Thabeet of a Different Drum

NEW YORK – The towering Hasheem Thabeet pays homage to his African heritage every night he gears up for action with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Tanzanian native often shows up to arenas on gameday in traditional African clothing — but it’s the orange-dyed patch in his afro that often gets the most questions.

At 7-foot-3, he’s currently the tallest player in the NBA and speaks with a warm and bellowing boom in his voice. Perched on a locker room bench before the team’s recent game against the New York Knicks, he explained to NBA Africa the dyed patch in his hair is meant to honor the elders in the Tanzanian town where he grew up. Read more