Liam Rush
July 23, 2020
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia
- Nationality: USA/SEN
- Date of Birth: 20/03/74
- Place of Birth: Dakar (Senegal)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 207
- Weight (KG): 110
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Georgetown (1993–1997)
- NBL DEBUT: 2/10/99
- AGE AT DEBUT: 25
- LAST NBL GAME: 10/02/07
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 32
- NBL History: West Sydney 2000-01, 2007
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Dia was born in Dakar, and growing up in Senegal he spoke French and Wolof. Dia’s full name is Cheikh Yaya Dia, with Cheikh and Yaya being his given names and Dia being his surname. His middle name is also mistakenly spelled “Ya Ya” or “Ya-Ya”, and some non-Senegalese sources erroneously cited it as a nickname.
Dia played mostly soccer in his childhood years, until he became taller than most of his peers. He began playing basketball at 15 years of age.
While playing in Senegal, Dia was noticed by a scout, who suggested that he come to the United States, play one year in high school, and then sign with a college. Dia accepted and left Senegal, settling in Maryland, where he attended St. John’s at Prospect Hall in Frederick.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia made his NBL debut with the West Sydney Razorbacks at 25 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia played three seasons the West Sydney Razorbacks. He averaged 13.1 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 91 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 46th in blocks per game.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | 33 | West Sydney | 5-28 (12) | 32 | 854.0 | 354 | 221 | 30 | 85 | 136 | 8 | 31 | 63 | 118 | 146 | 323 | 45% | 1 | 3 | 33% | 61 | 85 | 72% | 49% | 45% | 20 |
| 2000-01 | 27 | West Sydney | 9-19 (8) | 28 | 908.0 | 445 | 252 | 28 | 101 | 151 | 13 | 53 | 61 | 99 | 194 | 404 | 48% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 57 | 64 | 89% | 51% | 48% | 31 |
| 1999-00 | 26 | West Sydney | 12-16 (6) | 31 | 1,002.0 | 402 | 259 | 43 | 100 | 159 | 14 | 60 | 76 | 121 | 190 | 374 | 51% | 0 | 3 | 0% | 22 | 34 | 65% | 52% | 51% | 25 | Totals | 91 | 2764 | 1201 | 732 | 101 | 286 | 446 | 35 | 144 | 200 | 338 | 530 | 1101 | 48.1% | 1 | 7 | 14.3% | 140 | 183 | 76.5% | 51% | 48% | 31 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07 | 33 | West Sydney | 5-28 (12) | 32 | 26.7 | 11.1 | 6.9 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 10.1 | 45% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 33% | 1.9 | 2.7 | 72% | 49% | 45% | 20 |
| 2000-01 | 27 | West Sydney | 9-19 (8) | 28 | 32.4 | 15.9 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 3.6 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 6.9 | 14.4 | 48% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 2.0 | 2.3 | 89% | 51% | 48% | 31 |
| 1999-00 | 26 | West Sydney | 12-16 (6) | 31 | 32.3 | 13.0 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 12.1 | 51% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0% | 0.7 | 1.1 | 65% | 52% | 51% | 25 | Total | 91 | 30.4 | 13.2 | 8.0 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 5.8 | 12.1 | 48.1% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14.3% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 76.5% | 51% | 48% | 31 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 31 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Ya Ya Dia averaged 9 points and 6.4 rebounds for Senegal at the 1998 FIBA World Championships. Senegal finished the tournament in 15th place.
FIBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 24 | 10 | 196 | 90 | 54 | 10 | 26 | 28 | 14 | 0 | 22 | 26 | 40 | 88 | 45.5% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 10 | 18 | 55.6% | Total | 10 | 196 | 90 | 54 | 10 | 26 | 28 | 14 | 0 | 22 | 26 | 40 | 88 | 45% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 10 | 18 | 56% |
FIBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 24 | 10 | 19.6 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 8.8 | 45.5% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 1.0 | 1.8 | 55.6% | Total | 10 | 19.6 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 8.8 | 45% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.0 | 1.8 | 56% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Uruguay - Aguada (1998), Aguada (1999) | Argentina - Regatas San Nicolás (1998–1999), Quilmes (2001), Belgrano de San Nicolás (2007), Boca Juniors (2008) | Italy - Sutor Montegranaro (2001–2002) | Russia - Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (2003–2004) | Israel - Maccabi Haifa (2004–2005) | Turkey - Karşıyaka (2005–2006) | Lebanon - Blue Stars Beirut (2005–2006) | Jordan - Arena Amman (2006) | Mexico - Halcones UV Córdoba (2007) | Saudi Arabia - Al-Fateh (2008)
Ya Ya Dia joined Aguada for the 1998 Liga Uruguaya de Basketball season, playing his first season in Uruguay.
