Leaving Nigeria to learn basketball from scratch pays off for Memphis Tigers signee Sam Ayomide
MALVERN, Pa. (BVM) — At just 14 years old, Onu Sam Ayomide made one bold move which today has turned him into ESPN’s No. 81-ranked basketball player in the Class of 2021. While living in Lagos, Nigeria, Ayomide booked a one-way flight to the U.S. with the financial help of his mom, a day-care worker.
Even though Ayomide’s goal was to pursue basketball, he actually had little to no experience in the game. All he knew was that he loved the sport especially after watching videos of other players in the U.S. Ayomide said that’s how he increased his basketball IQ, but he just needed a better opportunity to actually play the game.
“I learned basketball when I came to the U.S. and it was crazy to move here, but I have no regrets,” Ayomide said. “I knew I needed to do this for my future even though it was going to be hard and I was questioning if I should do it. But, I told myself I would just push through because I made it my goal to work hard at basketball in the U.S. and then become a professional player.”
What Ayomide had no idea of at the time of his immigration was that he would grow into a 7-foot basketball player, which ended up being his biggest strength. During his senior season at The Phelps School, he averaged 12 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks per game. Now he is ranked by ESPN as the No. 21 center in the nation and was given offers from almost a dozen DI programs including the Memphis Tigers, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Illinois and LSU.
“I signed with Memphis because Coach Penny [Hardaway] and Cody [Toppert] were asking me questions about back home,” Ayomide said. “They actually asked me about my [birth] mom and were checking in on me. We didn’t talk so much about basketball and so they showed that they care about me not just as a basketball player but also as a human being. They treated me like family.”
For someone who has traveled thousands of miles in pursuit of finding a place to grow in the sport of basketball — that family aspect was clearly a necessity for Ayomide. But, there is one more thing Ayomide is looking to check off while attending the University of Memphis. His birth mother has never seen him play before and so he hopes he’ll have the opportunity to show off his skills to her.
“Hopefully, she can see me play, that’s the plan,” Ayomide said. “She’s only seen me play in videos before but never in person. Once she does see me in person, I know she will be impressed and say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know you could do all this.’”
Until he leaves for Memphis, Ayomide will continue to live with his American mom, Susan Camden, in Pennsylvania. Camden and her family took Ayomide in two years ago. Prior to that, Ayomide bounced around schools in Texas and Florida in search of a place that would fit his needs.
“I wanted to move and find something better for my career and life,” Ayomide said. “There was a point where I was frustrated but then I was like, ‘No, I’ve come this far in my life.’ Then everything came together [in Pennsylvania].”
Ayomide’s sheer determination is what has propelled him into his position today. But, even if it all didn’t work out at the college level, Ayomide said he’d still be happy with just finishing his education in the U.S. His backup plan is to work in the import and export trade business using the business degree he will attain from the University of Memphis.
As bold and crazy as his decisions over the past several years has been, the move to the U.S. ultimately paid off in more ways than one. He said the best moment that he ever experienced was the day he first met his wife, Dominique Darius, now a freshman guard on the women’s basketball team at UCLA. The two married last month but the couple first met two years ago.
“Back then I tried to holler at her but I guess she didn’t hear me and she walked right past me,” Ayomide said. “Then when I moved to Pennsylvania I saw her again since she was traveling from her home state of New Jersey. When I saw her I immediately remembered her and I didn’t waste any more time. I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.”
As the 19-year-old prepares for his future in basketball for himself and his family, Ayomide said he likes to look back at his journey and is still surprised at how far he has come.
“Don’t give up, no matter what anyone tells you,” Ayomide said. “You know what you want, people are gonna talk, block out those people.”
After dealing with pressures all of his life, Ayomide can now rest knowing that he has a bright future ahead of him and can excel even further with a more permanent home.
“I’m excited to meet the fans, play with my teammates and be around the environment,” Ayomide said. “I’m really humble, I might be quiet but I always give it everything I have. I still have a long way to go and this is only the start. It just feels good all my hard work has paid off. One day, the goal is for me and my wife to be a WNBA and NBA couple.”
