"I Grew Up In A Situation Where If You Didn't Have Something To Pursue, You Would Enter A Void Of Danger And Uncertainty..." The Incredible Basketball Journey Of Jeremiah Mordi.
“Life is about what you can do, how you can be in service to serve yourself or your community. We are all placed on this earth for a reason and need to strive for greatness with class and respect constantly.”
Serving the community and being a part of religious activities was instilled in Jeremiah Mordi’sMordi’s daily routine from the day he was born. On June 2, 1995, Mordi was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but didn’t live there for more than five years. Instead, Mordi would grow up in New York, where he was immediately introduced to sports as it was a way for him to get accustomed to the United States way of life. One of the struggles that Modi had at a young age, for instance, was struggling to speak English as he had a vibrant Nigerian accent. It was tough for him to articulate his thoughts at times, not because he was not able too, but because he was worried that his peers would make fun of him. As a result, Mordi never failed to submit with his fears and instead heavily pursued sports, specifically football.
In the present day, Jeremiah Mordi is a successful professional basketball player who is an efficient scorer, and a spectacular rebounder given his position. But as a kid, football was the sport that Mordi pursued and felt that one day he could become successful with it. However, his aspirations for football would expire from the moment he found basketball. Everything about basketball was something that caught his eye like a fishing hook and, as a result, found a new sport that he would love for the rest of his life!
“From the beginning, I loved everything about basketball. Basketball has always been my passion so I wanted to create a lifestyle that I would be comfortable with while making money. I can use this sport to influence people in a positive way; I help my community through it. Basketball has changed my life in many ways and I hope I can help inspire the next generation with this game.”
Mordi has not only created a comfortable lifestyle for himself with basketball, but he has also managed to serve his community while becoming one of the best players in the NBLC! But before his dream became a reality, values and responsibility were instilled in him from the moment he was born.
Growing up, Mordi’s mother was a pastor for his church, which played a massive role in his life. If Mordi weren’t participating in church activities or events, he would focus on his schoolwork, which taught him responsibility and diligence. If he completed his homework, both his parents would encourage him to play basketball or any other sport as long as he did some form of physical activity. Having a routine like this allowed Mordi to become a professional basketball player as he learned skills such as responsibility, diligence, persistence, respect, consistency, organization, and hard work. Without these critical understandings, his basketball career would have never have been as successful as it’s been. However, living in the States was difficult for Mordi as his family never had a concrete destination. Even though New York was where he lived, his family was always moving due to the dangers that were lurking about.
“Growing up where I was from, it was very easy to get distracted as there were many things that could have grabbed you. If you didn’t have a goal or a routine, you would have been sucked into the void of the many distractions that would happen around my community.”
Mordi was blessed to have a meaningful distraction that brought value and wealth into his life. Playing basketball, going to church and getting top-notch grades kept him away from all the trouble and danger that surrounded him. Instead of submitting to his situation, he would go to basketball courts and practice for countless hours until his clothes would be soaking wet. When he was in elementary school, he had a strict schedule where he would go to his basketball club at 6 am for an hour and go to school until the afternoon where he would go home to do his homework. After that, he would help around his house and play basketball with his brother until his curfew. While other kids his age were playing video games, Mordi played basketball with himself, his brother, or his friends who only elevated his passion for the game.
When reflecting on Mordi’s life so far, the idea of organization and persistence comes to mind. The constant factor that is present from the day he was born is commitment and determination. Mordi never doubted himself and knew exactly what he wanted to do while doing whatever it takes to achieve his goal. He maintained respect and understood his responsibilities, which granted him success today. Even though his life wasn’t perfect, Mordi worked with what he had and never submitted to anything negative that popped up in his journey to success. His basketball dream was enough to elevate his passion and commitment and, as a result, is one of the best players in the NBLC, which is incredible.
“My love for the game is what motivated me to continue playing this sport. I’m competitive; I have the drive so I always wanted to be the best. Even though I played football at first, basketball was the sport I was most comfortable with as I was getting better each and every day. Once I found an opportunity to get paid to do what I loved, I immediately latched on to it.”
As a teenager, Mordi would start to blossom as an elite player and would look to focus on becoming a professional athlete. Surely enough, this goal was completed, but before that, Mordi had other passions such as music and being around his community. If he wasn’t playing basketball, he would create music as he learned how to play the piano and the drums while also having the ability to rap. If basketball did not exist, Mordi would have continued playing football or pursued a journey to music.
In the end, Mordi has had an influential journey to basketball. From his parents instilling essential values in his life that he still practices today to, learning the importance of serving and helping his community, these good deeds are what granted him success today. The lesson that can be learned in Mordi’s journey to basketball is that having a passion and drive for something is essential to have. However, understanding other aspects like religion and education is just as important. Learning values grants you success, and if you don’t believe me, ask Jeremiah Mordi.