Hawke's Bay basketball import Jamie Skeen has played in eight countries but it has never been his preferred sport.
"I've played basketball since I was 11 back home in Charlottesville. I've loved it my whole life ... everyone wanted to be like Michael Jordan," power forward Skeen explained before the Taylor Hawks trained at Karamu High School last night in the countdown to tomorrow night Sal's National Basketball League round four clash against the Southland Sharks in Invercargill.
"But football was my favourite sport. I wanted to be like my dad Eric who played college football. However I didn't play it long enough ... just one year. I was so small and skinny my parents thought I was going to break something and pulled me out. My mum Jacqueline was a nervous wreck," the now 2.03m Skeen said.
His trial with the Hawks while he awaits the outcome of a visa application follows stints in France, Israel, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Puerto Rico and Kosovo. Skeen has played in four of the Hawks five matches to date and missed the first round 92-84 win against the SIT Zerofees Sharks.
"I'm really happy here and the Hawks are a great team. Of all the countries I've been to this is the one I could move to the most. Everyone speaks English and it's easy to adapt to the food. The toughest part is the driving ... but I'm getting used to that."