Watch: Samuel Idowu New York City Interview

We sat down with Riders’ summer singing Samuel Idowu, who spoke about his basketball journey so far, what he will bring to the team and more!

Watch below!

The former GB u20s star spent his three college years in NCAA division one with Saint Peter’s University. Iwodu starred for the Peacocks in helping them win the program’s first-ever national postseason tournament championship in 2017.

Idowu averaged 16.1 pts in his first professional season in Holland with Aris Leeuwarden. His second year he spent in Denmark with Team FOG Naestved, averaging 15.5 pts. He spent his third year with Yoast United, but was cut short due to injury.


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An update from Head Coach Rob Paternostro

Firstly, I’d like to thank everybody for your continued support. The offseason is an exciting time for us, but we can’t wait to see you back in the stands for our first game!

Looking back, we’re coming off a really good season. We improved from the beginning to the end, and I thought we were a better team at the O2 Arena in May than we were throughout the course of the year. That’s satisfying as a coach.

We just couldn’t get over the hump against London. We had opportunities, but we just weren’t able to convert them. But when you look at how we competed against the rest of the league, we had an exceptional record. 

This time of year is exciting for coaches. We’re looking at prospective players and putting the pieces together. 

We anticipate having to sign a lot of players so we’re trying to see who is the right fit. It’s a change from last season where almost everyone came back. This year is going to be totally different.

It’s a huge task going into the offseason after we’ve had the core of our team together for so long, but we have to do our due diligence looking at the players that are out there and trying to figure out the best way to rebuild. 

We haven’t ruled out re-signing guys from last season, but we have to understand that our players have put in really good seasons and will be marketable around the world.

Having Kimbal back is a blessing for us. On the court, he’s a really dangerous player to deal with for opponents. His ability to score and get in the lane to make key plays at key moments is really valuable to our team. 

Off the court, his leadership and commitment to practice and gameplan are second to none. He’s going to help immensely with the transition with new guys.

READ MORE: Return of the Mack!

And speaking of new players, we’re delighted to have Sam Idowu on board! 

He is versatile, which I really like about him. You can put him in different positions on the floor, so he’s not just a traditional big. His versatility will be really beneficial. 

He’s a good rebounder and he’s always been a high-field goal percentage scorer, so we have an efficient player with energy and versatility. I’m really looking forward to working with Sam.

He has great size and strength, and I think it’s important in basketball to have that. Ultimately, you have to protect and finish around the basket.

It’s an exciting time, and when you evaluate and sign a player, you certainly look forward to working with them.

READ MORE: Riders sign Idowu

It’s almost like unwrapping a gift! So when we get to August, we can’t wait to look at some of these players. It’s one of the parts of the job I look forward to. It’s a challenge, and it’s not a science by any means, but I’m looking forward to it. 

We know there’s plenty of games in the BBL, so there are lots of opportunities to compete, and we’re excited about the challenge ahead.

Thank you all for your patience this offseason, and we have some exciting news down the line for you all! 

Rob Paternostro

Samuel Idowu: Top Performances

Riders’ new man Samuel Idowu is a three-year professional, with experience playing in the NCAA D1 and across Europe.

The 6’8″ big man brings size and physicality on both ends to the Riders’ frontcourt, capable of going off for big games on any given night.

We take a look at some of the biggest performances in his college and professional career.

December 12, 2020 vs Svenborg Rabbits: Dominating the paint for the win

In a midseason game against Svendborg, Danish outfit FOG Naestved needed every point of Idowu’s monster performance in the paint to see out a hard-fought victory. 

In only 25 minutes he put up 24 points and 13 rebounds, shooting a dominant 72% from the field. Naestved entered the game big underdogs, but Iwodu led the team to an upset 86-83 road win. 

The big man put in a two-way scoring effort, adding two steals and a block to the box score. 

It was one of nine games Iwodu led his side in scoring on the year and his second-biggest scoring tally of the season. 

February 19, 2021 vs Randers Cimbria: Idowu catches fire from deep

His highest-scoring performance in his season with Naestved came just a few months later. Idowu went off for 25 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes, beating Cimbria 83-78. 

In yet another efficient showing, Iwodu shot 76.9% from the field, showing his range to go 4-5 from three. His performance led Naestved to a statement win against the eventual league winners. 

On defence, the New York native recorded yet another block and a steal, making his presence known on both ends. 

During the season, Idowu led the team to a 16-4 record, just a win behind the top spot in the regular season standings. Performances like this went a long way to establishing themselves as a contender.

November 2, 2019 vs Den Helder Suns: Career-high scoring night

Just months into his post-college career, Idowu announced himself on the professional stage with a career-high 30-point performance against Den Helder. He went off for 30 points and 11 rebounds for Dutch side Aris Leeuwarden in just his eighth game as a pro. 

The game resulted in a 74-63 loss, but Idowu’s game-leading effort showed his ability to put the scoring load on his back and dominate. He hit the ground running with Leeuwarden, leading the team’s scoring in seven of their first eight games. 

Idowu got his points in only 33 minutes, shooting 12-20 from the field. He would go on to be his team’s second-leading scorer in his rookie year, averaging 16.1 points and 7.5 rebounds. 

January 31 2019 vs Rider University: Idowu writes his name in college history

Idowu was a defensive force in college, and the record books show as much. He became just the fourth player in St Peter’s history to surpass 100 career blocks. And he did it in style.

Playing against the Rider Broncs, Idowu swatted a monster six shots to get over the century mark. The game remains his career high in blocks for the rim-protecting savant, establishing himself as a top defensive prospect.

Idowu averaged 1.8 blocks per game as a senior with the Peacocks, leading the team with 59 on the season.

December 4, 2019 vs Leiden: Career high on the glass 

Idowu grabbed his career-high in rebounds as a rookie for Leeuwarden. He went off for 18 points and 14 rebounds, outmuscling Leiden for a huge 10 offensive boards. 

The second-possesions Idowu earned his side kept them in the game, but they ultimately fell 73-62. 

Idowu averaged a block per game that season, by far the most on the Leeuwarden roster. His shot-blocking has become a staple of his game. The towering forward has averaged at least a block a game for the last six seasons. 

The former GB u20 will look to bring his interior defence to the Riders roster this season.