Pops Mensah-Bonsu Signs With Houston Rockets; I rejoice.
by Scott Schroeder
on Aug 21, 2025 1:07 AM EDT
in D-League
9 comments
Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Mensah-Bonsu is now (still) an NBA player. I guess Darryl Morey knows what he's doing after all.
If you're not familiar with Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Mensah-Bonsu, he typically goes by Pops Mensah-Bonsu. Now, if I can take just a moment of your morning, let's take a jaunt down Memory Lane, because I'd love to remind you that Pops is a bit of a D-League legend.
Mensah-Bonsu, whose name roughly translates to "King Whale Killer" and not "Ferocious BAMF who does awesome things like it's his job" (that's just what those of us in the know call him) went undrafted coming out of George Washington, but signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
With the Mavs, Pops didn't get much action, so, like all good teams should, they assigned him to the D-League - the Fort Worth Flyers, to be precise. Of course, Pops dominated, averaging 15.8, 10.4 and 1.3 blocks per game in about 30 minutes of action on a stacked Flyers team (Luke Schenscher REPRESENT!) and was even named the D-League All-Star Game MVP.
Unfortunately, the Mavs didn't pick up their option for a second season of Pops and he went overseas. After toiling for about a season and a half in Spain and Italy, Pops packed his bags and decided to come back to the USA, where he was picked up by the Austin Toros last February. With the Toros, Pops played eight games and averaged 26.6 points, 13 boards and 2.5 blocks per game, shooting over 60% from the field.
After following the box scores of these eight games and watching as much Pops ball as I could, I got a great idea: Why doesn't somebody call Pops up? Well, since people listen to me (see here and here), Pops was called up by the San Antonio Spurs two days later and Tim Varner liked it. Unfortunately Pops was cut to make room for Drew Gooden.
However, Toronto had a spot for him and two days later, he was headed North of North Dakota (Canada). Pops finished the season with Toronto and everyone loved him: Rick Kamla mistook him for KG (WATCH IT!), then Holly MacKenzie added him to a list her guys, followed with @Nat77 going cuckoo for Pops, then Pops gushed about Toronto on Twitter, and now it's midnight and I'm writing to you about how I love Pops.
WHOA! Looking at that last paragraph, it'd seem love is all around Pops. Nope. Not so, because Jon L's a H8R!!!
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WAS a H8r
The more I look back at that game I wonder if he was just bored in the first half and knew he could turn it up. Also, at the time I said this:
I will say that Mensah-Bonsu is probably the reason the Toros won the game. As I mentioned, the 14ers routinely built up double-digit leads, but in the second half M-B seemed to put in an extra gear with his scoring and rebounding. It was also pretty clear that he was the most talented of all the players out there
So there’s that. In short, Mensah-Bonsu is an excellent rebounder and good shot-blocker who will help ensure that Luis Scola can play as much power forward as possible. Also, how many guards do the Rockets have on their roster? Three?
Ridiculous Upside, where we treat press releases with the respect and reverence they deserve.
by Jon L on Aug 21, 2025 1:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m excited about Pops joining the Rockets. This season should be devoted to player development rather than fighting for the 8th seed and the honor of being trounced by LA. Wait for next year when yao comes back and tracy is replaced. Pops can be a rotation player in the NBA.
Jon, you are a hater though.
"Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."
~Sam Houston
by vik on Aug 21, 2025 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Check your Atlas
Toronto is south of North Dakota.
by MDAVID on Aug 21, 2025 10:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Canada is North of North Dakota
I didn’t say Toronto was. Also, I don’t have an atlas. Regardless, thanks for the comment.
No longer full-time blogging at Ridiculous Upside, but still go check them out since I made them. Kind of.
by Scott Schroeder on Aug 21, 2025 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Toronto is like Wanka's Chocolate Factory
no one actually knows where it is. When I tried to look it up on google maps, the whole country of Canada was blank, like China.
Blogging at Ridiculous Upside, where my terrible writing meets people's eyes.
by Aisander D on Aug 21, 2025 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Pops
I would have liked him also as a backup PF on my Blazers. We are sorely lacking that player type. And they passed up on DeJuan Blair to get a guy like that, too. Three times. Oh well, playing against teams that have a backup PF banger will teach us once again that a ball of energy going after rebounds and easy buckets is a valuable force on the bench.
by Norsktroll on Aug 21, 2025 11:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn’t really consider Pops a banger.
AKA: Linix129
by sw12 on Aug 21, 2025 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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