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Six Completely Random NBA Players That I Thought Of Today

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19 Apr 2000: Bimbo Coles #12 of the Atlanta Hawks brings the ball upcourt during the Hawks 111-92 loss to the Indiana Pacers the at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Mandatory Credit: Mark Cowan/Icon SMI

What a great day to think about random NBA players! Here’s six that I thought of today:

1. Bimbo Coles

Vernell Eufaye “Bimbo” Coles was born in Covington, Va. and played his college ball at Virginia Tech where he was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame. Bimbo was also a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Basketball team.

When Vernell was just a little baby, for reasons unknown, his cousin named him “Bimbo” after the 1954 country music song “Bimbo” by Jim Reeves. I don’t know why this happened. If anybody knows why, please email me. Over a 15-year NBA career, Bimbo averaged 7.8 points and 3.9 assists a game for the Heat, Warriors, Hawks, Cavaliers and Celtics.

If you were wondering, “Hey, I’m a big Bimbo Coles fan. How can I play with him in NBA2K?” Well, I have some fantastic news for you. There’s actually tutorial on how to create Bimbo Coles on NBA2k19 on YouTube and it was voted as one of the most useful “How to” videos on the web! I can’t imagine playing 2K without Bimbo.

It’s hard to pick out just one Bimbo Coles highlight as my favorite, but Alton Lister learning the hard way of not falling asleep while Bimbo is on the prowl has to be top of the list.

 

Did you know that Alton Lister was also the guy whose life was ended by this very famous Shawn Kemp dunk in the 1992 Playoffs? It’s true!

When to celebrate Bimbo Coles?

October 29. It was on this day in 2002 that Bimbo Coles came off the bench for the Golden State Warriors and shot 2-10 from the field, scoring six points in 29 minutes. The Warriors lost by 27 to the Sacramento Kings. Also of note, Jumaine Jones played 31 minutes in that game for the Warriors.

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2. Joel Przybilla

Born in Monticello, Minn., the “Vanilla Gorilla” Joel Przybilla was named Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball in 1998 and spent two years at the University of Minnesota where Przybilla swatted everything in sight. Upon leaving Minnesota, Przybilla was second all-time on the school’s single-season blocks list with 84.

Drafted by the Houston Rockets with the ninth overall selection in 2000, Przybilla was immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Over a 13-year NBA career, Przybilla played for the Bucks, Hawks, Blazers and Bobcats. Many of you may remember the 25-rebound game Przybilla had in March of 2008 which was just two short of the Blazers’ single-game franchise record. If there was ever a Joel Przybilla prime, it was from 2007-2009 while playing for the Blazers. In the 2008-09 season, Joel barely ever missed, shooting 62.5% from the field and snatched a career-high 8.7 rebounds per game.

Not to be redundant for those who followed the career of Joel Przybilla, but Amir Johnson of the Philadelphia 76ers blocked two shots in an April 10 game against the Bulls in 2019. True Przybilla fans will know that Joel fell to 140th place all-time on the NBA’s career blocks list thanks to Amir’s outstanding effort. #GiveACheerForAmir

As you can see, Joel has a tattoo on his right arm that says “Not in My House” which must commemorate his top-140 positioning on the all-time blocks list. I don’t know what Joel Przybilla is up to now, but if you see him say “Hi” for me.

When to celebrate Joel Przybilla?

January 31. This is National Gorilla Suit Day, a perfect day to celebrate the career of the Vanilla Gorilla.

3. Adonal Foyle

The pride and joy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Adonal Foyle is truly a NBA gem. He’s the only player ever from that fantastic island nation and is also one of four NBA players from Colgate University. Now let me tell you something, folks. If you have not sailed the Bequia Island off Admiralty Bay in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, then you are missing out. Did I mention that there is a turtle sanctuary there? I’m not kidding, ladies and gentlemen. An actual turtle sanctuary!

Foyle played 10 glorious seasons for the Golden State Warriors as well as two seasons for the Magic and one season for the Grizzlies. I actually don’t remember Adonal on the Grizzlies. I only remember him in that Warriors gold. Ask any Warriors fan who Adonal Foyle is and they probably won’t know because they only became Warriors fans five years ago. But the real fans recognize, #RealFansRecognizeAdonal.

Foyle was a force down low, blocking 1.6 shots per game over 733 career games. Considering he only averaged 17.8 minutes per game, he has got to be one of the most efficient shot blockers in history. Three times Foyle was top-three in the NBA in blocked shots per game.

