‘Mongolian Mike’ hopes to make splash with UD

So, too, do younger basketball gamers, particularly this 20-year-old, 6-foot-8 freshman level guard when his mother – Erdenebulgan Purevsuren – is making the meal.

Though he spent a lot time in the US the previous few years – and was born in Phoenix when is 7-foot dad was enjoying for the Harlem Globetrotters – Sharavjamts was raised in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

When he signed with the Flyers, he grew to become the first-ever Mongolian participant to get a Division I basketball scholarship.

He begins his profession tonight when the Flyers meet Capital College in a 7 p.m. exhibition recreation a UD Area. And with returning starter Malachi Smith injured, he’ll get extra enjoying time.

His dad and mother will probably be within the crowd, simply as they hope to be for all of the Flyers video games, dwelling and away, this season.

“My spouse and I plan to be right here for six months, till the top of the season,” Tserenjankhar mentioned.

He mentioned when they’re round – when there’s a bit little bit of a house ambiance, Mike “calms down and relaxes… And when he’s relaxed, he grows very quick in basketball.

“Through the years we got here right here two instances – as soon as when he was enjoying for Prolific Prep (the Napa Valley basketball academy in California that’s sponsored by Adidas) and final 12 months when he was at ISA (the Worldwide Sports activities Academy in Willoughby) – and he did nicely each instances.”

Really, Sharavjamts has largely performed nicely irrespective of who was within the stands.

One thing of a basketball prodigy with fabled hoops genes that return three generations, he first got here to America at age 11 to be mentored by the late Bruce O’Neil at the US Basketball Academy in Blue Ridge, Oregon, a spot that has helped hundreds of Asian basketball gamers over time.

Sharavjamts first confirmed up within the Miami Valley as a highschool freshman at Legacy Christian in Xenia, because of the varsity’s ties to Athletes in Motion. He averaged 10.5 factors per recreation that season and the next 12 months joined Prolific Prep, a nationwide showcase workforce, that performed within the Flyin’ to the Hoop event that 12 months.

When COVID upended every thing the subsequent (2020-2021) season, Sharavjamts returned to Mongolia. Whereas being round household may need been some tonic for the instances, it did take him out of the highlight and brought about him to be under-recruited.

He returned right here in the summertime of 2021 and performed for the Cincinnati-based AAU workforce, the Midwest Basketball Membership, coached by Centerville Excessive Faculty coach Brooks Cupps.

Final season (2021-22) at IMS he averaged 10.2 factors per gamewhile capturing 51.3 % (44 of 86) from lengthy vary.

Over the summer time he skilled with the Mongolian nationwide workforce and would have performed with it within the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers had these recreation not been moved again to subsequent month.

Since becoming a member of the Flyers – the place he’s referred to as Mongolian Mike – his marquee standing has grown again dwelling.

As soon as his dad – who the Globetrotters billed as The Mongolian Shark – was probably the most well-known basketball participant within the nation. Now his son wears that mantle.

A month in the past the Dayton Flyers – Mongolian Followers Fb web page was launched and it has over 3,100 followers.

Younger basketball-playing Mongolians now look as much as him and Tserenjankhar mentioned he guided two of them to this space: “One is 6-foot 11 and is at Chris Wright’s Flyght Academy and one other, who’s round 6-7 and actually robust, is at Centerville Excessive.”

The tv channel SPC, the Mongolian Premier Channel, has despatched a movie crew to Dayton to do an expansive documentary on Sharavjamts and his household, entitled “Mongolian Mike.” The primary of eight trailers not too long ago was launched and already has 195,000 views.

The brief clip options pictures of three generations of the household, clips of Sharavjamts with the nationwide workforce again in Ulaanbaatar, right here within the Cronin Heart apply fitness center after which taking the ground within the in any other case abandoned UD Area.

“All people again in Mongolia is aware of him,” his dad mentioned. “All of them are simply ready for his (UD) profession to start.”

From volleyball to the Globetrotters

When Tserenjankhar joined the Globetrotters in 2001 – changing into the workforce’s first Asian participant – it was mentioned he hailed from the tallest household in Mongolia.

