Mixed Race Celebrity Mondays: John Amaechi

John Amaechi was born in Boston, MA, USA, on November 26, 1970. His father is Nigerian and his mother, British. He was raised in Manchester, UK, primarily by his mother and his maternal grandparents. As a youth, he wasn't particularly athletic and by the time he entered his teens, he was actually obese. He never touched a basketball until he was a teen and only then as a form of exercise to control his obesity. Once he began playing, he discovered that he was a natural.

He was awarded an athletic scholarship to Penn State University where he enhanced his court skills and pursued his academic goal. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology. Upon graduation, he was drafted into the NBA.

Amaechi played the center forward position throughout his professional basketball career. This 6'10" tall gentle giant began with the Cleveland Cavaliers, then moved to the Orlando Magic and finally ended with the Utah Jazz. His NBA career began in 1995 and lasted until his retirement in 2003. He left the game voluntarily and prematurely. His fans were curious as to why the sudden move. It would be several years before the true reason would emerge.

In February, 2007, in an ESPN-TV interview, Mr. Amaechi publicly and proudly disclosed that he is gay. One week later, his autobiography, "Man In The Middle," was released and was a New York Times bestseller. He shared that he left basketball due to the stress of having to hide his sexual orientation. To date, he is the only player in the NBA to acknowledge his homosexuality.

Upon his announcement, the NBA publicly came out as supportive of John Amaechi. Players and coaches applauded his skills on the court and his courage in coming out. Only one player disparged him in an interview and he was disciplined by the professional association.

Currently, Mr. Amaechi directs his charitable trust, the ABC Foundation, which operates centers for Britain's urban youth. He also serves as a roving ambassador for Amnesty International. He is active in GLBT concerns.

Personally, I admire John Amaechi for stepping up and publicly announcing that he is gay. He chose to serve as a role model for gay athletes and youth instead of remaining private. He is an inspiration to us all. His pronouncment means that all major sports discipines in this country have at least one athlete who's openly gay.

I am proud of my fellow-Nigerian for being a proud gay man! We are both the same here. The only differences between us are the fact that my maternal tribe is Yoruba and Mr. Amaechi's paternal tribe is Igbo. Mo n'ife e!