According to two sources, the Knicks will sign Cheikh Samb to a 10-day contract by week's end.

The 7-1 center from Senegal is 24 years of age and brings shot-blocking potential otherwise absent on the New York roster.

I am not familiar with Samb but I would have at least liked Sene to get a tryout as well.

Samb was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round (51st pick overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, but was traded that day to the Detroit Pistons for shooting guard Maurice Evans.

In the 2005-06 season, he played for WTC Cornellá in the Spanish second division, averaging 9.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks,[1] shooting 51.4% from the field and 76.1% from the free-throw line, playing an average of 26 minutes per game in 29 games. He led the league in blocked shots, registering more blocks than the totals of all but one team in the league.

After being drafted, Samb played for the Pistons in the NBA Summer League, averaging 7.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, while shooting 65.2% from the field and 60.0% from the free-throw line. He would be loaned back to the same Spanish outfit for 2006–07.

In his second season with Cornellá, he averaged 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks, while shooting 52% from the field, and 61% from the free-throw line, playing 24 minutes per game in only 19 games, in an injury-plagued season. Joining the Pistons for another Summer League, Samb posted slightly better numbers than in the previous edition, starting in four and playing in all five games. Subsequently, he signed a contract with the Pistons on July 17, 2007.[1]

On November 16, 2007, Samb played his first NBA regular season game[2]: against the Los Angeles Lakers, he had 4 rebounds, 2 points and 2 blocks in just 15 minutes, before being allocated to the NBA Development League, with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

On December 14, in his second D-League game, against the Dakota Wizards, Samb took an elbow to his mouth and lost two front teeth.[3] The teeth, knocked out at the root, were subsequently put in a saline solution and he was taken to a dentist to have them reset.[3] He also suffered a probable upper jawbone fracture.[3]

Samb was recalled to the NBA on December 21[2], switching to the Mad Ants again on January 29, 2008.[4] On February 3, he recorded a triple double with the Ants, with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 11 blocks.[5] On March 22, he was once again recalled to the Pistons.

On November 3, 2008, Samb was traded along with Antonio McDyess and Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets, in exchange for Allen Iverson.[6] Samb (along with Sonny Weems) was later assigned to the Colorado 14ers, a team associated with the Nuggets in the NBA Development League.[7] On January 5, 2009, the Nuggets traded Samb, along with cash considerations, to the Los Angeles Clippers for a conditional second-round draft pick.

On February 16, 2009, Samb was waived by the Clippers.[9]

He looks like a long-term project but since we have no seven footers on the team, he should be a good signing. I hope Waslh does not stop looking for seven footer though. This team really needs a shot-blocker that is capable of playing at least 10 minutes a game without screwing up the offense.

Posted by JohnWallace44:

Is it pronounced "Sheik" ?

That could be fun.

We need another cartoon character on the bench now that Jerome is gone.

My guess is he's Senegalese, which in Wolof would be pronounced (as best as one can translate in English):

Sh-aiur-ckh

[Edited by - PresIke on 02-24-2009 11:59 PM]

Posted by EwingsGlass:

Quoted from TKB's commentary on "Who is Cheikh Samb"

But the Berger for Worst Player on the Planet goes to Samb, heretofore notable only for being included in the Allen Iverson-Chauncey Billups trade. Said one team executive: “He’s five years away from being three years away.” That’s good enough for me.

LOL. That is hilarious.

Curry is five years away from being two years away from getting into shape.

Cheikh

Meaning: Wise; learned

I'm down with giving this guy a chance. He's probably a poor man's DJ Mbenga, but if he keeps making strides in the weight room he has the ability to help a bit.

Somewhere, TMS is currently having some "personal time" after reading about this news and checking out the Alba thread just once more...

Posted by fishmike:

this guy has the next Mutumbo written all over him. This is the same as getting another first round pick. I was shocked we let Randolph Morris go without somekind of long term deal as we were still paying for the loss of Jackie Butler. A new era is dawning.

Lets see Islesfan try to put his d-bag spin on this. Even he cant

LOL. It took me until the second sentence to realize your were being sarcastic. "It is like getting another first round pick" is just classic.