In the age of social networks, people are ruling very fast. Enough one video to make you an overnight king, and the depth less significant. Last week a viral video conquered the US starring a Nigerian star who is claimed to be Abidon Adkoga, drowning. Why did that video garner millions of views worldwide and a compliment from Shaquille O’Neal?
Because the same Adkoga that was described as a talent that will compete in the upcoming draft, rises to a height of 2.36 meters (!!). Just to add proportions, he is 10 inches taller than Taco Paul (Boston’s talent), 12 inches taller than Boban Marianovic and 18 inches taller than Bull Bull (son of Manot Bull who plays in Denver).
Before you begin, take a look at the video and you will understand what the fuss is about.
So far, so good. A young talent, with dimensions not seen every day, and one can understand why that video, of a man with both feet on the ground drowning, has gone so viral. However, from the moment they began to deepen in the world, the question marks surrounding whoever calls himself a “Big Ninja” and does not call himself by his name, only increase. Questions about his age, where he comes from and what his name is, are just the tip of the iceberg. A glimpse into a mystery that excites the United States.
Dude, who are you?
The man who is stirring up the network and calling himself a “Big Ninja” is according to bleacher report Aviodon Adkoga and will compete in the upcoming draft, but ESPN and sites covering the talent competing in the draft long before, did not mention his name until the same viral video appeared. In fact, a quick search for the name Abidon Adcouga, brings up the name of Power Forward (1.88m), who graduated from Midtown State somewhere in 2015, and today plays in Bolivia.
The Instagram account that uploaded the video uploaded his first photo from 9 weeks ago and was inactive until last week, when he has since uploaded 7 videos. Despite the name attached to it, the Nigerian or his agents do not mention his name anywhere, but only call him by the stage name “Big Nige”.
It may be a coincidence that the names are the same, but at the moment the hidden is greater than the visible.
21 or 18 years old? Depends on who you ask
As mentioned, in the US it is claimed that the same mysterious figure is destined to compete in the upcoming draft, with his agents claiming that he is 18 years old, but in the US there are those who claim that he is 21 at all. This is because in 2016 an article was published in Nigeria. He is a “Big Nige”), described as a 17-year-old boy who rises to a height of 2.18 m and will grow. The same article in Nigeria described him as a student at the Academy in Lagos, who needed financial help to continue his studies and focus on his basketball career.
“The boy was facing psychological difficulties because of his unconventional height, he is trying to behave like a normal child who just wants to play basketball,” the same article in Nigeria read, “Help him to fulfill his dream.”
So is he 18 years old today or is he 21 years old? It is not clear.
Meanwhile, driving Dubai crazy
When the sky opened up, we were told about Dubai, that everything there is “big and exaggerated”, so apparently “Big Nige” definitely fits this profile, because he reportedly belongs to the MPAC Basketball Academy in Dubai, where he trains with his peers towards the next step in his career . According to reports, he will belong to the Elite Youth League, run by his agency, where he was selected ninth in the local league’s draft last month.
“It’s not your height, but how hard you work,” the video from the same draft said, “I’m ready for the challenge.” Alongside the glittering event, that league has yet to open, and there is currently no mention of it on Google, regarding when it will open.
Meanwhile, the talent has realized that his height is an advantage and not a disadvantage, and at least on the net – he is already in the league of the greats with viral videos. For example, upload a video from a workout with a teammate, in which they compare heights, or a video in which he is part of a group of 11-year-olds.
His height could certainly be significant in a basketball career, but the gap between a network star and a professional basketball player, is very significant, and aside from that drowning that went viral, Big Nige will have to show a lot more.
If he does reach the NBA, he will break the record of Yao Ming (2.29m) and Manot Ball (2.31m) and become the tallest basketball player in NBA history, but long before he reaches the league, he must first remove the question marks around him. Meanwhile, there are quite a few.