Basketball player Rawle Marshall on a mission in Guyana

“IT was a long time coming, but I’m glad to be back in Guyana for the first time and to help this country to win the CBC tournament,” said Rawle Marshall in an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday after a light workout at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Marshall, 32, doesn’t really know which part of Guyana he is from, telling Chronicle Sport, “I was told I’m from Linden, but I will find out.
“I spent most of my life chasing my basketball dream, I hardly had time to learn about my family, but I will now”
The 2005 NBA Draft featured the likes of Chris Paul, Derron Williams, Danny Granger and Andrew Bynum just to name a few and hoping to be selected was Oakland University star forward Rawle Marshall..
Marshall, who had dreamt of playing in the NBA ever since falling in love with basketball at age seven while living in Brooklyn, decided to enter the much hyped NBA Draft after a stellar College career.
As faith would have it, Marshall went undrafted but refused to let go of his dream, instead opting to participate in several Summer Pro Leagues with the Memphis Grizzlies, Rocky Mountain Revue with the Dallas Mavericks where his talent would later see him being spotted by the controversial billionaire Mark Cuban who owned Dallas Mavericks.
He inked his contract in 2005 with the 2011 NBA Champions to become the first Guyanese-born NBA player. “That’s something I’m very proud of because I’ve always wanted to come back home and always eager to know about my country but I really don’t know my family here but I always represent and let everyone know I’m from Guyana though I left when I was four.”
Marshall doesn’t have any memory of life in Guyana, stating “I honestly don’t know anything other than what I’ve researched. My mom tried to tell me stuff and I have my birth paper, that’s about it. My friends in the NBA and others use to tease me. I have this big tattoo of Guyana map on my back but I’ve never came back, so they say I have my country on me but I know nothing about it. But I used to tell them one day I will come back and do something great for them in basketball.”
After being traded to the Indiana Pacers, Marshall started alongside Jermaine O’Neal, Danny Granger and Stephen Jackson but the guard/forward player set his sights on playing in Europe.
He was well sought after. Marshall had played for Hemofarm (Serbia), Cibona (Croatia), Lokomative (Russia), Valencia (Spain), Asvel (France), and Paok (Greece), BC Astana (Kazakhstan) and now at the CSU Asesoft Ploiești in Romania.
“I’m ready to lead Guyana at the CBC Championship,” Marshall said when asked if based on his wealth of experience, he’s ready to lead his place of birth to their first title in the men’s division of the prestigious tournament.
“All my life, a lot was expected of me and I have not failed to deliver. This is something I will take pride in doing because I don’t think I can truly express how happy I am to return and to play for Guyana. It’s something I had wanted to do for a long time, but my career kept me away. I’ve always been busy but I made a special effort now to make sure that I’m here,” Marshall said.
“I did a lot of research about the tournament and the type of players that compete for their country and I’ve seen some of our guys here and I know collectively we can win this tournament. I will get familiar with everyone and just try to build a solid relationship with my Guyanese people and let them know I really want to give back,” said Marshall.
He further added “I want to use my experience and just my will to succeed to show these players in Guyana who might have a dream of playing for Guyana and not seeing it coming true, that they just need to play hard, work on their game, and whenever an opportunity comes, just take it and do their best. I wish people in Guyana knew how much I’m always proud to say I’m Guyanese. It’s something I brag about and I take my country with me wherever I go”.

MEETING HIS FATHER
Apart from playing for Guyana, Marshall said that he’s hoping to find his father and get to know him, stating that it’s something he’s been thinking of all his life.
“I don’t know my father, I’ve never met him, and even if I did before I left, I have no memory, so I will talk to my mom and I want to find him. I would love to meet my dad. I’ve dreamed of it all my life and I will also take this opportunity while I’m here to get to know him if I find him.”
“The thing is, it’s like I’m on this mission while I’m here. I want to help Guyana win, I want to get to know the people of Guyana, especially those who have been showing me love and recognising what I’ve been doing and I want to find my father,” Marshall said.