At seven feet tall, Ephraim Sincero Ma-c Saawa turns heads from Ngleshie Amanfro to Kasoa. Strangers stop him on the street to ask, “How tall are you?” Children stare. Adults pull out their phones for pictures. His height makes him impossible to ignore.
Ephraim, a recent Senior High School graduate, sees this attention as a stepping stone. He wants to trade the curious looks for cheers inside a basketball arena. His goal is clear: to don Ghana’s red, gold, and green, compete internationally, and win a trophy for the national basketball team. “I want to join Ghana’s national basketball team, compete in international tournaments and help win a trophy for the country,” he told MyJoyOnline.
He is not yet known across Ghanaian sports. No national caps, no major league titles, no sponsorships. But in Ngleshie Amanfro, he is the local giant, a figure many believe could become Ghana’s advantage in basketball.
Ephraim hails from Nandom Piina in the Upper West Region but has built his story in Greater Accra. He graduated in 2025 from Abakrampa Senior High School in the Central Region, where he studied Business. While most of his schoolmates chased football, Ghana’s national pastime, Ephraim’s focus was on basketball.
Basketball was not always his game. At basic school, he played volleyball, where his height gave him an edge at the net. But by senior high, he had switched courts. Abakrampa SHS had no basketball court, so he trained wherever he could find players from other schools. “First, I need to learn to play basketball very well. That way, if I get the opportunity to join the national team, I will be able to perform well and help the team,” he said.
That formal training only began two months ago at Magic Basketball Academy in Tudu, near Accra Technical University. His father arranged the meeting with the coach, determined not to let his son’s potential go to waste. At Magic, Ephraim is learning to turn his natural assets — long legs, powerful vertical jumps, quick strides — into basketball skills: footwork, positioning, shooting, and defense.
His role model is Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French NBA player who has redefined the big man’s role. Ephraim admires not just Wembanyama’s height but his defensive skills, shot-blocking, rebounding, and teamwork. “I admire how he plays, especially his defensive skills. That is why he is my role model,” Ephraim said. He hopes to meet Wembanyama one day, naming Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama as someone who might help make that meeting happen.
Ephraim says he would join any professional team willing to give him a chance to learn, grow, and contribute to winning tournaments and league titles.
Outside basketball, Ephraim’s height remains a constant. At Abakrampa SHS, he was the tallest student on campus. In Ngleshie Amanfro, he is known as the tallest boy in Accra, though he humbly disputes the title. “I cannot say that because I have not seen everyone in Accra. I believe there may be people who are taller than me,” he said.
His height also presents daily challenges. Ghana’s trotros, the ubiquitous minibuses, are not designed for passengers seven feet tall. Sitting in the back seat often causes leg pain. Ephraim tries to sit in front, asking drivers’ mates to explain his condition if the front seat is taken. Some passengers switch seats; others refuse, and he waits for the next vehicle. He appeals for more empathy from drivers and passengers. “They should explain our difficulties to other passengers so that people understand why sitting at the back can be uncomfortable for us,” he said.
Beyond basketball, Ephraim works at a printing press in Ngleshie Amanfro to support himself. He is also preparing to pursue university studies in Computer Science, aiming to become a software engineer. His motivation extends beyond personal advancement, though he has not detailed that ambition publicly.
Ephraim’s journey is just beginning. His height is undeniable. His dream, clear. His training, recent. His story is unfolding on the courts of Accra and, perhaps one day, on the international stage.
According to Joy Online.
