Unbeknownst to many residents of Garland, our city is the American hometown of Ike Diogu, a professional basketball player who touts an impressive resume. Diogu has played for the Golden State Warriors as the ninth pick overall, the Indiana Pacers, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Sacramento Kings; internationally, he has played in Puerto Rico and China. To top it off, he was a member of the 2012 Nigerian Olympic Basketball Team.
Diogu’s basketball beginnings take on a more humble form. After moving from Nigeria to America during middle school, he began playing basketball for the Austin Academy Eagles and then the Garland Owls.
Despite his successful career, Diogu has never forgotten to give back to the community that played a large part in raising him. The Ikandy Foundation, founded by Diogu, “is dedicated to improving the quality of life of underprivileged children with a special focus on promoting academic and athletic excellence,” as stated on their website.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, their actions were a testament to their mission statement.
Jane Diogu, Ike Diogu’s mother, headed the event Saturday that started off with a motivational speech. Linda Griffin, a member of the GISD board of trustees, gave sage advice to the students, “Be yourself. Read books. Follow instructions. And have a positive attitude.”
Encouragement and lunch followed, and then the students received backpacks filled with school supplies to jump-start the new school year.
According to Jane, 120 backpacks were given out to students at this year’s back-to-school event. However, since its creation, the Ikandy Foundation has helped thousands of students in Garland, Dallas, Rowlett and Rockwall by holding basketball camps to promote health and fitness and by partnering with the Boy’s and Girl’s Club to provide after school tutoring.
“The idea for the Ikandy foundation came from Ike Diogu, my son, who thought that it was good to give back to the community after he turned pro,” Jane said. “The goal of this foundation is to help underprivileged kids be productive citizens that will help the community. We wish for them to stay in school and to get an education because education is the key to everything.”
Garland residents should take pride in knowing that Ike, an international athlete, and his family have made a tremendous impact on the children within the community. They have recognized that all children have the potential to be successful and deserve the chance to recognize their aspirations through the help of education.
And while this event was a small sampling of the children of Garland, they demonstrated the qualities of kindness and curiosity that are always present in GISD students.
It is not merely a statement that all children have the potential to become successful, but a universal truth. And the Ikandy Foundation has been and will be more than oustanding in supporting this idea.