Junior commits to GU

Mangisto Arop, a 6-foot-5 guard from Canada, has orally committed to play for the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team. He’ll arrive in 2009.

Arop, in his junior year at National Elite Development Academy in Hamilton, Ontario, said he had scholarship offers from Portland and Montana, and was receiving recruiting interest from St. John’s.

“Gonzaga is a Top 25 school and academically they have smaller classes so it will be easier to get to know professors,” Arop said. “Their coaching staff was nice. They’re interested in developing players and your character. They care about that more than basketball. That’s a place I want to go because I want to become a better person to go along with being a better basketball player.”

Arop is a native of Sudan, but left the war-torn country at age 9 with his mother and four older brothers. They relocated to Kenya before settling in Canada.

“Jan. 27, 2000 – I can still remember the date,” said Arop, who hasn’t seen his father, who lives in Uganda, for nine years. Asked if leaving Sudan gave him an opportunity at a new life, he said, “Big time.”

Arop played for Canada at the Schweitzer Tournament in Germany in March. Canada placed fifth (the U.S. was fourth) and Arop had 30 points and 17 rebounds in an 80-54 win over Argentina to conclude the tournament. He’ll play in another tournament in Argentina this summer.

At the development academy, Arop attends school in the mornings and trains for basketball in the afternoon, followed by conditioning and study hall.