"I Can Let It Define Me Or Move Past It" The Heartbreaking Story Of Olu Famutimi

In the NBA, players such as Derrick Rose, Penny Hardaway, Yao Ming, Tracy Mcgrady, and many other great players have suffered horrible injuries that later on hindered there legacy. Even though they will forever be known as all-time greats, they could have been known for more if they never got injured. For example, when looking at a player like Yao Ming, he was an all-star player every season he was in the NBA, which was eight times. Imagine being an all-star every year that you were in the NBA, it’s crazy, right? Well, Yao Ming did, and people like me and you can only fantasize about his career could have been if he didn’t constantly get injured in his career. If there’s one thing, I would love to take away from basketball is if there was a way to eliminate injuries. However, only one can dream about such a fantasy.

Injuries have been a staple for players regressing in their respective sport; however, it doesn’t define the player and what they did in there professional career. A perfect example of this is the story of Olu Famutimi and how one injury changed the entire landscape of his career.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, on February 21, 1984, Canada was introduced to one of the first basketball phenoms. During this time, basketball in Canada was something most people didn’t seek out until the Raptors emerged. For most Canadians, hockey was the sport everyone was talking about considering that the Toronto Maple Leafs lead the NHL in most Stanley cup victories. I’m quite sure if the Raptors lead the NBA in most championships, basketball will be regarded as the top sport in Canada. However, when it came to Olu Famutimi, basketball was always at the back of his head but was never something he thought of pursuing as a career. Instead, Olu was implemented with strict rules from a young age to take his education seriously and to always put 100% in anything he did. Whether it was doing homework or playing soccer during recess time, Olu never gave up and instead focused on achieving his goal no matter what it was. If it was attainable for Olu, he was going to do anything to get the task done. This mindset that Olu attained is how he got so far in his basketball career; however, during this time in his life, basketball was something he did on the side. As a kid, Olu was gifted with athleticism and would play numerous sports for fun except for track and field. For Olu, track and field was his passion as he would participate in the 100-200 meter races and high jump while playing basketball on the side. Athletics was something that instantly connected with Olu as he dreamt of one day becoming an athlete down the road. For Olu, athletics and education were something that he wanted to excel in due to several factors that were present in his life.

During Olu’s childhood, his root motivation was his role models, which were his parents. Even though his parents were strict at times, it was always for a reason as they wanted the best for there son. Both Olu’s parents made sure to teach their son the importance of getting an education while also maintaining respect for anyone. Without his parent’s guide to life, Olu stated that he wouldn’t be where he’s at today and owes his basketball career to them. Even though Olu’s parents taught him various lessons on how to be the best person he can be, the one lesson that kept him forward in anything was to remain positive. No matter what form of adversity he faced, Olu was given the experience to always stay calm and look at the positives before rushing to conclusions and looking at the worst possible outcome. It’s effortless to look at the negatives in any given situation; however, it takes mental strength to look at the positives. The other lesson that Olu learned at a young age was never to give up on his goals and focus on his path to greatness, even if others told him he couldn’t. This helped Olu in many ways in his daily life and especially in sports, where he incorporated his new mental skills. Whether he lost a game in pick-up basketball or lose a competition in track and field, he never let those losses define him and instead looked at them as lessons for him to grow. The more he would lose in a competition, the more talented he would become in the sport, which was terrifying if you think about it. Imagine losing in a game, and then you somehow become a better competitor? Well, that was Olu Famutimi as a child, and that’s when everyone around him new that he will become a phenom in Canada and possibly even the world. However, even though Olu had love for most sports, he realized he was playing too many and decided to limit his interests. Everyone around Olu new how much he loved track and field, yet basketball seemed to be his true passion without even realizing it, especially when the NBA announced a new team that will be in Toronto Canada.

During this part of Olu’s life, basketball went from an activity to play with his friends to a commitment considering that he started to dunk the basketball at the age of 11. Yes, that’s right. Olu Famutimi dunked a basketball at 11 years old, which only meant that basketball was the right compliment to his athletic stature. Even though Olu would casually dunk at that age, one of the primary motivators that made him want to pursue basketball was the Toronto Thunderbirds(When it came to picking a name for the Toronto Raptors, Toronto almost decided to name their franchise the thunderbirds which would have been quite unfortunate if they chose that name). The birth of the Raptors was something historical as all the people rejoiced and celebrated there new acclaimed team in the NBA. During this time, Olu Famutimi was starting his journey in basketball, which was a perfect time to start. As weeks turned into months, Olu became a die-hard basketball fan and also discovered a new passion for the NBA in hopes of making it there one day. The fact that Olu dunked at 11 years old, its safe to say that his dream to one day make the NBA is very reachable.

