For someone who didn’t play organized basketball until he was 15, Adonal Foyle ’98 — the 51 Raiders basketball player turned NBA pro — has reached quite a career milestone: the NBA Finals.
Tonight, the 6-foot-10 center and his Orlando Magic teammates will try to even the series with the Los Angeles Lakers at two games apiece.
Foyle’s journey to the finals has been highlighted in a number of reports by national and local media outlets, including ESPN, the Los Angeles Times, The Post-Standard (Syracuse), and The Observer-Dispatch (Utica).
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“Most kids in the U.S. grow up watching basketball and dreaming of playing in the NBA,” Foyle, who grew up on a tiny Caribbean island, told The Observer-Dispatch.
“I didn’t have that. I didn’t have any expectations. For me, it was a journey of discovery. Everything has been a surprise for me. It’s been amazing.”
Though Foyle’s playing time has been limited, he’s credited with taking on an important leadership role behind the scenes, acting as a mentor, especially to young star Dwight Howard.
“I’d like to think I’ve had an impact on some of them,” said Foyle, who’s in the 12th season of his NBA career.
“It’s easy to inflate my abilities and think I’ve done more than I really have, but I’d like to think they’ve picked up on one or two things I’ve said over the course of the year.”
At 51, Foyle led the Raiders to their first two NCAA post-season tournaments while establishing national records for shot blocking.
Off the court, he’s known for his work with , the nonpartisan nationwide organization that encourages college students to focus on issues of campaign finance reform.
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