1. Evening Herald, Saturday, April 1, 2006 Herald online: thisisplymouth.co.ukextra words PAGE 53
EH1
The Big Interviewsports@eveningherald.co.uk 01752 765522
RAIDERS rookie Carlton
Aaron really did graduate
from the school of hard
knocks.
He grew up without a father in one
of the most notorious neighbourhoods
on the planet – the Bronx, New York
City.
His mother, Elaine, held down a
full-time job while raising Aaron and
younger brother Keith and sister Pre-
cious.
Elaine moved her family out of the
city as soon as she could, following
Aaron to Kansas, Missouri where he
attended college. It was autumn,
2002.
“She had to,” said Aaron, now 26
and fast reaching the end of his first
year in professional basketball.
“My brother (Keith) is easily in-
fluenced and was getting in with the
wrong crowd, doing the wrong thing.
“New York is not a place you want
to play around with. There’s so much
crime and so much violence, it’s
crazy.”
Crazy encapsulates much of what
Aaron experienced during his child-
hood in the Bronx.
“I saw someone get shot for the first
time in my life when I was 14 years
old,” Aaron recounts.
“I was playing in my backyard with
my little brother.
“We had fencing, like 9ft tall, but
you could see through it. Right out-
side, this guy was sitting on a bench
and someone ran up and shot him in
the back of his head.
“My mom ran out and grabbed me
and my brother and took us upstairs –
but we saw it. It was the nastiest
thing in the world.”
Aaron continued: “It just made me
realise I had to grow up quick. I used
to go straight to school and come
straight home. It is dangerous grow-
ing up in the city – it really is.”
Aaron didn’t have to tell his mother
that.
She appreciated her first-born had
to escape and had the opportunity
through basketball.
“I didn’t even like basketball, but
my mother made me play,” said
Aaron, who was 12 when he took up
the sport.
“I didn’t want to run up and down a
court, I wanted to play baseball or
(American) football. My mother was
like, ‘Just do it for a year and if you
still don’t like it you can quit’, but I got
my first trophy and became com-
petitive.
“I wanted a whole bunch of tro-
phies. I’ve just developed a love for
basketball. I love it to death.
“I still played (American) football
in high-school, but in my senior year I
took a real bad hit and it made me
realise I like contact but not that
much contact!
“It knocked the wind out of me and
I decided football wasn’t for me, so I
stuck with basketball.”
Raiders coach Gary Stronach is
glad he did – other coaches around
the BBL Championship less so.
Stronach acquired Aaron straight
out of University of Missouri Kansas
City last summer.
There were great expectations of
the 6ft 9in big-man, who had to fill the
formidable shoes of Raiders’ 2004/05
MVP Terrence Durham.
Durham’s efforts last season
earned the power-forward a BBL
All-Star selection and he traded his
rising stock in, in France’s second
division, where he currently ranks
second in rebounds in Angers’
colours.
Durham led Raiders both in scoring
and rebounds last season, averaging
16.9 and 13.5 per game respectively.
Aaron’s current averages are 15.9
and 12.3 per, but those numbers have
been diluted by a debilitating ankle
injury, which he has carried like a
ball and chain all season.
“I guess a lot of people had high
expectations for me this year, but I
got hurt before I came over (last
summer),” Aaron said. “After Christ-
mas the ankle felt good and I could
work on my con-
ditioning and
lost 20/25lb.
“But then I sprained it again (in
February) and it set me back. It’s not
been the same since.”
Aaron added: “It’s sucked. I feel I’m
a better player than what I’ve shown.
I’ve had spurts where I’ve done good
things, but not half as good as I know
I am. I’ve played hurt.
“Without my injury, people have
It’s the hard knock
life for rookie Aaron■ American rookie Carlton Aaron hasn’t had an easy first year at
Kularoos Raiders – but that’s nothing to how hard a time he had
growing up back home in the Bronx, New York City. He told
Herald Sport’s GLENN BRYANT why
said I’d be averaging 20 (points) and
15 (rebounds) rather than 15 and
12.”
Not quite, but through January
and early February Aaron averaged
17.0 points and 15.2 rebounds during
a 7-3 Raiders surge. Then the ankle
went again, against Milton Keynes
Lions on February 18.
Since, Raiders have slumped 3-6
and remain on the cusp of the play-off
race they threatened to blow wide
open.
However, even if 2005/06 does end
downbeat for the club, still only in
their second year in the BBL, Aaron is
considering returning next season – if
Stronach asks him back.
“We’ve talked about whether we
would consider coming back next
year,” said Aaron of himself and his
team-mates. “If all the guys come
back I’d definitely be willing to.
“I’ve loved this year and really
enjoyed being over here.”
Aaron wouldn’t have even made
Stronach’s acquaintance had he
inked a contract for Cuxhaven last
summer in Germany’s second divi-
sion.
Aaron’s pedigree – he twice made
the All-New York City team during
high school – was a passport to a job
on the continent in Europe, without
first finding his feet in the less
cut-throat BBL.
However, the language barrier in
Germany proved too great an obstacle
– in more ways than one.
“The coach was Lithuanian and
spoke no English whatsoever,” said
Aaron.
“He came to pick me up for practice
and we drove for 25 minutes to the
other side of town just looking at each
other.
“I was like, ‘Hey coach, how you
doin’ today? and he was like, ‘Don’t
understand’. I couldn’t even talk to
him.”
Next destination Plymouth, then
Sheffield, the UK.
Sheffield? It is little known, but
Raiders’ BBL rivals Sheffield Sharks
were also interested in acquiring
Aaron last summer and invited him
over for a week-long trial.
“I was supposed to go to Sharks, but
I enjoyed myself here (Plymouth),”
reveals Aaron. “I came and met Gary
(Stronach) and loved him.
“He made me feel at home, so I just
said, ‘Let’s get it done’.”
Aaron has been getting it done ever
since.
An imposing 23-stone frame has
had few true peers this season.
Aaron is an old-school big-man
happiest playing old-school basket-
ball – back to the basket, ball in hand,
backing down his opponent.
European big-men are the new
breed, beginning to make their pres-
ence felt in the greatest competition
in the world, America’s NBA.
They prefer to step outside, shoot-
ing jumpers or blowing by their man
with the ball firmly on the floor.
“I hate it when guys take me away
from the basket,” admitted Aaron.
“I’m a physical player and love con-
tact.
“It’s really hard for me to guard
someone who’s a lot quicker than me
shooting threes or taking me off the
dribble.
“But that’s only going to make me a
better big-man.
“I’ve wanted to play professional
basketball since I was 12. I’m just
happy to have the opportunity.”
gbryant@eveningherald.co.uk