He mentioned his dad, who performed for the nationwide basketball workforce, was “round 6-5″ and his mom, a nationwide volleyball workforce participant, was close to 6-foot 1. His brother was about 6-foot-9 and his sisters had been over 6-feet, as nicely.

Though he’d develop to 7 toes, Tserenjankhar initially was a volleyball participant and knew little about American faculty basketball and the NBA.

Till he was 16, Mongolia was below Communist rule, he mentioned: “There wasn’t freedom of speech. There have been no worldwide journeys. It was all closed to the surface world.

“The primary time I watched an NBA recreation was on Russian TV – the Los Angeles Lakers towards the Boston Celtics.”

Seeing all of the tall athletes, he mentioned: “I used to be in shock. That’s after I determined to play the sport, too.”

He performed in a league in Ulaanbaatar and as soon as a part of the nationwide workforce, he starred on the Asian Video games.

Finally, the Asian Basketball Federation satisfied Dale Brown, the previous LSU coach, to accompany O’Neil to a basketball camp in Mongolia.

Afterward, Brown informed Sports activities Illustrated how Tserenjankhar caught his consideration, not simply because he towered over his teammates and scored the quickest 50 factors he ever noticed, however for the way agile and expert he was – although he was rail skinny at 210 kilos.

However Tserenjankhar was 27 – over the age restrict for Division I faculty freshmen – so Brown contacted Globetrotters’ proprietor Mannie Jackson, who shortly signed him.

When an American coach steered he tackle a nickname that will be simpler to pronounce, Tserenjankhar got here up with Shark: “I didn’t need to name myself Shaq, however my first identify sort of sounded that manner, so I grew to become Shark.”

As for the distinction in his final identify and that of Mike and an older son, he defined:

“In Mongolia, it’s custom that we use our father’s first identify as our final identify.”

As for the Globetrotters, The Mongolian Shark grew to become an attraction like teammates Matt “Showbiz” Jackson, Michael “Wild Factor” Wilson and Paul “Showtime” Gaffney.

“Being a Globetrotter was a dream come true,” he mentioned. “I’d all the time needed to play in America.”

He would find yourself enjoying some 400 video games with the Globetrotters.

“I’ve been to 48 states and over 300 (U.S.) cities,” he mentioned.

On December 31, 2001, he performed at UD Area.

“Who would ever assume that 20-some years later my son would play there, too?” he mentioned.

After his enjoying profession, Tserenjankhar taught highschool, labored as a sports activities director for the federal government and ran a basketball academy.

He hoped that someday his two sons may embrace basketball and whereas his eldest — Munkhiin Od Sharavjamts – is a coach in Mongolia, Mike is embarking on the faculty profession he by no means acquired to have.

‘There was a lot right here he appreciated’

“As quickly as he began to stroll, you could possibly inform he was going to be one thing particular,” Tserenjankhar mentioned of Mike. “The very first time he noticed a basketball and a backboard — a kind of small ones for kids – he picked up the ball and walked over and dunked it. He was possibly a 12 months and two months previous.”

Whereas he taught his son a few of his early basketball expertise, he mentioned his skill to dominate their 1-on-1 matchups ended when Mike was 16 or so.

“And now he’s simply too fast,” Tserenjankhar mentioned. “He’d dunk on me.”

Really he and his son teamed up in a dunk contest in Mongolia some time again.

“He stood out entrance, pulled of his shirt and beneath was my previous (No. 55) Mongolian jersey. Then he got here and jumped over me and dunked.”

Whereas COVID restricted his early scholarships, Sharavjamts did get presents from Rutgers, Windfall, Japanese Washington and UD.

“He selected Dayton as a result of it was very near his coronary heart,” his dad mentioned. “He had all of the ties to the world and the Dayton coaches are nice individuals after which there are the Dayton followers.

“There was a lot right here he appreciated.”

And now there’s extra.

Day-after-day after apply there’s that Mongolian meal Mother has ready.