Other than the Raptors, Vince Carter was by far the biggest reason why Olu Famutimi chose basketball as his passion. When talking on the phone with Olu, he mentioned to me that the reason why Vince was his biggest motivator was due to the legacy he left behind in Canada. For him, it wasn’t the dunks or clutch shots that Vincanity scored; it was the dedication he had for Canada. Most players would frown on Canada during this time and say, “it’s too cold to play there” or “it’s not a place where I can compete,” yet to Vince, he was proud to represent Canada. He wanted to create history in the country and one day wins a championship; however, as we know from history, that never happened. Olu felt attached to the idea of representing his country and wanted to leave an impact on basketball that was similar to Vince Carter. This sparked Olu to continue to work hard on his craft while representing not just Canada and his family but also to represent and show respect to Vince Carter.

For most Canadians, Vinca Carter was a staple name that the entire country either knows about or has at least heard off. For Olu, Vince was more of a mentor to the game of basketball as he looked at the legacy he left behind. Unfortunately, once Vince left the Raptors, the country was in shock and disbelief, considering the type of impact he had on people like Olu. Yet, Vince will always go down in history as not only one of the greatest players to ever touch the hardwood, but one of the biggest icons in Canadian history.

Vince Carter’s impact on Olu Famutimi resulted in him participating in various basketball clubs, including his very own high school. As a junior, Olu immediately displayed his talents on the court while also making a significant impact on games outcome. His dominance on the court was something rare to see, especially in Canada during this period. As a result, Olu transferred from Chaminade College School in Toronto, too, Flint Northwestern Highschool in Flint, Michigan, where he would start to make a name for himself. Usually, when it comes to student-athlete transferring schools, it takes some time for them to feel accustomed to there new surroundings. However, when it came to Olu, he accustomed to his new environment at a staggering rate and instantly became a dominant force on both ends of the court. Whether it was his elite scoring ability or defensive strides to disrupt the opponent’s chance on offence, Olu was everywhere on the court and wanted to dominate his opponent. His competitive nature for the game was something remarkable for not just his team, but for the rest of Canada to see. While others were playing a sport, Olu was pursuing his future as he was achieving all types of recognition, including one that he never saw coming.

Olu Famutimi as a Mcdonalds All-American.

Olu Famutimi went from a kid who had an interest in basketball but never took it seriously to a household name that everyone wanted. Olu was regarded as a top 7 player according to ESPN! For a Canadian athlete, being ranked that high in any significant sport was something extraordinary and rare during his time. In 2003, Olu was looking like a star in high school and was looking like a sensation in Flint, Michigan. From the looks of it, nothing could go wrong for the young freshman as he was building up his draft stock at such a young age. However, when everything was looking so bright for the young star, something devastating happened that forever changed the course of his career.

During the regular season, Olu Famutimi was regarded as a top prospect in the entire country. His athletism, defence, shot selections, and IQ towards the game were some of the qualities Olu had, which made him a raw prospect for any team. However, his offensive skill was unlike no other as he would drive past his defenders with ease while having a terrific jump shot. Yet the number one factor that separated him from anyone else at his position was his athletism. The way he dunked the ball or outran the defence was enough for anyone to see that Olu Famutimi was going to be a household name until all of that came to a shocking end.

During a game against one of the team’s biggest rivals, Olu wanted to put on a show for the fans in the arena. For Olu, he viewed every game as a championship game. In this game, Olu was more locked in than ever as he wanted to demolish his opponent on both ends of the floor. As tensions were steadily rising for both teams, Olu was getting more and more competitive. According to analytics, Olu’s team was projected to win the championship that season and judging from his team’s performance, it appeared that they would most likely win it all. Yet, this game was the most competitive game they had all year, which was evident in both teams considering how locked in they were. However, even though this game was quite overwhelming for everyone to watch, this game was devastating for Olu Famutimi. While playing defence, Olu, with his elite leaping ability, found a way to steal the ball from his opponent’s hands. Instead of tipping the ball out of bounds, Olu caught the ball in the air and took possession of the game. The moment the ball was stolen, the opposing team attempted to catch up to Olu; however, due to his athletism, they were unable to catch up. As a result, Olu took advantage of how much room the opposing team was giving and decided to do something for the crowd. Instead of laying it up, Olu wanted to do something more creative and decided to dunk the ball with aggression. While Olu was in the air feeling like Vince Carter, he looked at the corner of his eye and watched the whole arena erupt with cheer and excitement, which made him feel accomplished. However, when it came to the landing of his unbelievable dunk, Olu landed on one leg and tore his ACL. While the whole arena was screaming with joy and excitement as they had an adrenaline rush, Olu was on the floor, screaming in pain. His teammates and opponents rushed to his aiding body and realized that this was much more than an awkward fall to the ground. From then on, the arena was dead silent, and everyone went back to their senses. The moment Olu landed and fell to the ground, he automatically realized that this injury was far more complicated than it truly was.

