Swedish success for Kenya kid Ongwae but no team call-up

Kenyan professional basketball player Tylor Okari Ongwae in White playing US college basketball at the University of Louisiana Monroe in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Mr Ongwae now plays for Swedish side Solna Vikings and hopes one day to play in the NBA. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • “Sometimes to go forward you have got to go to the depths of your own personal despair and claw yourself back. From that point, no matter what happens, you know you can do it.” 
  • During his time with Kamusinga, Tylor Ongwae averaged 24 points and led the western Kenya school to three consecutive provincial titles.
  • In 2009, Ongwae was the only Kenyan player in a squad of 60 that was selected to take part in a mentorship programme organised by the NBA.

“Sometimes to go forward you have got to go to the depths of your own personal despair and claw yourself back. From that point, no matter what happens, you know you can do it.” 

This famous sports quote best describes the chronicles of Kenyan professional basketball player Tylor Okari Ongwae, who plays for top Swedish premier league side Solna Vikings.

The soft-spoken player, who has his roots in Eldoret, believes that hard work and determination is key in order to succeed in basketball.

The imposing 6ft 7in (1.99-metre) forward started playing basketball at a tender age, but it was his exploits with Friends School Kamusinga that caught the attention of national selectors.

During his time with Kamusinga, he averaged 24 points and led the western Kenya school to three consecutive provincial titles. He also scooped the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the 2009 national championships.

NBA MENTORSHIP

That year, Ongwae was the only Kenyan player in a squad of 60 that was selected to take part in a mentorship programme organised by the National Basketball Association (NBA) of the US dubbed “Basketball Without Borders”.

The players from 23 African countries were selected by Fiba, the NBA and participating federations based on their basketball skills, leadership abilities and dedication to the sport. 

At 19, Ongwae landed his maiden senior national call-up for an All Africa Games qualifier match against Rwanda. He was used sporadically in the tie.

His talent stood out, and he went on to play for Ranger Junior College in Texas, the United States, where he averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game. He helped his team to win the 2012-2013 conference championship with a 9-1 conference record.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Okari, 24, is known for impeccable ball handling skills and is effective on both offensive and defensive lines.

This caught the eye of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball team University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) Warhawks, which he joined in October 2013.

Shortly afterwards, Ongwae was drafted into the starting five and proved to be a star player.

He received several accolades in his two seasons with the Warhawks — including All-Conference First-Team, Capital One All-District First-Team, two-time SBC and two-time CSM Player of the Week winner.

PLAYING FOR SOLNA VIKINGS

Ongwae’s big break however came in September, when he was contracted by Swedish side Solna Vikings in a deal that would see him enhance his chances of playing in the NBA, which is the most prestigious league in the world.

Now, with his new club Ongwae is aware of the perks and hurdles that come with being successful, especially in a sport notorious for being influenced by urban lifestyle.

This has seen many good players lose focus on their game.

“Yes, distractions are always there,” Ongwae said. “However, what keeps me sane is staying sober and avoiding drugs, which has affected many athletes.”

He has settled well into his new club but laments that language barrier is a setback, given that the official language spoken there is Swedish.

The Kenyan has not featured for the national team for some time, despite his exploits.

The last time the men’s national side had competitive matches was in March, during the Four Nation’s Basketball tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa.