The Improbable Journey of New Florida Big Man Rueben Chinyelu

Ibidun Allison got out of his car at a bustling market in Lagos, Nigeria, and was soon swarmed by eager vendors. “Mom, mom, come buy from me!” they shouted. “Buy from me!”

An actress then in her seventies, Allison looked around the group and saw one person who stood out above the rest.

His name was Rueben Chinyelu.

He was 14 years old and stood around 6-8.

Allison couldn't believe her eyes. What did this boy want here? What was he selling clothes for? He wandered through the crowd to find her.

“Do you play basketball?” asked Chinyelu.

He smiled and laughed, as he often did when someone asked him that question.

“I'm serious,” Allison said. “You can go to school and play basketball. You can continue your education.”

This Chinyelu caught his eye. The idea of ​​playing basketball had never been presented to him in this way—as a possible ticket to a better education. And for some reason, it hit a different chord from Allison. Chinyelu had never played basketball in his life. But suddenly, he felt compelled to pursue it. He says: “I think everything happens in God's time.

That was the summer of 2018. Six years later, Chinyelu is a 6-11 sophomore at the University of Florida. He transferred from Washington State University, where he played in all 35 games last season and finished fourth in the Pac-12 in blocks.

Growing up in the eastern region of Nigeria, Chinyelu was six years old when his father died. His mother raised him and his three older sisters, emphasizing discipline and education above all else. Chinyelu did not play anywhere sports at a young age—even soccer, which is the most popular sport in Nigeria. Instead, he focused entirely on his schoolwork and dreamed of one day becoming a doctor.

Everything changed that afternoon in 2018 when Allison, whom Chinyelu now calls her grandmother, entered her brother-in-law's shop. Less than a week later, Chinyelu went to the National Stadium to register to join the Raptors Basketball Academy. Despite his inexperience and small frame, he made an instant impression on his new coach, Charles Ibeziakor.

“I saw something different from other boys who came to learn basketball,” said Ibeziakor. “I saw that this boy is going to be a player who is likely to be watched because of his hard work. He didn't agree.”

Chinyelu's behavior extended from studies to basketball. When I do this, I enter, he told himself. The team practiced from Monday to Friday from 8 am to noon during the summer, but Chinyelu would arrive at the court at 6 am to do extra work. He trained alone with Ibeziakor every Sunday and watched YouTube tutorials to tackle the basics. Before long, his dream was to enter the NBA.

Within a year, Chinyelu was selected to represent Nigeria at the 2019 FIBA ​​U16 African Championship. He averaged 12.3 points and 17.6 rebounds (best in the tournament) to help his team place third. Ibeziakor says: “He was one of the best. “From there, I knew this guy was going to go places.”

Even before playing for the national youth team, Chinyelu received interest from high schools across the United States, but his visa application was rejected by the embassy. Eighth times. And Chinyelu never found out why. He was injured, but he did not give up. He had to find a new way. He says: “If I cry or get angry about that, I just double the problem. “I never doubted myself.”

Coach Ibeziakor is also a scout for NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal. The Academy was established in 2017 to provide high school prospects from across the continent with the tools needed to pursue a future in sport. Chinyelu arrived in 2021, very strong after working at home during the violence. He now has access to top-level institutions and is surrounded by the best young players in Africa, who all share his desire to reach the next level. In the school's multi-purpose room, where students eat, watch TV and have fun, pictures of African players who have made it to the NBA adorn the walls—a constant reminder of the goal they are all chasing.

With expert guidance from staff members such as technical director Roland Houston and head coach Alfred Abaya, Chinyelu made remarkable progress at the Academy. “They have theater. We don't have theater at home,” explained Chinyelu. “Go play basketball, grab a rebound, pass the ball, make baskets. It was different getting a break, more exercise, when you exercise, how you maintain your sleep. In school, they didn't just teach us about basketball—they taught us how to be a basketball player and how to be a man. Because everything works together. “

Chinyelu founded the “6:00 am Club” with Coach Abaya, which is a morning exercise routine with his teammates, who used to go to the gym around 7:00 am, and eventually joined. “He is a tireless worker,” Abaya said. “He will try to help you.”

The Academy competes in shows and exhibitions around the world, and Chinyelu also participated in the 2022-23 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season, averaging 5.4 points and 7.9 rebounds at Stade Malien. Since he started so late, his game—especially the offense—is still being refined, but Chinyelu. always it brings strength and stamina. He becomes a “different person” on the court, according to former Academy teammate Seifeldin Hendawy. “Rueben's game is emotional,” Hendawy, a freshman at Loyola Chicago, continues. “He has a lot of anger. When he gets between the lines, he forgets everything. He doesn't care. He will be drowning in people, destroying rims.”

Hendawy recalls one full-court match in which Chinyelu was “just going crazy” against fellow Nigerian and current Louisville star Emmanuel Okorafor. The trash talk was flowing and the accompaniment was getting more and more physical. At one point, Chinyelu threw down a brutal dunk and screamed so loudly that it scared Hendawy and other spectators. “The gym was shaking,” Hendawy recalled with a laugh. Eventually Houston had to step in to settle things down a bit. “It's me, Coach!” Chinyelu shouted at Houston, beating his chest. “I am!”

That image is very different from Chinyelu on the ground. He has a soft, polite and gentle voice, his comments are accompanied by the same words of encouragement recorded in the Academy's classrooms.

“Rome was not built in a day.”

“The easy road is not always the same.”

“It's something I can control for now.”

“I know that what was supposed to happen will definitely happen.”

You can have a calm presence that one can foresee translating into an excellent bedside manner. Although his main goal is still to make it to the NBA, Chinyelu is also studying to become a dentist and plans to take summer classes to finish school if he leaves early to write.

Chinyelu joins a talented Florida squad (ranked No. 20 in ESPN's current rankings) and should play a big role this season after averaging just 13.8 minutes per game for Washington State. The Gators have several strong frontcourt options, but Chinyelu is expected to start under center. He arrived on campus in early June following a short trip back to Africa, where he visited family in Nigeria and hosted the BAL Finals in Rwanda.

Watching today, his first coach, Ibeziakor, is not surprised by the player Chinyelu has become. He says: “Because I know the kind of person Rueben is. “I know Rueben is going to work harder to get there—to play in the NBA. And I believe he will play [there] one day.”

Photos via Getty Images.