MO-TIVATED
How OU’s Gibson overcame a rough upbringing and a series of setbacks
NORMAN — Umoja Gibson made it work.
When the Oklahoma men’s basketball team holds its practices, no player’s intensity matches that of Gibson.
The senior guard hustles for every loose ball. He stays active on every defensive possession. He shoots every shot like the outcome of a real game is on the line.
Gibson, who his teammates call “Mo,” works harder than everyone else on the court out of necessity. The 6foot-1 guard isn’t the tallest player, and he isn’t the fastest either. But that doesn’t stop him.
Nothing does.
Gibson has overcome plenty of hurdles throughout his life. From being forced to move in with grandparents at an early age to suffering a season-ending injury, he continues to make it work. That persistence is paying this season — as Gibson is averaging 12.6 points per game heading into Saturday’s showdown with No. 11 Iowa State — while serving as the heart and soul of the Sooners.
“Mo Gibson is a phenomenal shooter, phenomenal work ethic,” OU head coach Porter Moser said. “He’s in the gym all the time. He just wants to get better. I really like his leadership.”
Gibson first learned how to make it work at the age of seven when he moved in with his grandparents following the incarceration of his father.
The living arrangements weren’t ideal, to say the least.
The 1.5-bedroom apartment in Waco, Texas, was the place of residence for a large group of people; Gibson’s grandparents, his mother and two siblings, his aunt and uncle and their children all once resided there.
But Gibson and company made it work.
At night, the floors of the apartment were cluttered with pallets for people to sleep on. Gibson usually took the couch next to his grandmother, Aubrey Dean DeGrate, who settled for a bed on the floor.
Despite it being her apartment, DeGrate refused to sleep in the bedroom. She insisted on letting Gibson’s mother and little sister sleep there.
“It wasn’t a nice place to live,” Gibson said. “But looking back at it, some of my best memories came from that apartment. It really just made my family real close at the end of the day because we knew we were all we had.”
Gibson and his family went through more hardships throughout the next few years.
His grandfather passed away, and his mother was incarcerated. The family member Gibson leaned on the most during those tough times was his grandmother, though.
“Once we moved in, our relationship grew stronger,” Gibson said of DeGrate. “My granny, she picked up the slack
and raised us. Really, she took us under her wing.”
One of the most valuable things DeGrate taught Gibson was the importance of a strong work ethic.
DeGrate didn’t have a car, but that never prevented her from providing for Gibson and his two siblings. The 60year-old grandmother made it work by waking up every morning and walking to her job at a local laundry mat in town.
“She never asked people for rides,” Gibson said. “It was just inspiring to see her do that. She worked at a laundry mat just to make ends meet. I always looked up to my granny.”
Gibson applied that same work ethic to his life goal.
The Waco native knew at a young age that he wanted to play professional basketball one day, but he also quickly learned that he’d have to work harder than everyone else to make that dream a reality.
Gibson got a wake-up call while playing basketball on a dirt court in the backyard with his older brother and his friends, who were all at least seven years older than him.
“They used to guard me for real because I was playing like I was one of them,” Gibson said. “They wouldn’t let me get my shot off, and they’d send my stuff to the other neighbor’s house. It was hard… They were doing me dirty, man.”
Even when playing against kids his age in high school, Gibson found himself at a height disadvantage. He stood at a modest 6-feet tall during his freshman season at University High School, but he made it work.
Gibson earned a spot on the varsity team, and he carved out a respectable role off the bench. He averaged 5.9 points and 1.8 steals per game in 10 appearances.
“I’ve always been the smallest player on the court,” Gibson said. “I’ve kinda gotten used to it. It’s just heart over height.”
Gibson watched a real-life example of that mantra thrive in the NBA.
He looked up to Damian Lillard, who was doing big things with the Portland Trail Blazers at the same time Gibson was finding his way as a freshman in high school. That same year, Lillard sent Portland to the Western Conference semifinals by hitting a 3-pointer at buzzer in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets.
Gibson says that LeBron James is his favorite player, but he gravitated toward Lillard because of his relatability.
The Oakland, California, native grew up in a tough environment just like Gibson did. He was also a 5-foot-11 guard as a senior in high school, and he used his range to make up for his lack of size.
“I watched (Lillard) a bunch throughout my high school career,” Gibson said. “I started watching his story and saw that we shared similar stories… In his videos, all he would talk about was his work ethic and how that got him to where he was.”
The similarities between Gibson and Lillard didn’t end there.
