George Washington University Athletics
Mensah-Bonsu Named Capital City Go-Go GM
8/7/2018 12:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Former Colonial hired to front office of local G League outfit
Pops Mensah-Bonsu reaches for his cell phone to explain how life has changed since word started spreading around basketball circles about his new job.
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"Last week, I put my phone down for an hour and I literally had 42 messages and like 15 missed calls," Mensah-Bonsu said with a grin. "It'll pile up if you let it."
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On Tuesday, Mensah-Bonsu was officially introduced as general manager of the Capital City Go-Go, the new NBA G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards set to begin play this fall at the newly built St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast D.C.
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It's the latest step in Mensah-Bonsu's transition from the court to the front office. After nine years as a pro split between the NBA, its developmental league and Europe, the former Colonial forward turned his focus to the next stage of his hoops career in 2015.
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Mensah-Bonsu served a year as a regional rep for the NBA Player's Association before spending the past two seasons as a pro personnel scout for the San Antonio Spurs. Now, the London native is grateful for the opportunity to help launch the Go-Go in a place that's special to him.
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"It means a lot to me, personally," said Mensah-Bonsu, who amassed 1,308 points, 676 rebounds and 141 blocks from 2002 to 2006 in a GW career that included a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. "It's almost a dream position for me. To have the opportunity to be a general manager of a new team in the city that I call my second home is humbling and just a great opportunity to be a part of something special. I very much intend to make sure that it goes right and put my best foot forward and really do the job that I came here to do."
Â
Mensah-Bonsu, 34, calls his new path "the road less traveled," but he has long believed in the importance of having former players in the front office. Building a roster can require a delicate touch and every transaction throughout a season has a ripple effect on everybody in the locker room.
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During his pro career, Mensah-Bonsu saw regular season action with five different NBA teams, plus a training camp stint with the Wizards in 2013. He also played parts of two seasons in the G League, highlighted by a strong run with the Fort Worth Flyers as a rookie in 2006-07 that earned him an all-star nod.
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Internationally, he represented Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics in his home country, and his stops overseas included clubs in Spain, Italy, France, Russia, Turkey, Israel and Greece, as well.
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"I've seen it from so many different angles," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Not too many players that will join our team will really have experiences that I've probably never had before."
Over the past three years, Mensah-Bonsu has traveled the globe scouting talent at a variety of different levels. He said he's especially learned a lot with the Spurs, working under five-time NBA champion head coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford.
Â
Mensah-Bonsu said his on-court experience and Psychology degree from GW have shaped his understanding of the job. The importance of communication factored heavily into his pitch to Wizards officials.
Â
"I've always felt like you can run a business and still deal with the human side of things and deal with guys with respect and make sure you consider their lives and their feelings into everything," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Every time you might not be able to do that, but if you're able to keep your integrity and your respect to a high level, I really do feel like you can be successful on this side of things."
Â
Upon being contacted by the Wizards earlier in the summer, Mensah-Bonsu immediately thought this position would be a good fit for him. Conversations with team executives Tommy Sheppard and Ernie Grunfeld and owner Ted Leonsis only backed up that feeling.
It's a bonus that Mensah-Bonsu's new gig keeps him in the nation's capital. He's maintained a home in the area since his time in Buff and Blue and makes it back to campus whenever he can.
The Go-Go made Mensah-Bonsu's next chapter official Tuesday as it ramps up preparations for its inaugural season as the G League's 27th entry. The regular season doesn't begin until October, but the hard work is well underway.Â
As Mensah-Bonsu's constantly ringing cell phone can attest.
Â
"It's a lot of long nights, a lot of phone calls, a lot of meetings, but it's definitely exciting" Mensah-Bonsu said. "Being that it's a new team makes it even more special and even more interesting and intriguing for me. I'm definitely excited about what we're trying to do here and the team we're putting together as far as the staff and the roster is concerned."
Â
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"Last week, I put my phone down for an hour and I literally had 42 messages and like 15 missed calls," Mensah-Bonsu said with a grin. "It'll pile up if you let it."
Â
On Tuesday, Mensah-Bonsu was officially introduced as general manager of the Capital City Go-Go, the new NBA G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards set to begin play this fall at the newly built St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena in Southeast D.C.
Â
It's the latest step in Mensah-Bonsu's transition from the court to the front office. After nine years as a pro split between the NBA, its developmental league and Europe, the former Colonial forward turned his focus to the next stage of his hoops career in 2015.
Â
Mensah-Bonsu served a year as a regional rep for the NBA Player's Association before spending the past two seasons as a pro personnel scout for the San Antonio Spurs. Now, the London native is grateful for the opportunity to help launch the Go-Go in a place that's special to him.
Â
"It means a lot to me, personally," said Mensah-Bonsu, who amassed 1,308 points, 676 rebounds and 141 blocks from 2002 to 2006 in a GW career that included a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. "It's almost a dream position for me. To have the opportunity to be a general manager of a new team in the city that I call my second home is humbling and just a great opportunity to be a part of something special. I very much intend to make sure that it goes right and put my best foot forward and really do the job that I came here to do."
Â
Mensah-Bonsu, 34, calls his new path "the road less traveled," but he has long believed in the importance of having former players in the front office. Building a roster can require a delicate touch and every transaction throughout a season has a ripple effect on everybody in the locker room.
Â
During his pro career, Mensah-Bonsu saw regular season action with five different NBA teams, plus a training camp stint with the Wizards in 2013. He also played parts of two seasons in the G League, highlighted by a strong run with the Fort Worth Flyers as a rookie in 2006-07 that earned him an all-star nod.
Â
Internationally, he represented Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics in his home country, and his stops overseas included clubs in Spain, Italy, France, Russia, Turkey, Israel and Greece, as well.
Â
"I've seen it from so many different angles," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Not too many players that will join our team will really have experiences that I've probably never had before."
Over the past three years, Mensah-Bonsu has traveled the globe scouting talent at a variety of different levels. He said he's especially learned a lot with the Spurs, working under five-time NBA champion head coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford.
Â
Mensah-Bonsu said his on-court experience and Psychology degree from GW have shaped his understanding of the job. The importance of communication factored heavily into his pitch to Wizards officials.
Â
"I've always felt like you can run a business and still deal with the human side of things and deal with guys with respect and make sure you consider their lives and their feelings into everything," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Every time you might not be able to do that, but if you're able to keep your integrity and your respect to a high level, I really do feel like you can be successful on this side of things."
Â
Upon being contacted by the Wizards earlier in the summer, Mensah-Bonsu immediately thought this position would be a good fit for him. Conversations with team executives Tommy Sheppard and Ernie Grunfeld and owner Ted Leonsis only backed up that feeling.
It's a bonus that Mensah-Bonsu's new gig keeps him in the nation's capital. He's maintained a home in the area since his time in Buff and Blue and makes it back to campus whenever he can.
The Go-Go made Mensah-Bonsu's next chapter official Tuesday as it ramps up preparations for its inaugural season as the G League's 27th entry. The regular season doesn't begin until October, but the hard work is well underway.Â
As Mensah-Bonsu's constantly ringing cell phone can attest.
Â
"It's a lot of long nights, a lot of phone calls, a lot of meetings, but it's definitely exciting" Mensah-Bonsu said. "Being that it's a new team makes it even more special and even more interesting and intriguing for me. I'm definitely excited about what we're trying to do here and the team we're putting together as far as the staff and the roster is concerned."
Â
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