When Olu shared that moment with me, I was baffled. Considering how important this game was for not just himself but his teammates, the worst thing you ever want to see is someone gets injured while doing something they love. From then on, Olu deep down felt defeated and started to spiral with the idea that he might not be a professional basketball player. However, the early teachings that Olu learned as a kid started to ramp up and fuel him with confidence and motivation. Growing up, both his parents made sure always to teach their children that no matter what adversity you may face in your life, you should never give up on your dreams and instead work harder. If Olu were never taught those values, he would have felt discouraged and possibly would have started to believe what his mind was foolishly whispering to him, which was, “You Won’t Be A Professional Athlete.” Even though this moment in Olu’s life was devastating and overwhelming for him, he kept on moving forward and focused on improving his game.

After a year went by, Olu was still back to his old self and playing basketball at an elite level. Even though he tore his ACL, he always kept on fighting for his dream and eventually started to attract attention from the collegiate level. Olu ended up joining the University of Arkansas, where he would begin to develop his draft stock. During his time in Arkansas, he averaged 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action. As a freshman, Olu was rewarded with the All South-Eastern Conference freshman honours. In 2005, he decided to declare for the NBA draft in hopes of getting chosen, however, was never drafted.

This point in Olu’s life was quite frustrating as he always felt that he was NBA bound, yet no one even bothered to draft him. However, with his determination and consistency towards the game, he kept on pushing forward and started to work on his craft twice as hard. While others would have given up, the love that Olu had for the game was unlike no other. He kept on being persistent, and as a result, an NBA team finally gave him the respect he deserved. The Philadelphia 76ers contacted Olu Famutimi to join there pre-season squad, which was quite an experience for the young Famutimi. Even though he made the team in pre-season, he was dropped from the team before the regular season started and instead joined the NBA g-league where he would make his mark. It was at this moment where Olu would regain confidence and would play his heart out on the basketball court. Despite the early injury he had in his young career, Olu’s explosiveness was still there as he would display it on the offensive end. From there, Olu would bounce around in the g-league until one day in 2008, the San Antonio Spurs recruited him to join their pre-season roster. Unfortunately, his journey with the Spurs was short-lived as he was dropped to waivers before the NBA season started. Even though Olu achieved his dream to be recruited by an NBA team, it didn’t go as expected, which was unfortunate for the rising star. Yet, instead of feeling upset or discouraged, Olu found other ways to represent his country. In 2008, Olu represented Team Canada in the Olympics, where he would face NBA legends such as Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James (again), and the rest of the redeem team. For Olu, this was by far the most significant accomplishment he would have considering how he played against some of the greatest NBA players to ever touch the hardwood floor. Once his Olympic days were over, Olu decided to play overseas where he would finally get the respect he deserved from not just the organization, but also the fan base. Whether it was him joining Spain or Turkey, Olu would always leave his mark on every team he joined in Europe. However, places like Iraq and the middle east were some of his favourite moments of his basketball career, considering that he won a championship and also enjoyed the people around him. Throughout his journey in Europe, he was regarded as one of the best players, which was quite the honour for Olu.

Once his overseas days were over, Olu decided to join the NBL where he would continue to dominate his competition as he was one of the best players at his position. At this point in his career, he was entering his 30’s and was still outplaying his competition. However, once 2017 came to a close, he decided to take some time off until 2019, where he would join a new league in Canada called the CEBL, where he would join the Guelph Night-Hawks. During the season, Olu was regarded as a top player in his position and was still out playing everyone on both ends off the floor as a 35-year-old. That right, this Canadian legend is still playing basketball at 35 years of age and still outplaying most of his competition. Unfortunately, the Night-Hawks were unable to make the playoffs in 2019; however, Olu was still playing out of his mind and is still currently playing with the KW Titans, which is a team in the NBL.

Overall, Olu’s story to the game of basketball is one of the most inspiring yet tragic stories the basketball world has ever seen. For someone to be regarded as a top player in basketball is already an accomplishment of its own; however, what makes it even more special is what happened after. Even though Olu tore his ACL at such a young age, the admiral lesson that we can all take him, he never gave up on his goal to be a professional athlete. Despite Olu not having the career he envisioned having, he still accomplished his goal from the beginning, which was to represent Canada and to leave a legacy unlike no other. From the beginning, Olu wanted to represent Vince Carter and the rest of Canada, and after hearing his incredible story, it’s safe to say that he exceeded expectations. Most people would have given up if there were in his position; however, for Olu, he kept on pushing forward and is still pushing ahead with the KW Titans. In the end, everyone goes through different levels of adversity; however, it’s up to you to move past it and avoid letting it define who you are. That’s the message of Olu’s story; he never let his injury define him and instead continued to accomplish his dream, which was...to be a professional athlete.