Lillard didn’t have any scholarship offers from major college programs
OU vs. No. 11 Iowa State
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman
TV: ESPNU (Cox 253/HD718, Dish 141, DirecTV 208, U-verse 605/HD 1605)
Radio: KRXO-FM 107.7
Three things to know
h OU forces an average of 14.4 turnovers per game, which it converts into an average of 18.2 points per contest. This plays into the main weakness of Iowa State, which ranks 262nd in the country with an average of 14.4 turnovers per game. h Iowa State revamped its roster after going 2-22 last season. The Cyclones’ top six scorers this season are all newcomers, and Penn State transfer Izaiah Brockington is leading the way with a team-high average of 16.8 points per game. h This is the 208th all-time meeting between OU and Iowa State. The Sooners hold a 115-92 record in the series, and they prevailed in the most recent matchup. OU earned a 79-73 home win over Iowa State on March 10, 2021. when he graduated in 2008, so he went to Weber State and got selected sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Gibson faced a similar situation. Despite averaging 22.4 points and 11.1 assists per game as a senior and being named the Waco Tribune’s Player of the Year, the 6-foot-1 guard didn’t receive any major offers when he graduated.
Gibson’s best offer was from Houston, but he committed to North Texas in the summer of 2017 and made a splash in his first game with the team.
Gibson erupted for 19 points in the Mean Green’s season opener against Eureka College, but he faced a major setback in the following contest against Nebraska.
The freshman guard fought for a rebound late in the first half when Cornhuskers center Jordy Tshimanga came down hard on top of him. Gibson suffered an ankle injury, which ultimately sidelined him for the entire season.
The injury abruptly ended what looked to be a promising freshman campaign for Gibson, who struggled to come to terms with the setback at first.
“That kind of put me in a dark place,” Gibson said. “But I knew injuries don’t last long and I’ve been through worse times growing up as a young child. It brought back memories of what I’ve been through.
“I’ve been beating the odds my whole life.”
Sure enough, Gibson made it work. He hit the gym harder than ever throughout the following summer and spring to get into game-ready shape, and it showed when he returned to the floor for the 2018-19 campaign.
Then a redshirt freshman, Gibson averaged a team-high 12.6 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. He set a Conference USA record for freshmen by connecting on 99 3-pointers, and he made the conference’s All-Freshman Team in the process.
“(Gibson’s) focus was just different after that injury,” said Roosevelt Smart, who played with Gibson at North Texas from 2017-20. “If you weren’t in the gym with him or around him for real, you wouldn’t understand it. It was just mesmerizing, like it wasn’t real.”
Gibson then transferred to OU before last season and emerged as a sparkplug off the bench. He averaged 9.1 points and 3.1 rebounds.
After making 15 starts in 27 games last season, Gibson is now a bonafide starter. The senior guard is averaging 12.6 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 37.4% from behind the arc.
“He’s a hard worker who does whatever Coach (Moser) asks him to do and more,” Sooners guard Jordan Goldwire said. “He’s shooting after practice and before practice. He’s just a guy that just wants to perfect his craft, and I like to have a guy like that on my team.”
Gibson has carved out quite the college career. And while he claims to not be the sentimental type, he can’t help but reflect on how far he has come whenever he returns to his hometown of Waco.
Gibson stills plays basketball with his older brother and his friends whenever he’s in the neighborhood, and he makes sure to get payback for all those blocked shots over the fence back in the day.
“When I go back home, it brings back so many memories,” Gibson said. “I’m just like ‘Man, I made it out.’ A lot of people wanted to be in my position, but they didn’t have the mindset… The sky is the limit.
“I’m just a small kid from a small city called Waco who is trying to put my name on the map.”
Gibson came a long way, but his trips back home also serve as a reminder of those who haven’t made it out.
Gibson’s parents are no longer incarcerated, but they’re still working in order to keep the lights on in their home.
“They’re working paycheck to paycheck, trying to make ends meet,” Gibson said. “It motivates me way more. I know they deserve better.”
Gibson must also carry on without one of his main motivators.
DeGrate passed away last April 1 at the age of 71.
“It was really tough because it was really unexpected,” Gibson said of DeGrate’s passing. “It was tough on me man, I ain’t gonna lie. It was really tough on me.”
DeGrate left a lasting impact on Gibson’s life. She was unselfish, loving and determined to make things work no matter the circumstances.
Gibson still feels her presence as he too continues to make things work.
“I know her spirit is living with me,” Gibson said. “We have so many memories, it’s crazy. I can reflect on those times and know that my granny is still with me.
“I know she’s smiling, laughing and joking around.”