The first pro basketball player with Eritrea roots, Thomas Kelati, almost gained a chance to play alongside the best National Basketball Association (NBA) player in Kobe Bryant. However, the NBA's Lakers waived the 6-foot-5 guard Eritrean-American before the start of their regular season.
(Los Angeles Times) The Lakers trimmed their roster by one today by letting go of Thomas Kelati, a former Washington State guard. Kelati played last season in Spain and also played two seasons in Poland.
The 6-foot-5 Kelati made a name for himself at Washington State by shooting 42.7% from beyond the three-point arc.
Kelati spent last season playing for Unicaja in Spain, where he averaged 11.8 points and 1.9 rebounds in 22.5 minutes. Before that, he played for two seasons in Poland, where he led his team to consecutive Polish League finals appearances. Kelati began his pro career in Belgium in 2005. He played college ball at Washington State. In Washington State’s record books, Kelati ranks third in three-point percentage (42.7), second in three-point field goals made (232), seventh in steals (133) and eighth in assists (274). As a senior, he averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game en route to earning a spot on the 2005 All-Pacific 10 Conference Team.
ULEBCup.com
Thomas Kelati, the only elite pro player who carries the passport of the African nation of Eritrea. Kelati was born in the United States shortly after his parents escaped war in Eritrea. Following a successful university career, Kelati debuted as a pro in Europe two seasons ago, helping Dexia Mons-Hainaut take the Belgian Cup in 2006. Kelati's very next stop was Zgorzelec, and his impact last season was immediate. He led Turow to reach its first-ever Polish League final while being given plenty credit for the turnaround as the team's best scorer and top defender. In the ULEB Cup this season, Kelati has done nothing but prove his quality again, ranking second on the team in scoring while leading one of the competition's top defenses to a place few thought Turow could reach, the Final Eight. Already the pride of basketball fans in one entire country, Kelati also has a chance now to help lift Poland to its highest step on the European stage.
