From homelessness to the NBA draft: The story of Isaiah Adams
ORLANDO, Fla. — Isaiah Adams was only 3 years old when his parents separated and later divorced. His mother, Tiffany, decided to move him and his sister back to Jacksonville from Virginia. Due to the economic crisis of 2008, Tiffany found it difficult taking care of three kids at time. At a point, they were evicted from their apartment. Come nightfall, finding a place to sleep was a serious challenge.
“It was restless,” Tiffany said, narrating her ordeal at that time. “I mean I was up, really up all night in Walmart parking lot, in McDonald’s parking lot. Anywhere that you knew that people will be around.”
Adams was too young at that time to understand the situation of the family and sometimes thought that his mother did not want to meet his requests for this or that toy, not knowing that she didn’t have the means. At one point, he actually thought his mom was mean.
“At the time I didn’t really understand,” he said. “She did a really good job making it seem like everything was OK. She was always upbeat.”
The Paxon School for Advanced Studies graduate received offers from over a dozen prestigious universities to join their basketball team. However, he picked University of Central Florida (UCF) over Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Arkansas. After spending just one season with the UCF, the forward entered the NBA draft while retaining his NCAA eligibility.
“After spending time speaking with my family and coaches, I have decided to enter my name into the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining my eligibility,” Adams wrote in a social media post. “Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine. I hope to learn a lot through this process and I thank Knight Nation for all of their support.”
In his freshman season at UCF, following his signing with the Knights in November 2019, Adams featured in 22 games, starting in 12. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound forward averaged 9.9 points. He scored 26 points at Tulane on Feb. 20, which is his highest to date.
There are less than a dozen Jacksonville-area basketball players that have ever received an NBA draft selection. The most recent was Udoka Azubuike who was picked by the Utah Jazz last year. Leading up to UCF, Adams already had a long trail of career success.
He won the Times-Union’s Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons (2019 and 2020). He also achieved similar back-to-back honors as a junior, earning himself the Florida Class 4A Player of the Year award. His average stats during his junior season were 2.3 blocks, 10.8 rebounds and 19.6 points per game.
In March 2020, Adams was voted the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Basketball, making him the second Jacksonville boys player to earn the award.
“It means a lot,” Adams said in reference to the Mr. Basketball award. “To come out and have recognition come, from all the stuff I’ve been through, and just happy to be recognized from people.”
To cling the award, Adams earned 125 points and ten of the possible nineteen first-place votes in the balloting. Coming a distant second was Tarpon Springs East Lake’s Dionte Blanch with 91 points and six first-place votes. Adams’ coach could not stop praising the upcoming star.
“To see him end his high school career with him being Mr. Basketball in the state of Florida, it’s an awesome feeling, man,” Toby Frazier, Paxon head coach, said. “I’m proud and I’m grateful.”
Adams’ mother remains his number one fan. She attends most of his games and trainings and screams support from the stand. He was once asked what it feel like to look up in the stand and see his mother.
“I don’t really see her in the stands but I can hear her,” Adams said. “She is yelling. I can hear her every Friday when I was in high school, she will be one of the loudest people in the gym.”
Tiffany believes Adams still has a lot of work to do. Also, she believes there is no way her children can pay her back for the sacrifices she made for them. However, Adams has a lofty plan for his mother.
“In a couple of years, I could be in a position to help my family, help my mom not being able to work anymore,” Adams said regarding his plans for his family. “Just be able to take care of my family and all. That’s what I want to do.”
Adams withdrew his name from the NBA draft before the deadline, returning to the UCF Knights according to a message on UCF’s social media accounts. Adams is staying humble as his mother always advised. He knows where he is coming from and where he wants to be. He may not have made the NBA draft in 2021, but it is certainly where he wants to be—and there is no doubt he will be there soon.
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