Olowokandi is heading for top of earning charts

A YOUNG unknown from Hendon took his first step to becoming Britain's highest paid sportsman this morning when he was selected as the No 1 pick in the 1998 National Basketball Association Draft in Vancouver.

Michael Olowokandi, the son of a Nigerian diplomat who was born in Lagos but lived in north London virtually all his life, will join the Los Angeles Clippers on a three-year contract worth at least $9.24 million (around GBP 5.6m).

Olowokandi's first place selection in the draft, the game's annual recruitment trawl through the best college talent, means that he is considered this year's outstanding prospect in basketball. His initial salary with the Clippers, which does not include the millions he is certain to earn in endorsements, will place him alongside Colin Mont-gomerie and ahead of Ryan Giggs and Greg Rusedski in the current top 10 of leading British earners. When the NBA's rookie salary cap expires after three years, Olowokandi could be looking at a five-year deal worth in excess of $60m, a sum that would see him top the list ahead of the likes of world featherweight boxing champion Prince Naseem and England striker Alan Shearer. Kevin Garnett, who was the No 5 selection in the 1995 draft, has just negotiated a seven-year deal with the Minnesota Timber-wolves worth $125m, the biggest contract in North American team sports history. What makes Olowokandi's achievement remarkable is that the 7ft 1in 23-year-old had never played competitive basketball until he enrolled at the University of Pacific in Stockton, California, three years ago. Now he could be facing the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and, barring retirement, Michael Jordan.

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