Siyavash Motamedi
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| Position | Shooting guard and Point guard |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Born | December 17, 1986 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Nationality | American |
| College | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee |
| Pro career | 1993–present |
Siyavash Motamedi (born December 17, 1986 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin), also known as the Cahill Legend, Si-Vash the Gangsta and Iran's Finest, is a streetball player based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A native of Whitefish Bay, Motamedi began playing basketball at age six and grew up near the village's Cahill Courts. Considered a rare talent from a young age, he eventually became known among locals as the "Cahill Legend." His talents have been showcased on AND1's streetball mix tapes, and in 2006, he toured with the Harlem Globetrotters. His crowning achievement came in 2007, when he was voted "Most Electrifying Streetballer" by Urban Hoops Magazine.
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[edit] Early years
Motamedi attended Cumberland Elementary School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. It was during a first grade lunch recess that he was introduced to basketball. An older student was picking on Motamedi and his friends, when Motamedi asked the bully what it would take to make him stop. According to legend, the bully told Motamedi if he sank an NBA three pointer, he would leave the group alone. Motamedi took a 32-foot shot from the top of the key and nailed it before a crowd of stunned onlookers. He proceeded to hit 12 straight three pointers and was immediately recruited by then-youth basketball coach Rick Guralski.
While playing with Guralski's team, Motamedi began spending weekends and nights after school at Whitefish Bay's Cahill Park. It was at Cahill where he honed his skills, going head to head with Milwaukee's best street players. It's rumored that as an 11-year-old, Motamedi would play with men three times his age and dominate his competition. After years of developing his game, he was jokingly given the nickname "Cahill Legend," an alias that has stayed with him to this day.
Motamedi would play AAU basketball for Guralski for six years. He set Wisconsin youth records in points, assists, three point field goals made, steals and wins.
[edit] Middle School
In his first interscholastic competition with Whitefish Bay Middle School, Motamedi scored 54 points in a game against Shorewood Middle School. Shorewood's coach, Louie Brown, even asked officials to check Motamedi's student ID at halftime to prove he was indeed 12 years old. Motamedi became such a dominant player by the eighth grade that he was called up to practice with the varsity basketball team and was recruited by several area powerhouse basketball schools, namely Milwaukee King and Milwaukee Vincent.
[edit] High School
Motamedi played under local legend Dave Shaw for three years at Whitefish Bay High School. In only three seasons, he set state records in career points, assists and three point percentage. He did not play high school basketball during his senior year, instead opting to tour with a group of streetball players who performed shows around the country.
Motamedi was a highly recruited high school player and drew interest from major programs such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, Michigan State University and the University of Kansas, but he fell out of favor with recruiters when he faced legal troubles before graduating high school. When several schools retracted their scholarship offers, Motamedi told one reporter that he wasn't concerned, because he "only played for the love of the game, not for a scholarship, a contract or fame."
[edit] AND1 Signing and Breakup
Just after graduating from high school in 2005, Motamedi signed on to join the AND1 Mixtape Tour. He immediately became a fan favorite with his smooth shooting and slick moves, but his tenure with AND1 would be short lived. He became involved in a feud with AND1 teammate Philip Champion, also known as "Hot Sauce." Sources within the tour said that Champion became jealous of Motamedi's growing fan base and felt threatened by his presence. Motamedi was released from AND1 and has not spoken to Champion since.
[edit] Harlem Globetrotters
After leaving AND1, Motamedi was recruited by Clyde Sinclair to join the Harlem Globetrotters tour. Motamedi jumped at the offer and again became incredibly popular among fans. He received an award from Slam Magazine for "Best Trick" in 2006, for a maneuver in which he made a backwards shot from half court while blindfolded and walking on hot coals. Although he was paid well by the Globetrotters and got along with his teammates, he said in a 2006 interview that he felt the games were too "setup" to fit his needs and didn't satisfy his thirst for competition. He left the group after five months.
[edit] Urban Hoops Magazine
Months after leaving the Globetrotters, Motamedi was named the "Most Electrifying Streetballer" by Urban Hoops Magazine in 2007. Motamedi said it was an honor to win the award, which is voted on by fans. Champion finished second in the voting, and later claimed it was "a joke that Motamedi won because he was kicked off the Mixtape Tour, and the Globetrotters are not real streetballers."
[edit] Steroid Allegations
In late 2007, Motamedi was seen in a photograph taken by a female fan. The picture showed the 185-pound Motamedi had bulked up considerably, leaving many to believe that he was using anabolic steroids. Said Motamedi: "I ain't never been a cheater for a day in my life, why would I start now? Muscles ain't gonna help me ball, I'm just keeping it real."
It's worth noting that during his time as a high school player and stints with AND1 and the Globetrotters, Motamedi never failed a drug test. He was never charged with using performance enhancers and even appeared in a public service announcement on Milwaukee Public Television condemning their use.
[edit] Whereabouts
Although there have been reports of Motamedi appearing at the Cahill Courts every few months, no one has confirmed that he does, in fact, still frequent the park. The last confirmed Cahill game Motamedi played in was a 2004 one-on-one matchup with another famous streetball player, Rafer Alston, also known as Skip To My Lou. Motamedi defeated Alston, 21-16. Despite the fact that Motamedi no longer frequents the Cahill Courts, many of the park's top players still regard him as the greatest Cahill product of all time.
Motamedi attends the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and resides in a house near campus. In his free time, he enjoys writing poetry, playing chess and baking cakes. He has one younger sister, who still lives in Whitefish Bay with her parents.
