On Friday we told you about Tanguy Ngombo, a second-round pick by Portland on behalf of Minnesota, who drew some questions for possibly lying about his name and age. The player Minnesota acquired was listed as Targuy Ngombo, a 21-year-old forward from Qatar.
NBA insiders were made aware of Ngombo as a draft prospect when Jonathon Givony of Draft Express mentioned him. Asia Basketball update had more of a write-up on “Targuy Ngombo” but struggled to uncover much information about him. We learned the reason is because Targuy Ngombo, the 21-year-old prospect, is really Tanguy Ngombo, a 26-year-old veteran.
So how did the mix-up occur? According to the Oregonian, Ngombo lied on his passport.
What’s sad is that FIBA Asia seems to be playing a role in the lie. In a write-up Friday, FIBA Asia wrote his name as “Targuy” throughout their article which praised him for being drafted. You would think they would know the real name of a player with whom they’re so familiar, but it seems as if they were perpetuating the lie. Adding to that speculation is another report from Asia Basketball Update who spoke with three players familiar with Ngombo, all of whom referred to him as “Tanguy.”
NBA.com has also updated their draft profile page for “Targuy Ngombo” by leaving his birthdate blank. They previously had him listed as born in 1989.
Ngombo, FIBA, and Qatar all seem to be in on the lie, but it’s also clear the Minnesota Timberwolves did not put much effort into their research. If they had, all it would have taken were a few clicks on the internet to discover the issue.
Thanks to Sports by Brooks Live for the story
