Young Nigerian basketballer bags US scholarships after street encounter with Calabar lawyer

By Daily Sports Nigeria on May 3, 2024

A young Nigerian basketballer, David Etim, has bagged three United States scholarship offers after encountering a Calabar-born lawyer, Faithfulness Okom.

Narrating how he met Etim to our correspondent on Thursday, Okom said he met Etim in 2021 while driving in Calabar that fateful Saturday and was fascinated with his height and decided to lure him into playing basketball.

According to him, Etim was not the only one he dragged to a basketball academy to start a career. He said he had some other people he was convinced to start playing basketball upon seeing their height, which he believed was one of the requirements for playing.

The Calabar lawyer, now based in Spain, said, “I was driving randomly on a Saturday if I can recall. I started watching the NBA in 2020 and grew an obsession with basketball. It annoyed me when I saw random tall guys who didn’t hoop. I dragged many people to play ball, three young guys before David.

“I took them to the stadium, bought them gear, and enrolled them in the academy. David was taller than any of the boys I had reached out to, and when I saw him that day, I just decided to talk to him. Luckily, he was open to being helped, and then he came to my house, and the rest is history.”

Speaking further on the tumultuous experiences Etim faced from his father in his newly chosen career, he said convincing the bricklayer father was a bigger problem because he has always been the one assisting him with projects he embarked upon and having to see him concentrate on other things was taking a toll on him (the father).

He said, “Etim barely has time because his mom is absent and his dad is a bricklayer, and he has to assist him on his projects and do personal laundry for three families on the side.

“He didn’t have a phone, but I described where I live and said to come on a particular day and knock on the gate, and I’ll be there.

“He came to my house, I showed him old videos of @Giannis_An34 when he was a scruffy hustling kid, tried to motivate him, and gave him a suitcase of clothes (which his dad eventually burnt out of jealousy).”

Okom further said before he travelled abroad, he enrolled Etim in a less popular basketball academy in Calabar run by one Frank John but had to encourage the young Etim to move in with his family when the father was not allowing him to concentrate.

He mentioned how excited he was when Etim recently got a trial at the NBA African Academy in Senegal for tryouts and a scholarship to American high schools.

“Last night, David sent me these photos from Senegal and told me we only need to figure out the visa because of his performances. I am thoroughly excited for him and feel deep inner fulfillment. This is just the beginning,” he said.

When asked to provide the scholarship details, Okom said the 17-year-old got three offers.

“So he actually got three scholarship offers from Busche Academy New Hampshire, Episcopal High School Houston and Life Christian High School Virginia,” he stressed.

 

 

Source Punch Ng

Posted May 3, 2024


 

You may also like...
Al Ahly Edge Closer To Caf CL Final...

Rey Mysterio Revealed As WWE 2K22 Cover Star...

De Gea Determined Not To Be Forced Out...

3SC hold leaders Plateau United in Ibadan

World Cup ticket: Nigeria Pillar of Sports congratulates...

Fit-Again Murray Hopes To Inspire Others

 

Latest News Enugu State To Host 2026 National Sports Festival 75% of EPL clubs want City relegated — Guardiola Boniface out for several weeks Solanke reveals love for Nigeria, plans visit Adesanya to headline UFC event in Saudi Besiktas eye January move for Chukwueze ‘It makes you proud,’ Rodri speaks on potential Real Madrid call Eagles lack character, even Mourinho can’t save them – Iloenyosi Premier League clubs approve changes to associated party sponsorship rules CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,167 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,310 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,372 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,016 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,950 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,908 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,746 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,318 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,371 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,055 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,509 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,935 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media