When he began his career in basketball, many people said that he would not make it. However, “when you have a dream and work for it, the main thing is to not let anyone discourage you on the way,” said Emmanuel Ochenje, freshman basketball forward from Nigeria.
For Ochenje, the path that brought him to Pepperdine was far from smooth. Despite being a freshman, Ochenje has learned what it means to work hard, as he has moved from playing on the open backyard courts in his native Illorum, Nigeria, to the internationally recognized basketball arenas in the United States.
Like many other children in his hometown, Ochenje began his interest in athletics by playing soccer with his friends. It was not until middle school when, due to his height and physical abilities, he was advised to try basketball. And from the first moment Ochenje started playing, he said he fell in love with the game.
“Since I was 12, I was always asking my dad to buy me basketball shoes, but he wouldn’t do it because he did not take my interest in basketball seriously. I had to work at many different jobs, using each opportunity to earn enough money, so that it could help me to perform my game on a different level,” Ochenje said.
As he spent time playing basketball with other barefooted friends on the open courts, Ochenje discovered for himself that the sport could be so much more than just a game, it could be his future. And he couldn’t imagine playing anywhere greater than in the homeland of basketball — the United States.
As a young teen at the Basketball Academy in the capital city of Abuja, Nigeria, Ochenje was able to grow as an athlete, under the control of coaches and more experienced teammates.
Then, Ochenje’s hopes came true, when athletics agents noticed his vast potential in basketball at one of his games. Out of the 200 players in the Academy, he became one of five chosen to play basketball in the United States.
“When I told my dad about it, he was very excited for me and, at the same time, afraid. After all, he couldn’t know how it would [turn out] for me in a foreign country,” Ochenje said. “But I am glad he supported me in this uneasy decision.”
A few months later, Ochenje found himself at the Covenant Christian Academy in Atlanta, Ga. After a semester, he transferred to Brehm Preparatory School in Carbondale, Ill., playing in the varsity league.
During high school, Ochenje spent his summers playing with the Amateur Athletic Union teams: Team Odom and the Illinois Titans. It was throughout this time that he worked hard to become a college basketball player, traveling to places like Las Vegas, Orlando and Chicago.
Ochenje received multiple offers from universities in various states, including Tennessee and Illinois, during his senior year at Brehm. However, Pepperdine quickly became his top choice.
“I grew up in a very religious family, so the fact that Pepperdine is a Christian university played a big role for me,” Ochenje said. “In addition, I like to enjoy the gorgeous ocean view every time I open my window.”
In his free time, Ochenje loves to hang out with his friends, read books and watch the Waves home soccer games. “It is always fun to cheer for the Waves with my friends. Even though I still play soccer whenever I see a soccer ball, with my busy schedule, that doesn’t happen that often.”
In the future, Ochenje plans to play basketball professionally and become a recognized athlete. Even though his major is still undeclared, he wants to pursue his bachelor’s degree and have a thriving business.
“With God, impossibility shall be possible,” Ochenje said. “With hard work, dedication and determination, you really can become whatever you want to be in life.”
