Nader drafted by the Boston Celtics, becomes second Egyptian to join an NBA team
Alexandria-born Abdel Nader became the second Egyptian-American in history to be drafted by an NBA team. Iowa State forward Abdel Nader was the Boston Celtics’ 58th pick in this year’s NBA draft. “It gets to the last couple of picks and you’re thinking it’s over. Then you hear your name and it’s relieving … I knew they had a high interest, but I didn’t know if they were going to call my name, so it was definitely a surprise… Coach Stevens talks about how he wants a lot of versatile players here … I can play multiple perimeter positions, I can guard multiple perimeter positions and can even defend some bigs,” Nader told Boston Celtics’ official website. Before Nader, Alaa Abdelnaby was the only Egyptian to have played in the NBA having had a stint with five franchises from 1990 to 1995 after being picked by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1990 NBA Draft. Nader played high school basketball in Chicago before going on to Iowa State. Basketball Insiders has an interview (run time: 2:49). ESPN declared him “Dark Nader” in naming a ferocious Nader dunk (that drew a foul to convert for three points) as one of the best dunks of the 2016 college basketball season. (Text here, or go straight to the video, run time: 0:45). (Says our editor: There’s nothing better than the Boston Celtics — except perhaps an Egyptian playing for the very team that Red made great.)