Tall and silent in a dark suit with a red tie, Serge Ibaka sat at the end of a press conference table on June 27, 2008. He was among four Seattle SuperSonics draft picks that year, which was their 40th and final in the Pacific Northwest.
Ibaka had taught himself Spanish after moving from the Republic of the Congo to Spain when he was 17. He already spoke French, the official language of his home country. Though, neither were put to use at the press conference, despite the availability of an interpreter. So, he sat as this muted stranger in a frame that screamed athleticism.