As Lakers Power Forward Anthony Davis went to the line to shoot a free throw that would give his Team LeBron the 2020 All-Star win… it wasn’t just the game that was on the line.
Chicago Scholars Student Isaac Odedoyin, 18, holding up his signed LeBron James jersey during the All-Star Game at the United Center. Feb. 16, 2020. Photo Courtesy of Isaac Odedoyin.
To most, All-Star break is just a weekend for the NBA’s most elite players to showcase their talent and have fun with each other. To the two chosen Chicago charities-- After School Matters and Chicago Scholars-- this All-Star game meant a chance to a brighter future.
“When [Davis] missed the first free throw, my blood pressure definitely went up,” said 18-year-old Isaac Odedoyin, a Chicago Scholars student. “However, knowing AD shoots 86 percent from the free throw, I was pretty confident he would make it.”
With a second shot attempt, he did.
The fans at the United Center roared after what was the most action-packed, aggressive fourth quarter that an All-Star game has witnessed in a long time.
That’s when the Chicago Scholars, the charity that Team LeBron was playing for, passionately came running onto the court to hug the players that just made their dreams come true.
“Meeting LeBron [James] was amazing, a dream come true,” said Odedoyin. “I always told myself I would meet him one day. I never thought it would happen like that. My friend saw me on TV next to LeBron and honestly, I looked star struck. He has been my biggest role model on and off the court."
James is known for his philanthropic activism-- to be more than just an athlete.
“I was shocked when I found out LeBron picked my charity,” said Odedoyin. “Actually, my friend first told me about it, and I couldn’t believe it, since I never considered it happening. I then watched the live stream and found out it was really true. LeBron is known for helping the next generation, so it just shows how much he really cares.”
Within the chaos of All-Star Media Day at Wintrust Arena, James had just arrived in Chicago Saturday morning prepared for the freezing weather. He was wearing a scarf and white cap that said ‘uninterrupted’ on it. He dove straight into his interview with all of us media members that gathered around him.
“I just think it’s always important to give back to the youth,” said James. “These guys are our future. These guys have beautiful minds, spirits… their energy is always high. I was a young kid growing up in the inner city, with not much resources, not much help. And so for me to be in the position I am today, to be able to give back, to not only to my hometown but go across all over the world and inspire people and inspire kids-- I think is just as important as what I do on the basketball court.”
Chicago Scholars is a non-profit program for first-generation college students from under-resourced communities in Chicago. It is a seven-year model that helps the students navigate from the moment they transition into college and throughout their post-graduate career, as well.
The program prides itself in its member graduation rate. 86 percent of Chicago Scholars graduate college within six years. 109 Chicago high schools are represented by the class of 2022.
Odedoyin is a senior at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park, and has been playing basketball his whole life.
“To get $400,000 added to Chicago Scholars means a lot,” said Odedoyin. “Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be right now if not for Chicago Scholars, in terms of college applications and decisions. They helped me so much. Therefore, I hope the money could be used to help kids after me, as well.”
This All-Star weekend further proved that basketball is more than just a game.
Basketball unites. Basketball provides a platform for underrepresented communities to have a voice and use that platform to create a brighter future, to create a more civil and equal society.
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