Ater Majok's odyssey touched down at the XL Center today as he showed up just before tip-off and took a seat behind the UConn bench with his high school coach, Ed Smith.

Majok, a 6-10 UConn signee from Sudan via Australia, has been visiting family in Washington, D.C. for the past week, and said he planned on remaining there until (he hopes) he's cleared to play by the NCAA. However, Smith later said that Majok will likely have to return home to Australia at some point.

At any rate, Majok is confident that he'll be playing for UConn by the start of the second semester in mid-December. He has completed his schoolwork in Australia, but has yet to get through the NCAA clearinghouse.

"It's because of a difference in the calendar year," Smith said. "It looks very positive."

"I'd rather be on the court right now, but what happens, happens," Majok said with a shrug. "When I come, I've got to come in ready to do work. It gives me a chance to work right now."

He said he's working out four times a day to stay in shape and be ready to join the Huskies a week or so before Christmas.

"It's going to be hard, but it's possible," he said. "At UConn, you can. When I come in, I expect to do what I do. It's been a long process, but it makes you appreciate what you're going to get by playing. When you go through hard work, you appreciate the end of it."

Smith noted that Majok's younger cousin, Majok Majok, has been drawing plenty of interest from the likes of Virginia, Providence and St. Louis.

(Naming the artist who performed the song, album and movie from where this post gets its title should be an easy one for you out there ...)