Dajuan Marquett Wagner (born on February 4, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player.
Wagner is the son of former University of Louisville and NBA player Milt Wagner. He was forced out of the NBA by debilitating health problems early into his career, but he made a comeback after undergoing major surgery to remove his colon.
Wagner had a phenomenal career at Camden High School and is perhaps better remembered for scoring 100 points in a high school game than his exploits at the collegiate and professional levels. He averaged 42.5 points as a senior, scored 3,462 points in high school (the most in New Jersey high school history, breaking former high school star Lorne Singleton's scoring record of 3,451 points) and scored 25 points in the McDonald's All-American Game.
He played one year of college basketball at the University of Memphis. His coach, John Calipari, revoked Wagner's scholarship after his freshman year to force him to enter the NBA, because Calipari believed that Wagner should not avoid the money he would receive as a first-round draft pick. Wagner was chosen the sixth overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Often compared to Allen Iverson for his scoring ability, he had mixed success in his rookie season; although he averaged 13.4 points per game, he shot only 36.9% from the field. Wagner was hampered by injuries and health problems thereafter. He averaged a career low 4.0 points in only 11 games played during the 2004-05 season, and was hospitalized for ulcerative colitis. The Cavaliers did not exercise their option on his contract for the 2005-06 season and subsequently Wagner was out of the league.
Olu Babalola (born September 10, 1981 in London, England) is a British professional basketball player, and currently plays for the Sheffield Sharks in the British Basketball League.
In high school, Babalola played for St. Augustine College Preparatory School in Richland, New Jersey, where he won a state championship his sophomore season. He went on to team with Pops Mensah Bonsu during his senior season in high school.
The 6ft6 power forward, attended Clemson University before signing for Italian basketball team Roseto Basket in 2005 and soon after moving to Jämtland Basket in the Swedish Obol Basketball League. Early in 2006 Babalola returned to his homeland to sign for British Basketball League team Newcastle Eagles, making is debut against the Guildford Heat on February 3, 2006. Three months later Babalola won the "clean sweep" of trophies with the Eagles. He also represented the British University national team in 2005.
Renaldo Balkman (born July 14, 1984 in Staten Island, New York) is an American professional basketball player, formerly of the University of South Carolina. He is currently a free agent. He has represented the Puerto Rico national team in international competition. His nickname is "Taz".
Prior to attending Laurinburg Institute, he was at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. At Laurinburg, he led his team to 40-2 record and No. 1 national prep school ranking.
Balkman was a little known player in high school at the Laurinburg Institute, but he was discovered in 2002 by University of South Carolina coach Dave Odom, who instantly saw his potential. According to Odom, "I remember the first time I saw Renaldo Balkman. I was sitting in Orlando in a gym with (South Carolina assistant coach) Barry Sanderson and I asked him 'who is that kid with the dreadlocks? That's the guy we need'. He came back and said nobody knows his name." Balkman was recruited and signed by Carolina, having received little to no interest from any other major basketball programs.