Ex-Yale stars make a difference off the court
Brandon Sherrod and Miye Oni missed being teammates by a matter of months but the two former Yale University men’s basketball stars currently find themselves drawn to the same cause, driven by the desire to make a positive impact in the lives of youngsters dealing with the most challenging of circumstances.
Their passion and shared vision were on display on the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Southern Connecticut video conference call on Thursday.
Sherrod, a Bridgeport native, and Oni are both ambassadors and it didn’t take long to realize that being involved in an organization that trains people to serve as court-appointed volunteer advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
“Coming from a very strong family and having so many people in my corner really allowed me the opportunity to be an ambassador for CASA,” said Sherrod from Italy where is playing professionally for the fifth consecutive season. “I think paying it forward really means putting yourself out there to have a huge impact in the life of a child.”
Oni, the 2019 Ivy League Player of the Year who became the first Yale player to start an NBA game in 18 years this past season, admitted that he was ready to quit basketball after
suffering a serious knee injury when he was 16. It was the support of his parents which ultimately helped him return to the court and begin the process of becoming an NBA player.
Oni, who is involved in CASA organizations in both Connecticut and Utah, is eager to become a positive role model for children who might not have the same support system that he enjoys.
“I’m hoping to bring kids to (Utah Jazz) games, hopefully when we can have fans again, I can start bringing them to games so having them in the family room, having them in the VIP rooms and brighten up their day,” Oni said. “That might be the only time
when they get to do something that they really enjoy in months so if I can do that, I feel like that will help. As long as I am helping one person’s life where something like that can change their life and they can see that there is something positive out there, I have something to look forward to. A lot of kids are going to think why does everything have to happen to me? Why does everything bad have to happen to me? You reverse that mindset by support and showing them that there is something positive that they can look forward to.”