Osman Bangura, the DMV Grassroots Guru

Welcome to a different installment of Hoops, Rap and Every thing Black, a weekly column that zeroes in on the 2 elementary elements of SLAM—hoops and rap—whereas threading in different elements of the colourful tapestry of Black tradition. Let’s get it.

Quiet because it’s saved, Osman Bangura’s fingerprints are all around the recreation at each degree—highschool, school and even the NBA. At completely different factors over the previous 20 years, he coached one of many nation’s finest basketball packages in Virginia’s Paul VI Excessive College, and at Howard College for a stint. He’s additionally helped construct Crew Durant and Crew Takeover, respectively, to turn out to be two of the premier Nike EYBL packages within the nation. In terms of teaching and basketball, you title it and Osman has finished it. He’s performed many roles, each large and small, in serving to a mess of hoopers obtain their dream of enjoying Division I basketball and a few to the league. He has unequivocally turn out to be THE man within the DMV grassroots basketball panorama.

“I’ve been teaching for a really very long time,” says Osman. “However individuals don’t actually know that as a result of I don’t boast. Folks do the speaking.”

Osman, 46, who was born in Sierra Leone and moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland when he was eight, has no qualms about enjoying the background whereas others get the shine. His soft-spoken confidence units him other than a lot of his friends. He’s not in it for his ego. He is aware of his position—whichever one the second requires—and he performs it about in addition to anybody within the nation in his area. He merely desires to assist put children able to get scholarships and assist children enhance their high quality of life by means of the sport, and he’s finished each ten instances over. It’s not that he shies away from the notoriety and a spotlight, however he’s not looking for it both.

“I’ve finished a lot for teenagers and I don’t anticipate nothing again,” he tells me. “The best way I used to be raised, you do proper and the blessings are gonna come.”

Osman received into basketball late, and although he developed to be a fairly good participant, admits he was by no means fairly the prospect like his brother, Alpha Bangura, who went on to play for St. John’s College earlier than carving out a strong profession abroad. “I’ve all the time been a strong participant. I used to be extra of a defensive man, I wasn’t a stud or all-American,” says Osman describing his recreation. And whereas he earned some alternatives on the subsequent degree, his school enjoying profession was filled with forks within the street.

Sadly for Osman, he suffered a handful of accidents together with a ruptured Achilles and indifferent retina, which might ultimately get one of the best of him and stop him from having the enjoying profession he envisioned for himself. He final performed for Division III powerhouse Virginia Wesleyan in Virginia Seaside earlier than hanging up his jersey for good. “I used to be so beat, I believed basketball simply wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get by means of it,” he says. 

However Osman knew he nonetheless had extra to provide to the sport, even when it was not predicated on his athletic talents. Osman returned to Maryland and one of many first individuals he reached out to was Glenn Farello, then-head coach at Eleanor Roosevelt Excessive College, the most effective public highschool basketball packages within the space on the time.

Farello has since moved on to educate Paul VI, the place he’s been for the previous 16 seasons. Farello has been named Coach of the Yr 13 instances. He’s coached greater than 80 school basketball gamers and counting, with 22 who’ve performed professionally 5 who’ve performed within the NBA. And Osman was there for a bit of that. “I instructed Farello, ‘Man, hear, I’m again dwelling [from school]. I been by means of a lot and I wish to give again. I’ve so much to share,’” Osman remembers. It was a no brainer for Farello who coached Osman’s brother, Alpha, years prior.

The 12 months was 2003 when Osman made that telephone name and jumped into teaching, and he hasn’t regarded again since.

“I felt [coaching] is what I needed to do, I felt like I offered myself quick as a participant. I do know I might’ve finished a lot extra however I simply coasted by means of it,” says Osman. “I needed to give again, even when only one particular person received one thing out of it.” Properly, for those who think about all the present school coaches, Division I hoopers and NBA gamers who Osman coached alongside his journey, it’s secure to say that so much of individuals received one thing out of it. Brooklyn Nets’ Dariq Whitehead, New Orleans Pelicans’ Jordan Hawkins, Syracuse’s Judah Mintz, Oregon’s Kwame Evans and Florida State’s Jalen Warley are only a tremendous tiny pattern dimension of Osman’s former gamers.

This listing of basketball success tales that Osman is hooked up to is simply going to continue to grow, too. Immediately, he’s the top coach at Thomas Pullen, which Osman says is likely one of the finest center faculty basketball packages in Maryland. He additionally not too long ago determined to half methods with Crew Durant as their program director and head coach, and rejoin crosstown rival Crew Takeover, the place he received his first style of teaching AAU hoops within the early 2010s. Even with Osman leaving Crew Durant and becoming a member of forces with a rival squad, you’d be hard-pressed to seek out somebody badmouth him or query his integrity. And that’s as a result of Osman’s intentions are made very clear; it’s all the time all in regards to the children.

Many individuals think about the DMV to be the promise land for school basketball recruiting, and Osman is on the heart of it. He’s not the one main determine on this house, however he’s on the high of a shortlist of essentially the most impactful. And whereas Osman might justifiably stroll round along with his chest out, he prefers to play it cool. He offers the credit score again to his student-athletes and his employees each probability he will get.

“With out the youngsters, there’s no teaching,” says Osman. “And the most important factor I’d say is that there’s means you possibly can do all of this by your self. I’d completely not achieve success if I didn’t have my employees. I’ve it straightforward as a result of I rise up [and coach], however these guys take so much off my shoulders from scouting, recruiting, washing uniforms and driving vans.”

There aren’t many youth coaches on the market with a monitor report that’s similar to Osman’s. He’s finished nearly all the things this recreation has to supply. However he’s nonetheless decided to continue to grow and evolving. He says he nonetheless has feats to perform and targets to examine off. He’s labored at each degree besides the NBA, and that’s the place he has his eyes set when interested by the distant future. “I’ve finished a lot on this [youth basketball] house and I believe I’m wanted on this house. However long-term I’d like to be an NBA scout or GM sooner or later,” says Osman. “I couldn’t play on the highest degree however perhaps I can coach, be a scout or within the entrance workplace on the highest degree and influence the sport that means.”

Certain, his targets are lofty however I wouldn’t wager towards Osman. And it goes again to one thing he stated early on, “you do proper and the blessings are gonna come.” He’s not good, no one is. However Osman has finished a number of proper through the years. It’s secure to imagine the blessings are going to proceed coming tenfold.

Curtis’ Nook

Hoops: One other week of faculty hoops and one other freshman placing the world on discover for what to anticipate for years to come back. This time it was LSU WBB freshman Mikaylah Williams who dropped 42 factors in a win towards Kent State. LSU is loaded with expertise and a championship pedigree made obvious by final 12 months’s nationwide championship. Including gifted freshmen like Mikaylah to the fold simply means LSU might be a power to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.

Rap: When you’re on the hunt for a refreshing hear full of elegant manufacturing, clean flows and high quality substance, take a look at Oddisee’s album “To What End,” which dropped early this 12 months. I only in the near past got here throughout it and have been working it constantly.

Every thing Black: This week Brandon Jennings penned a guest story for SLAM about his Tuff Crowd collaboration with Stephen Curry’s Curry Model. Brandon referred to as it “essentially the most impactful collaboration the league has ever seen” and he made some legitimate factors to help his declare. You’ll want to give {that a} learn and take a look at the gathering here.

As all the time, right here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Every thing Black playlist. It’ll be up to date weekly with every column. Add the playlist to your library to remain within the know, and make sure to observe SLAM on Spotify.