Caleb Agada took on Kevin Durant last summer and won. Up next is the Ontario government over which athletes are ‘elite’

When Caleb Agada heard that Ontario college athletes had been excluded from the provincial authorities’s checklist of “elite beginner leagues,” he knew he needed to converse out.

The College of Ottawa graduate rose to fame final summer time as a key a part of the Nigerian nationwide staff that upset an American staff led by NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard in an exhibition sport forward of the Tokyo Olympics.

Agada spent 5 seasons enjoying in Ontario College Athletics, a league that he says formed him as a participant.

He was amongst these folks angered when the Ford authorities on Jan. 3 banned all sports activities exercise outdoors of professional and “elite beginner” sports activities leagues. The OUA and the Ontario Schools Athletic Affiliation weren't deemed elite.

The ban was to final till Jan. 27 in a bid to gradual the fast unfold of COVID-19. On Thursday, the province introduced the convenience of some restrictions. Late Friday, the OUA stated that its athletes might resume coaching on Jan. 31. The common season will start once more on Feb. 9.

“It’s only a slap in a face to athletes that come out the OUA,” Agada informed the Star from Melbourne, Australia, earlier than the replace was introduced. “We work so onerous and to be labelled as not ‘elite’ is simply telling us we’re lower than all these sporting occasions discovering a option to battle by way of COVID.”

In response, he recorded a video this week urging the federal government to rethink their choice, and to offer a voice to all student-athletes.

For the final three weeks, OUA athletes haven't been in a position to compete or practise underneath these COVID-19 restrictions. In the meantime different leagues throughout the province have continued just like the OHL, Elite Baseball League of Ontario and the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Affiliation.

The Ontario authorities stated in an announcement earlier to The Canadian Press that it's doing every thing potential to “blunt the transmission” of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

These measures will assist forestall hospitals from changing into overwhelmed, and the choice to place them in place was based mostly on recommendation from the chief medical officer of well being, a spokesperson informed CP.

The information got here seven months after Agada scored 17 factors to assist the first ever African staff to defeat the U.S. nationwide staff in basketball. It was the sport of his life and the day he made basketball historical past for a whole nation — a second he seems again on and credit the OUA for serving to him get to.

“It was one thing to be happy with and rejoice,” stated Agada, who at first didn’t notice the magnitude of what that they had achieved till checking how flooded his cellphone was after the sport. “We actually did this.”

Everybody within the basketball world talked about his efficiency, and the way Nigeria did what appeared inconceivable.

When the 2 groups performed in 2012, Nigeria misplaced by 83 factors. Again house in his motherland, Agada was a hero.

Initially born in Lafia, Nigeria, Agada moved to Burlington, Ont. on the age of six. He got here from a family that prided itself on schooling first and every thing else was second. Each time Agada wasn’t holding his finish of the discount within the classroom, he can be pulled off basketball groups. Coaches would name and beg his mom to let him play.

To persuade his mom to let him pursue basketball, he needed to keep in Canada. He attended the College of Ottawa to maintain his mom completely satisfied, finding out economics whereas enjoying within the OUA.

“Basketball was by no means her dream for me, it was a dream for myself,” Agada stated. “I do know that I’d should push to each single excessive with a purpose to make her really feel comfy in letting me.”

Via his college profession, he’d return house with accolades — profitable the nation’s defensive participant of the yr award twice — to show it was all value it.

“He actually obtained to develop at (the College of Ottawa), realized the right way to learn the sport. He improved all features of his sport,” stated Moe Ismail, a former teammate and shut good friend of Agada’s.

“We received numerous video games simply due to Caleb stopping the opposite (staff) and their finest participant.”

Agada earned a small contract in Spain’s second division league, the place he helped lead one in every of its worst groups to probably the greatest data whereas profitable the award as import participant of the yr.

That’s when Agada landed on the radar of the Nigerian nationwide staff, which was getting ready for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. His mom had most popular he turn into an astronaut, a physician or a medical engineer. However Agada representing house was the following smartest thing.

“If I might get by way of my mother, I can get by way of something,” Agada stated laughing.

When he landed a contract within the Israeli Basketball Premier League with Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Agada was decided to proceed to make his mark. He led the league in scoring averaging 22.4 factors a sport and a couple of.4 steals.

Nigeria got here calling once more, this time trying to assemble a staff to ship to the Tokyo Olympics.

“I used to be completely satisfied as hell. Form of shocked, However probably not,” stated Agada. “I keep in mind rising up as a child, I at all times informed myself I’d play on the Nigerian nationwide staff. That was one of many desires I had, to go to the Olympics.”

Nigeria was eradicated early within the group levels of the Olympics, and Agada didn’t play a lot. However he earned a Summer time League gig with the Denver Nuggets.

Via 5 video games, he completed third in scoring on the Nuggets with 11.2 factors per sport and a team-high 2.2 steals on 44.4 per cent taking pictures from deep. In his second Summer time League sport, he dropped a game-high 21 factors and eight rebounds.

“It was so cool to see him dominate and never simply present he belongs however that he can truly dominate,” stated Ismail. “He was one of many older guys on the staff so he had numerous expertise.”

Whereas he didn’t get a contract with an NBA staff, he’s enjoying in Australia with defending champion Melbourne United. Agada is one in every of their prime scorers averaging 16.6 factors and seven.8 rebounds thus far this season.

“This NBA dream will not be over with. I’m nonetheless going to chase that and discover a option to get there,” stated Agada.

“Going in all places and being the one individual to signify the OUA, it gave me somewhat extra hearth underneath my belt to achieve success and push this so far as I can.”