends, Thomas Kelly, explains a story on how pivotal Makhtar was in helping him jumpstart basketball camps for the youth of Anguilla. Called the Anguilla Youth Foundation Sports and Music Week, Thomas dreamed of having NBA players lead camps on his native Caribbean island with the hopes of inspiring a generation of basketball players who are able to compete at the highest levels while earning top-notch educations.

In the beginning, Thomas was having a tough time getting NBA players to travel to Anguilla because nobody had really heard of the island. “I had just mentioned it to Mak and two weeks later Anthony Davis, who had never been down on the island, was on a plane down just based off of Mak’s recommendation. The rest is history.” The children of the island have since been able to see the likes of J.R. Smith, Ben McLemore, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas, Kenneth Faried and Andre Iguodala. At six-foot-eight, Mak has the instincts of a natural point guard. Connecting people has always been his forté .

Yet, in this innate knack to connect the right people lies the foundation of Makhtar’s truly unique charisma to connect to people himself. In this whole journey through the league, perhaps more than anyone, NBA Agent Bouna N’Diaye has witnessed Makhtar’s growth the most. As the first Senegalese NBA agent, Bouna, too, accomplished a tremendous feat and has proven to be one of the industry’s best. Bouna carved out a niche in the French market, today representing thirty-four players, including Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier. As an agent, Bouna has seen firsthand the special way Makhtar develops relationships and provides mentorship to current players and aspiring pros. “They call him and ask him, What do you think?” Whenever Mak is meeting someone, he is giving advice. This is natural for him. What is special is that he interacts with everyone with the same amount of attention. It’s just him, he is a people person. This started in his hood and it never changed, whether he was a player, an agent, or a scout.” Mak knows himself that without some key mentors, he, too, would not have been able to achieve his dreams. “When he starts talking about his Sicap roots, you can see his eyes and heart buzzing. He represents. That’s his ID card.” Paying it forward was never a question.

Finally, one of the more meaningful examples of Makhtar’s mentorship started in 2014, when he approached Sidi Niang, a man instrumental in raising him back in Senegal. Sidi is the father of former Iowa State star and current Utah Jazz forward, Georges Niang. With a similar frame and ability to shoot the ball, Makhtar saw a definite future in the league for Georges and wanted to make sure he had all the right guidance to achieve it. The two spoke regularly before and after games, about the process of entering the NBA draft, what to expect and how to prepare. “I can’t even begin to explain what Makhtar has meant to me. You know, he never wants anything out of it. His moral compass is at the exact right point.”

As the two grew closer, Georges asked Makhtar to represent him. This was an honor for Makhtar to represent someone of Senegalese heritage. Sixty players are drafted each year, with few getting a real chance. In this case, Makhtar’s life was coming full circle trying to help Sidi’s son make the NBA. On draft night, Makhtar stayed glued to his phone, maneuvering and fighting for the right fit that would give Georges a real opportunity to prove himself - the Indiana Pacers at 50th overall. It happened, just as planned. Georges is now a 4th year forward in the league and the two remain tight to this day, even as Makhtar has moved beyond the agent world.

what’s next

In 2017, Makhtar joined the New York Knicks front office as a scout. The job is a blessing for Makhtar who loves traveling and connecting with people, aside from his acumen for the game. Antawn Jamison still laughs about a trip to Brazil that he and Makhtar took in 2002 that perfectly illustrates these passions. By the end of the first day, Makhtar was picking up Portuguese without having ever spoken it in his life. “Before we left, Makhtar was communicating with the people of Brazil and understanding what they’re talking about. I’m like, Makhtar, you just learned a language in a couple of days, how you do that?”

The story is far from over for Makhtar. Since entering the league over 20 years ago, Makhtar has had a personal vision to help in further globalizing the game by seeking out the hidden gems of the basketball world. He believes all someone needs is an opportunity and if they have the right character, beautiful things can happen. Michigan head coach and former Fab 5 center, Juwan Howard, adds that “Makhtar is humble to where he will take on any and every position. He has never felt like there is one job that is beneath him. He knows a lot of people globally and has an eye for talent. As a guy who has been overlooked too, he knows basketball. Think about this. He has played for two iconic, Hall of Fame coaches: Steve Fisher and Dean Smith. It is in his blood.”

This winning culture passed on by his two legendary coaches has Makhtar restless to pass it on. Unanimously, there are many murmurs that Makhtar has what it takes to run a team. Boniface N’dong, current Director of Player Development for the Nuggets, remembers how Makhtar did this towards the end of his international playing days for Senegal. “Makhtar was 33 at the time and the main thing that struck me the most was his ability to put and keep the team together. Anybody that kind of fell out of line, I’m talking about basketball, I’m talking about behavior, I’m talking about discipline, or team unity, he will pull you on the side and put you back right on track.”

When it comes to gracefully dealing with the pressure, North Carolina teammate Ademola Okulaja raves that, “You can’t rattle Mak. He has a great knowledge of the game. He knows everybody. He especially knows players, players’ attitudes, players’ behaviors — particularly the African guys. He knows young talent, but also the older guys. He can put a team together. Maybe someone's numbers aren’t there anymore, but they need him for the locker room. He knows it. He has been around the game for so long.”

In the spotlight pressure of the NBA, with fans and ownership setting certain expectations, the strength to remain even-keeled is of utmost value.

These are a few of the many testimonials that praise Makhtar’s knack to create and keep a team together. Unity is at the center of his philosophy and his remarkable intelligence, a big heart for people, and the ability to adapt to new circumstances have taken Makhtar as a boy from Sicap, all across the world. Every night, he still finds himself travelling.

The future is bright for one of the NBA’s most connected brothers. As someone who spent his life in giving without expecting something in return, it was about time for him and the world to know how much of an impact he has had. This, is the story of a boy from Sicap.

in loving memory of Victorine Marguerite Bidi, Mama Sicap