Every sports fan knows that players in the SEC, also known as the Southeastern Conference, don’t mess around. Countless football, basketball and baseball players who played for an SEC school have made it big in professional sports, including Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow and Charles Barkley. While Vanderbilt has not traditionally produced the most eligible pro contenders, it is obvious that our basketball team is about to change that trend. One senior garnering NBA buzz? Festus Ezeli, the 6’11” center from Nigeria, a player with size, strength, passion and immense potential for professional basketball.
But Ezeli was not always destined for the NBA. Growing up in Nigeria, a country where soccer (or football, as they call it) reigns supreme, he played pickup games with his friends after school every day. It wasn’t until he moved to the United States at age 14, already 6’6”, that he began his basketball career in a neighborhood rec league. While he never played traditional organized basketball before Vanderbilt, he caught the eyes of college scouts while playing for the Sacramento Pharoahs in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union). Soon, recruitment offers started flying in, from schools like Florida, Connecticut, West Virginia, and of course, Vanderbilt.
Ezeli says he chose Vanderbilt partly for the atmosphere he felt upon visiting and also because of the education his family knew he would get. “My parents are very big on academics and they loved the school’s reputation.” Along with his parents, he attributes much of his success on campus to his teammates. “They are like my brothers; it’s like I left home and found a new family at Vanderbilt. I enjoy going out and giving my all for the guys.”
After being redshirted as a freshman in 2007, Ezeli worked on gaining muscle to make him a legitimate asset to the team the following year. But it wasn’t until last season that he achieved notable success, playing and starting in all 34 games. He became a dominant presence on the defense, setting a single season record with 87 blocks. He also was third in the country in the number of fouls drawn, giving the team more chances to shoot free throws and accumulate points. Those things, along with his solid performance with rebounds and points, gave him the title of most improved player in college basketball by Yahoo Sports. Click here to read the article.
Though this season began with a suspension and an injury for Ezeli, he managed to keep himself busy with academics, focusing on his Economics major and his classroom performance. But now that he’s back, the team has seen a major turnaround after a slow start, and it is clear that Vanderbilt is going to be a major contender in college basketball.
While Ezeli is busy with academics and practice, he always makes time for his friends, who are mostly the teammates he calls his brothers. However, he admits that when he has free time on the weekends, he mostly wants to stay in bed and relax.
One unexpected fact about Ezeli? He’s a big softie. Though he might look frightening on the court, in person, he’s anything but. He even admits to playing the piano, and he is taking lessons next semester to improve. A sensitive guy with major NBA potential and enough height to satisfy any girl with a propensity for heels? Sounds like a catch!