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**Coatesvillain** · 05-29-2007, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Samuel Dalembert scans the menu politely, but there's really no point. He already knows what he wants.

"Fresh fish of the day," he says in a pleasing accent that belies the Creole he grew up speaking in Haiti, the French he picked up during his early teen years in Montreal and the English he learned going to school and working in the United States — first in New Jersey and for six years playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association.

The fish (red snapper) is the choice for two reasons. One is that he loves it; it reminds him of the island jewel of his birth. The other is that even though it's late May and NBA training camp is four months away, he's watching his diet and working out.

That's because if Dalembert has his way, his season will start in August as he makes his debut for the Canadian national team as it participates in the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament from Aug. 22 to Sept. 2 in Las Vegas.

But in order for the 6-foot-11 centre to be able to play he needs to establish Canadian citizenship, which is far from a done deal. Born in Haiti, Dalembert, 26, followed his parents to Montreal as a 13-year-old but has studied and worked in the United States since he was 15 in pursuit of his NBA dream.

He began pursuit of his Canadian dream in earnest last week as he spent several days in Toronto trying to join Steve Nash and Jamaal Magloire as the only Canadian citizens playing in the NBA.

A landed immigrant in Canada who holds a Haitian passport, Dalembert fails the most basic requirement, according to his immigration lawyer, Paul Ramacieri, of the Burlington-based firm Simpson Wigle LLP.

"There's a physical presence test," Ramacieri says. "You have to be in Canada three years out of the previous four [or a total of 1,095 days]."

There is some discretion, however, and the hope is Dalembert's situation earns him an exception.

"The citizenship judge looks at the specifics and the facts of the case. They look at why the person isn't in the country," Ramacieri says. "And if you want to play pro basketball, you pretty much have to leave the country."

Dalembert would instantly become the best player on the team Canadian head coach Leo Rautins is taking to qualifying in Las Vegas. He's coming off an NBA season in which he averaged career highs in points (10.7) and rebounds (8.9), while blocking 1.9 shots a game.

If there are exceptions to be made, Canada could do worse. Thanks to his six-year, $60-million (U.S.) contract, Dalembert is a wealthy man and eager to invest in Montreal. He gave thought to buying Montreal's American Basketball Association franchise, but more recently is focusing on real estate or business opportunities, in part to create jobs for some of his friends from his old neighbourhood.

If there's proof required of his generosity of spirit, consider the fundraising efforts he made on behalf of the Red Cross and UNICEF in the wake of hurricane Jeanne's devastation of Haiti in 2004. He's been a stalwart participant with the NBA's groundbreaking Basketball Without Borders program and wants to set up his own charitable foundation.

And Dalembert says he's motivated to provide the "other" Montreal — increasingly urban, poor, and black — with a role model. He has a wide swath of family living in the city and visits every summer. He hasn't forgotten what it was like there early on.

"Things were rough there, I know some friends who got in gangs, some who were killed," he says, his lanky length covering an entire restaurant booth. "I want to give something back."

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**BEEZ** · 06-01-2007, 08:34 AM

he makes me sick, he needs to practice on something, anything all summer long, just another reason for him to gte hurt and half *** it through the season

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