NBA: Ibaka is African Player of the Week by John Green

Serge Ibaka © Gallo Images

Serge Ibaka is this week’s supersport.com African Player of the Week for games played from 30 November to 6 December.

Although rookie Emmanuel Mudiay helped the Denver Nuggets improve their record to 8-13 and the Congolese contributed 7.2 points and 6.5 assists in three games, Oklahoma City Thunder's power forward Ibaka made a bigger impact.

Ibaka averaged 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and two blocked shots in three games as OKC improved to a 12-8 record.

The Congolese may not be at his best protecting the rim, but offensively Ibaka’s 54.6 percent field-goal shooting made a lot of noise.

Twenty games into the season and Ibaka is averaging 12.9 points and 7.2 rebounds.

“I am [always] ready to play whatever position the coach asks me to. If he asks me to play four or five, I am ready," he said on Sunday.

After two consecutive defeats at Atlanta and Miami, OKC bounced back with a 98-95 home win over Sacramento, and Ibaka came up with 12 points, seven rebounds and a staggering there blocked shots.
OKC and Ibaka visit Memphis on Wednesday morning.