He joined Regatas San Nicolás for the 1998–1999 Liga Nacional de Básquet season in Argentina and played 6 games with averages of 11.8 points and 7.7 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia returned to Aguada in 1999 in Uruguay and averaged 19.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
He joined Quilmes for the 2001 Liga Nacional de Básquet season in Argentina and averaged 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds across 14 games.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia joined Sutor Montegranaro for the 2001–2002 Legadue season in Italy and played 36 games with 586 points while averaging 16.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 block per game.
During that season, Sutor Montegranaro finished 13th at 13–23 and was relegated to Serie B1, while Dia led Legadue in rebounding with 369 rebounds at 10.25 per game.
He joined Lokomotiv Novosibirsk for the 2003–2004 Russian Super League season and played 28 games with averages of 15.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia joined Maccabi Haifa for the 2004–2005 Israeli Premier League season and scored 226 points across 16 games at 14.1 points per game.
He joined Karşıyaka for the 2005–2006 Turkish Basketball League season and played 6 games with averages of 4.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.5 steals in 22.5 minutes per game.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia joined Blue Stars Beirut for the 2005–2006 Lebanese Basketball League season and ranked fourth in the league in rebounding at 12.2 rebounds per game.
He joined Arena Amman in 2006 in Jordan before returning to Australia later that year.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia joined Halcones UV Córdoba for the 2007 Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional season in Mexico.
He joined Belgrano de San Nicolás in November 2007 in Argentina and played 12 games with averages of 11.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Cheikh Ya Ya Dia joined Boca Juniors in 2008 in Argentina and played 7 games with averages of 5.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
He last played for Al-Fateh during the 2008 Saudi Arabian SBL season in Saudi Arabia.
COLLEGE
Cheikh “Ya Ya” Dia played four NCAA seasons at Georgetown from 1993–94 through 1996–97 under head coach John Thompson, arriving in the program in the fall of 1993 after signing with the Hoyas in August 1993 and developing from a limited-minutes reserve into a full-time starter by his senior year.
As a freshman in 1993–94, Dia appeared in 28 games (0 starts) for a Georgetown team that finished 19–12 overall and 10–8 in Big East play, logging 224 total minutes while averaging 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, with 47 total points, 71 total rebounds, and 22 blocks on the season (22-for-52 FG, 42.3%), including a 12-point outing against UC Irvine on December 18, 1993, before Georgetown reached the 1994 NCAA tournament’s second round after beating Illinois and then losing to Arkansas.
In 1994–95, Dia played 12 games (0 starts) as Georgetown went 21–10 (11–7 Big East) and reached the Sweet Sixteen, with Dia totaling 67 minutes and averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game (19 points, 22 rebounds) while shooting 8-for-18 from the field (44.4%) and going 3-for-3 at the free-throw line (100.0%).
Dia’s role expanded in 1995–96 as he appeared in all 37 games off the bench for a Georgetown team that finished 29–8 (13–5 Big East), earned a No. 2 seed, and advanced to the Elite Eight, while Dia averaged 2.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game, finishing the season with 109 points, 145 rebounds, 24 blocks, and 22 assists, and shooting a career-best 49-for-92 from the floor (53.2%).
As a senior in 1996–97, Dia moved into the starting lineup and started all 30 games as Georgetown went 20–10 overall and 11–7 in Big East play, won the Big East 7 Division regular-season title, and returned to the NCAA tournament, with Dia serving as team captain while averaging 8.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game in 32.2 minutes, leading the Big East in rebounds per game and total rebounds, posting 13 double-figure rebounding games and 10 double-figure scoring games, and producing notable lines such as 10 points and 14 rebounds vs Notre Dame, 13 points and 14 rebounds vs Boston College, and a 10-point, career-high 18-rebound game vs Rutgers on February 26, 1997; he was also named the Big East Most Improved Player in 1997 and earned the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in men’s basketball, while also being recognized at Georgetown with the Daly Memorial Award as the team’s most valuable player.
Across his full Georgetown career (1993–1997), Dia played 107 games with 30 starts, totaling 1,731 minutes and averaging 3.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, with cumulative production of 418 points, 451 rebounds, 86 assists, and 119 blocked shots while shooting 186-for-418 from the field (44.4%) and 46-for-77 at the line (59.7%).
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