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TBT: Kabongo back to winning ways with Overseas Elite

07/22/2016, 6:15pm EDT
By Varun Kumar

Myck Kabongo (above) and Overseas Elite are three wins from a $2 million TBT payout. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Varun Kumar (@vrkumar8)
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This past season, Myck Kabongo didn't win many basketball games.

Playing for the Erie Bayhawks, the NBA Developmental League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, his team went 12-38.

Though his team featured some talented big name players, like Keith Appling, Derrick Caracter and Aaron Harrison, they had by far the worst mark in the league -- including, at one point, a 16-game losing streak.

As poor as the year was for him, he tried to turn it into a learning experience rather than sulk about it.

“My character got tested,” he said. “I've learned a lot about myself as a human and as a basketball player as well...I've never lost as much as I did this year. It tests you. I respect this game so much and I feel like everything you put in is going to come back to you in some way.”

After such a trying campaign, he’s relished in the opportunity to play winning basketball again for Overseas Elite, joining them once again this summer here in Philadelphia.

They are, of course, the defending champs of TBT, surprising some last year with upset wins over City of Gods and Ants Alumni in the final four. With almost every key member of the team, including former St. John's star D.J. Kennedy, back this time around, they are poised to make another deep run.

“I love playing with these guys,” Kabongo said after their Super 16 win over Ram Nation on Friday night. “I haven't played with any of these guys [before last year's TBT], since I'm the youngest guy on the team. We have a lot of talks off the court about basketball, and about life. They're really just helping me become a better professional.”

They are just one win away from another trip to the semifinals at Fordham’s historic Rose Hill Gym -- and three from $2 million -- and Kabongo’s play was a huge factor in their win on Thursday night.

He was terrific controlling the basketball as the point guard, finishing the game with no turnovers. Though he only had three assists, he had several “hockey assists” as defenders had a hard time staying in front of him.

Despite the game at Philly U feeling like a true road game being played at VCU’s Siegel Center, Kabongo excelled in the face of pressure defense from the VCU alumni team and the school’s raucous spirit band, the Peppas.

The environment and camaraderie took him back to his college playing days at Texas; Kabongo started for Rick Barnes’ teams for two seasons from 2011-13 before leaving early for the NBA draft.

“[The band] was great. It had me reminiscing about my days in the Big 12, and I can speak for everyone and say it's a fun environment. It felt like college. Our team is very competitive even when our backs are against the wall,” he said.

His college career didn't have a great ending however. He was suspended for most of his sophomore campaign (23 games) due to impermissible contact with an agent. As a result, the Longhorns floundered to seventh place the Big 12, finishing with an overall 16-18 record.

Although he didn't play in as many college games as he would have liked, Kabongo doesn't have regrets about his final season in Austin, keeping in line with his overall mindset of staying positive in the face of adversity.

To him, it's been easier to stay positive since he's playing for Overseas Elite, a bunch of guys that he considers to be among his friends. It has been more enjoyable to him since his teammates are playing for the sake of each other and for the sake of the team, at least compared to the season when players are much more likely to look out for themselves.

“We play hard and we play for each other,” he said. “We don't care about numbers, points or whatever stats. We’re just going to feed it to the guys that are going. When some guy gets it going, you give it to him. Putting the ball in the basket- that's the name of the game.”


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