Anne Stein

Boris Diaw
Forward/Center, Phoenix Suns
Age: 25

Boris Diaw scored well in the gene pool lottery, with a mom who’s considered one of the best women’s basketball players in French history and a dad who was a Senegalese high jump champion. Still, it’s the versatile Diaw (he’s played every position for the Suns), who puts in the work. In May 2006 he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year, and he currently serves as the French National Team captain, taking over duties from good pal Tony Parker.

What’s been the favorite moment of your career? When I was with the French National Under-18 Team and we were at the European Championships in Croatia, playing against Croatia. The fans were pretty aggressive and pretty loud. It was the craziest arena I’ve been in. I was 17 and we won in double-overtime. It was very, very intense. There’s glass going over your head and along the side of the bench [for protection] and people bang on the glass. You just try not to think about it. 

What’s been the toughest moment of your career? One that was hard to take was when we lost to San Antonio last year. We had a chance to go all the way and that was a pretty tough loss. Another was in 2001-02, in the French championships final, I was playing for Pau Orthez and we were playing Lyon, we were down two and it was down to the last second and I took the last shot and missed. The game meant so much to so many people – our coach was going to retire after that and a player who’d been playing for 20 years was also going to retire. That was a hard one.

Who’s your favorite athlete in another sport? Zinedine Zidane, the soccer player from France. He’s one of the best ever.

What’s your favorite movie? Instinct, with Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Anthony Hopkins. It’s a great movie. I also like Braveheart a lot.

What’s your favorite book? I liked The Da Vinci Code a lot. When I started it I couldn’t stop reading it. You just keep going, chapter after chapter.

What’s your favorite gadget? My computer and my camera. I love photographing. That’s what I use my computer for, to edit photos. I love to photograph animals. I go on a safari every year, twice to South Africa and once to Botswana and I photograph everything.

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