Finding his comfort level

Rob Miech, Las Vegas Sun

Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007 | 7:18 a.m.

Hometown: Maroua, Cameroon

Birthdate: July 31, 1988

Height: 7 feet

Weight: 230 pounds

School: Decatur Christian High, Illinois

Personal: Was a skilled goal-scorer in soccer in grade school ... sings gospel music ... has an extended family of more than 100 in Maroua, in the northern province near Chad

Hoop dreams: First picked up a basketball at 13, when he was coached by Maliki Daniel. "There were no indoor courts," Hamga says. "Everything was outdoors. It was really, really hot sometimes. Not like here in Las Vegas, though."

Beas Hamga wears a diamond stud in each ear, a gaudy New York Yankees pendant on a chain over a white T-shirt and a funky white Yankees cap covered in red swirls.

UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger's new 7-foot, 230-pound center knows his late grandfather, Hamga Martin, would think he's too flashy.

"I don't know if he would recognize me," Beas (pronounced BEE-oz) Hamga says. "Maybe he would because of my face and I'm tall. He'd say, 'Man, you've changed. You're not the same.'

"But I know he'd like it."

In Cameroon, Martin raised Hamga to do everything as best he could, to take no shortcuts and to be mentally strong.

Everything isn't easy in life, Martin would say. There will be days when you have no friends or family by your side. You'll be alone and you'll need help, but you can do anything because you're a smart kid.

Martin died in 2004. Within a year, Hamga left Africa for the United States on a journey that took him to five high schools and, ultimately, UNLV. The shot blocker, who turned 19 on Tuesday, will be eligible to play for the Rebels in the fall.

His mother, Onjameme Naomi La Pacienca, died soon after he was born. No one in his huge extended family in Cameroon has told Hamga exactly how she was killed.

"Cousins or grandparents would cry," Hamga says. "It hurt them to think about it. They tried to help me, telling me not to think about it. They didn't want to put it in my mind.

"I understand them, but it's important (to know the truth). Like right now. But it's really, really hard for them."

When he was 4, his father died. Electrocution, Hamga says. He never knew his father's name.

He grew up among more than 100 aunts, uncles and cousins.

"They all showed me a lot of love," Hamga says. "There was enough family to make up for the (parental) love I missed."

Hamga started singing in a church choir with his grandfather when he was 6. To this day, he hums those songs in his native language, Douala, when he's lonely or upset.

"I just start singing gospel," says Hamga, who is also fluent in French. He speaks English with a French accent.

Iowa and Kentucky fans have been singing the blues over losing the player with the 9-foot-6 reach. A famous recruiting photo circulated in which Hamga is grabbing the rim , standing on the balls of his feet.

He first committed to Iowa, then he recanted when coach Steve Alford left for New Mexico after last season.

Kentucky was in a large group of schools, which included UNLV and two-time defending national champion Florida, that went after him again.

"Many people thought I was going to go to Kentucky because of the name," Hamga says. "It's a big name, but that's not what we care about. I don't know, coach Kruger just had a chance to win the fight."

Gaston Essengue, another big man from Cameroon who developed into an effective starter at UNLV, reinforced what life would be like as a Rebel for Hamga.

Relationships, Kruger says, are always the key.

"Beas was looking for real positive relationships," Kruger says, "and Gaston confirmed on a first-level basis that all of that stuff was here."

With a preternatural feel for blocking shots, Beas should dominate on defense. His ability to finish, with a dunk or strong layup, has sharpened over the past two seasons , and he's polishing a midrange jump shot.

Kruger expects Hamga to improve as Joel Anthony, Louis Amundson and Essengue did during their UNLV careers.

"The key with them all is that they had great attitudes to work to get better," Kruger says. "When that exists, they have a chance to make progress. Beas is similar."

Kruger says Hamga will compete for low-post minutes with sophomore Matt Shaw and community college transfer Emmanuel Adeife.

Hamga wants to help take the Rebels beyond the Sweet 16, where they advanced last spring before losing to Oregon.

He can't explain his excellent shot-blocking timing.

"Maybe I was born like that," he says.

He also might have to work on his emotions.

"I might go crazy," Hamga says, giggling, "when I have a bad call, something like that."

He talked about receiving a technical foul last season at Decatur (Ill.) Christian High. He was called for goaltending but insisted the ball was on its way up. He threw his headband to the court.

"Sometimes, it just happens," he says. "It's not like I want to do that. I'm not like a Rasheed Wallace. Coach tells me I'm very emotional. I have to keep it down a little bit."

Martin might suggest the same about his grandson's attire and accessories.

"But," Hamga says, "it's just my style."