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Volume No. 1 Issue No. 72 - Monday October 17, 2005 |
Dominican Otis George Goes to the NBA
 by Thomson Fontaine
Otis George of Dominica has been signed as a free agent by the New York Knicks basketball team.
The twenty-three year old, 6- 8, 225 pound player will join the Knicks team as one of four rookie players for this year�s basketball season. As per team policy, no details were given on the terms of the deal.
 George played college basketball at Louisville University under the legendary Rick Patino, who was also a coach of the New York Knicks for two seasons. After the Louisville team made it to the final four of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament, Patino was effusive in his praise for George and was quoted as saying �we are not in the finals without him (George)��
Otis was born in Dominica in 1982 and attended high school in Florida where he played basketball for just three years before leading his high school to the state championships.
The fact that George has made it all the way to the United States National basketball league comes as no real surprise. In an October 19, 2001 issue of the Dominican.net, I noted that �everyone who has seen him play agrees that he has what it takes to make it to the next level�.�
Indeed the hard work and the natural athletic ability of George have made his dream of playing in the NBA a reality. George is not the first Dominican to play in the NBA. In the 2000-01 season, the 7-2, 315 pound Garth Joseph was selected by the Toronto Raptors. He later went to play for the Denver Nuggets. However, persistent injury forced him out of the league and as late as last year he was playing in the Chinese league.
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