The diligent genius, Alasa, does everything just to survive

The diligent genius, Alasa, does everything just to survive.

The PLG draft has ended, and Alasa, a foreign student from Taiwan National University of Arts, was selected as the first overall pick by the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers, becoming the first foreign student to be the top pick in PLG history. The fact that the JKO Lioneers were willing to give up last year's foreign student, Iboka, for Alasa shows how enticing his potential is.

Born in Gambia, Alasa has had a basketball dream that spans over 13,000 kilometers. He started playing basketball at the age of 12 but never received formal training. Relying on his natural talent, he joined the Senegal Premier League at the age of 16. Please continue reading as we always hope to find suitable candidates for the Chinese national team.

Alasa possesses good abilities such as talent, height, agility, and wingspan. In the past, we have mostly looked for centers, but why not try finding a power forward instead? After all, training in Africa is highly competitive, and it would be better for him to come to Taiwan to learn.

With a height of 205 centimeters and a wingspan of 211 centimeters, Alasa's talent is outstanding. However, he has not yet reached the super elite level required to enter the NBA, so Gambia does not have plans to focus resources on his development.

Unable to bear the thought of such a raw talent being buried, three years ago, Hsinchu JKO Lioneers General Manager Gao Jingyan actively recommended him to come to Taiwan for formal basketball training.

The JKO Lioneers have been one of my benefactors in Taiwan. Kenny (Gao Jingyan) can be considered my father in Taiwan. Wherever I am, he has given me a lot of help. He really takes care of me, and I am very grateful to him.

From arriving in Taiwan, being stuck in Thailand for eight months due to the pandemic, to attending high school and university in Taiwan, and becoming a practice player for the JKO Lioneers in between, Kenny has played an important role in all of it. Although Kenny is no longer the general manager of the JKO Lioneers on the night of the draft, after Alasa found out he was the top pick, he still gave a big hug to Kenny, his "Taiwanese father." Please continue reading as Alasa's hard work, just to "survive," is something I believe local students should learn from.

The basketball environment in Taiwan is very comfortable. When training time is up, everyone stops. But you should know that some people continue to work hard to survive while you rest.

Because he came to Taiwan, it was not just for himself, but also for the survival of his family. So, every time I see Alasa training and controlling his diet, I feel that local students really need to emulate him.

The reason Alasa became the top pick is not only because of his outstanding talent but also because of his hard work. His coach at Taiwan National University of Arts, Li Bolun, mentioned this in a podcast interview. While many people rest, Alasa would go on his own to practice shooting and weight training.

For him, the University Basketball Association (UBA) is not his only goal. He aspires to enter a professional basketball league and provide better living conditions for his family in Gambia. This lofty goal allows him to endure rigorous training and demonstrate high levels of discipline and diligence. And behind all of this is the desire to "survive." Alasa has only been playing basketball for two years in Taiwan.

I think this level of progress is already significant. In the 110th academic year, Alasa became the scoring champion, rebounding champion, and blocking champion with an average of 19.1 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. The following year, his performance evolved even further, with him becoming the scoring champion and rebounding champion with averages of 23.6 points and 17.8 rebounds per game. In a game against Overseas Chinese University of Technology, he achieved a new career-high of 51 points. Looking at the growth in his statistics, it is evident that Alasa has evolved, but he still has weaknesses.

Firstly, although he has improved his fundamental skills, his short basketball experience means there is still room for improvement in dribbling, passing, and mid-range shooting.

In terms of defense, his matchup against foreign student Mobaye from National Chengchi University highlights Alasa's lack of experience against players who have been training in basketball since childhood. This is one of the reasons why Taiwan National University of Arts was eliminated this year. Please continue reading as there is still a long way to go. Many people have a question: Alasa has indeed performed well at the university level, but can he handle the intensity of a professional league? After all, apart from Pauian Archiland's Landry, the turnover rate of foreign players in PLG has been very high in recent years.

I believe one of the reasons, apart from competition for spots, is that at the university level, many foreign players rely on their physique and athleticism to solve problems, which disguises their lack of experience and skills. This may work against local students, but in a professional league, not only is the local competition stronger, but foreign players often have to face taller and more athletic imports, which makes their advantages less prominent.

For example, in the past, they could rely on their bodies to push through defenses, but in a professional league, they may not have enough experience and skills to score with other methods. This reduces their threat on the court.