Foyle is a poet and political activist in his spare time. He founded the non-partisan student organization Democracy Matters in 2001 and the Kerosene Lamp Foundation that serves children in his home country. Foyle is also one of eight NBA players (including Vlade Divac) inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. Most recently, Foyle was appointed as a team community ambassador for the Warriors n 2014. I hope he got a ring!

Here’s Foyle shooting a routine jump shot over the backboard:

When to celebrate Adonal Foyle?

Every Friday! I like to celebrate #AdonalFoyleFridays at a local poetry slam and I suggest you do as well. Whatever you do for #AdonalFoyleFridays, please celebrate safely!

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4. Randy Foye

From Newark, N.J., Randy Foye attended Villanova where he was a consensus First-Team All-American in 2006 and Big East Player of the Year. The 6-foot-4 guard was drafted with the seventh overall pick in 2007 by the Boston Celtics, but was immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and then again to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Foye really made the rounds in the NBA. Over 12 NBA seasons, Randy played for the T’Wolves, Wizards, Clippers, Jazz, Nuggets, Thunder and Nets. #WhereInTheUSIsRandyFoye?

Besides being an NBA guard that averaged 10.3 points and is tied for 82nd all-time in 3-pointers made, Foye was born with a rare condition known as situs inversus which means he was born with his internal organs reversed. This condition could be fatal in some cases, but Foye was lucky that his organs were a mirror image of the normal system of human organs. #ReverseRandy

Now for some #RandomRandyFacts. If you’re thinking, “Hey, didn’t I see Randy Foye on an episode of the Canadian teen sitcom Wingin’ It starring Dylan Everett as Carl Montclaire and Demetrius Joyette as Porter Jackson?”, then you’re right! Randy played himself on a 2010 episode. I have it on my DVR.

When to celebrate Randy Foye?

July 16. It was on this day in 2016 that Foye purchased a $1.7 million home in Rumson, N.J. from Bruce Springsteen. Sounds like the perfect day to invite yourself over to Randy’s house for a commemorative housewarming. Tell him I sent you! #PartyAtRandys

5. Cherokee Parks

Born in Huntington Beach, Calif., Cherokee Parks was named in honor of his great-grandmother who was a member of the Cherokee tribe. One interesting fact about Cherokee is that his sister, Corey, was the original bass player for the band “Nashville Pussy.” Now let me tell you something, if you have not seen Nashville Pussy play live in concert, then you are doing yourself a great disservice. If anybody out there happens to be traveling to Oslo in the next week, then you can go check them out at Billetter til Klubben i Røverstaden on June 11. If you attend in hopes of meeting Cherokee Parks’ sister, she is no longer the bassist. In fact, she hasn’t been for nearly 20 years, but I’m sure the new bassist is fantastic.

Back to Cherokee, he was a freshman on the 1992 Duke National Championship team and selected 12th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1995 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-11 center played 10 seasons in the NBA for the Mavericks, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Clippers, Spurs, Wizards and Warriors. Cherokee really made a splash in the 1997-98 season with the Timberwolves, averaging a career-high 7.1 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. Parks last played in the NBA in 2003, but returned to the game in 2011 after signing with a French team called U.S. Aubenas. He played his last game in 2013.

After some tough times personally, Cherokee has gotten his life on track and was most recently a part of the NBA’s Basketball Associates Program in 2018. I hope he’s still a part of the program!

When to celebrate Cherokee Parks?

September 6 during Labor Day weekend. Celebrate the career of Cherokee Parks on the Cherokee National Holiday which commemorates the signing of the Constitution of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma in 1839 after the Trail of Tears Indian removal ended.

6.  “Stretch” Monroe

OK, I cheated here!

Hailing from East Harlem, Clifford “Stretch” Monroe never played in the NBA, but he has dominated the parks and playgrounds of New York City for decades. This cool cat is widely regarded as the best to never play in the Association. Some say that Stretch resembles ABA/NBA legend “Dr. J” Julius Erving, but I think “Dr. J” resembles “Stretch.”

With an amazing arsenal of old school hooks and finger-rolls, this NBA Street legend can use his long, lean frame to glide gracefully to the hoop and will also end your life with a vicious, soul-snatching Gamebreaker. Even at the age of 46, the 6-foot-11”, 247 lb. school teacher by day and street legend by night can still get up with the best of them. Young bucks continue to try to take down the old man, but to this day Stretch remains undefeated thanks to his silky skills and basketball savvy. Every year he grows older, Stretch grows wiser.

Did you know that in addition to street balling, Stretch enjoys distance running and has a blood type of O+? Thirty-eight percent of people are O+, but nobody has the old school finesse of “Stretch” Monroe.

When to celebrate “Stretch” Monroe?

Everyday!

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