Props to Pops

[caption id="attachment_1795" align="alignleft" width="228" caption="Pops Mensah-Bonsu with SA Senator Steve Glatter (left), who sponsored the Props to Pops legislation, and outgoing SA President Vishal Aswani (right)."][/caption]

Pops is back! Former GW basketball player Pops Mensah-Bonsu is in town today with his NBA team, the Toronto Raptors to face the Washington Wizards in a 7pm game at the Verizon Center.

In honor of his achievements, Student Associations senators Steve Glatter and Michelle Tanney along with several co-sponsors put forth “a resolution to honor the greatness of Pops Mensah-Bonsu.”

The legislation reads:

WHEREAS Nana Papa Yaw Dwene Mensah-Bonsu, generally known as Pops Mensah-Bonsu, put every backboard in the A-10 on notice during his reign at GW; and,

WHEREAS Pops, along with his teammates, led the Colonials to the 2005 NCAA Tournament and a 26-1 record and another NCAA Tournament berth in 2006 along with a Top 10 national ranking; and,

WHEREAS Pops, though not drafted by an NBA team, never wavered in his commitment to his dream to play in the NBA; and,

WHEREAS Pops scorched the NBA D-League by posting averages of 26.6 points, 13 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game; and,

WHEREAS on March 6, 2009, Pops was signed by the NBA’s Toronto Raptors for the rest of the 2008-2009 season; and,

WHEREAS that same day, Pops introduced himself to Toronto’s fans by pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds in only 15 minutes of playing time; therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT The George Washington Student Association honors Pops Mensah-Bonsu for his achievements in the sport of basketball and grovel at the feet of his overall greatness; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The SA encourages all students to watch Pops patrol the paint on April 13, 2009, when his Toronto Raptors visit the Washington Wizards; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The SA shall recognize September 7, Pops’ birthday, as “Pops Mensah-Bonsu Day.”

The legislation was presented to Mensah-Bonsu at a BBQ held in Veterans Park, sponsored by SAC and the Colonial Army with the Colonial Brass and many members of GW's athletic community present. Benson Mensah-Bonsu, Pop's brother and a sophomore at GW, was also in attendence to raffle Pops memorabilia to help Team Lucas, a charity raising money for a 13 year old boy battling brain cancer.  Shirts reading "Pops Day" and free tickets to tonight's game were distributed to students who came to the event.

- Mallory Thompson