Monaco basketball: Chima Moneke finds his love of the game again
Chima Moneke is enjoying his basketball again at Monaco. The 27-year-old Nigerian is putting up impressive numbers in the Principality.
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Chima Moneke's spell in the NBA proved fleeting, over almost before it began. Arriving in Sacramento on 15 July with big ambitions, the Nigerian played just four minutes across two games before being waived on 7 January. As a result, the former Manresa (Spain) player decided to return to Europe, heading to Monaco. And it is fair to say the Principality has felt like a rebirth for him. Moneke is averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds since his arrival. His latest standout display came with 18 points in Monaco's win over Paris Basketball (103-81). His adaptation is going rather well, then.
"I'm a simple, happy man, and I want to make people smile when I play basketball. Life is hard for everyone, so it's important to give them a good time. I'm fitting into the team really well day by day, even though I've only been here two weeks. I know I'll still need time to adapt. The league and the EuroLeague are two different competitions, and you have to adjust to both. I'm happy with the way I'm playing, but I want to get more involved in the EuroLeague, and that will take time. We have talented players with impressive athletic qualities. It's the first time I've been in a team that plays to win every game, it's super cool", Chima Moneke said, as relayed by Basket Europe.
A decision based on sport… and money
Monaco's season has also started superbly. After 20 rounds, the Principality club lead the Betclic Elite (the French league) with 17 wins and just 3 defeats. They also remain in the hunt in the EuroLeague, Europe's top basketball competition. Chima Moneke and his team-mates can therefore hope to finish the season strongly. That helped drive the choice of the Nigerian power forward, but it was not the only factor.
"I just want to be happy. I want to be in the same place for a while. I feel that every day, when I wake up in a place like this, I'll be happy, and if the basketball goes well, I will be. I was looking to stay here for years. It made sense. Financially, it was also a big reason", he admitted to ESPN. Weighing up the sporting and the financial, Chima Moneke appears to have found the right place for him.