Lade on how dad inspired her love for basketball
Lade Adepoju, daughter of famous Nigerian international footballer, Mutiu Adepoju, experimented with athletic, football, and tennis before settling for basketball.
“When I was a little girl, I used to play a lot of sports and I was not the best at them, but I was good at basketball and I learned to love the sport,” the 5 plus footer stated.
Today, Lade, who moved to the United States from Alicante, Spain, in September, 2013, has grown in leap and bound to a regular at the girl’s varsity basketball team of Blue Valley Northwest High College in Iowa.
Turning 20 in April, Lade has captained the college team and her goal is to finish with honours and move on to greater things.
“My goal right now is to finish college and get a master’s in international business,” she said.
But, things did not start so well for her. She was inspired by her footballer father to take to sports and motivated by her sisters (they are four) to keep on with the game, even when school work choked her up.
She continued: “Actually, his exploit in football was what inspired me to want to take after him and do sport when I was small.
“My father was my number one inspiration, he always supports us in any sport we do; we saw him working hard and we just followed suit.
“During the summer holidays, I used to work out with him to get stronger and faster. My sisters also kept me going. When we were younger, everything my sister Tinu does, I used to do it.
“She was the reason I didn’t stop playing basketball before I got to love it; we all used to play, but Tinu and Abby are no longer playing.
“Tinu couldn’t combine it with her Telemetric Engineering studies, and Abby prefers hip-hop dancing; it is only our baby Lola that is playing basketball with me and she is doing great with her team in Spain,” she explained.
Growing up in Spain while her dad was doing his thing in the La Liga, Lade revealed she was attracted to basketball watching her neighbours. “When I moved to Alicante, my neighbours were playing basketball and they told me to try it. I liked it, so I continued playing it.”
In between, she tried other sports. She did 100m, 200m and 300m track races and was good at them too; as well as football and tennis. Then, she moved to the United States, and every other sport stopped for her, but basketball.
“A friend in the U.S. told me that here it is easier, so I came to play basketball without stress,” she further stated. “It is a lot less stressful here; [In Spain] when I’m not in school I have to play basketball, and when I’m not playing basketball, I have to study. I didn’t have time for anything.”
Lade said playing basketball makes her feel elated because of the team aspect of the game. “When I’m playing, I forget all the problems outside; my favourite part of playing basketball is being with my teammates. I meet a lot of people on a regular basis.”
Her enthusiasm and work ethics endeared her to her basketball team’s coach, Brian Bubalo, and senior captain Scout Watson, and they are happy with her progress. Bubalo said her positive attitude, optimism and skills have added a lot to the team.
“She is a good person; she is respectful,” Bubalo said. “She works hard and she is committed to being a good basketball player, and then she has good basketball skills. She can dribble, pass and shoot with both hands. She has some speed, and what I really like is her strength and toughness. She is able to take the ball to the basket, get bumped and still make a shot.”
Watson believes Adepoju will be able to succeed and flourish in the U.S. “She is extremely quick; she sees the court really well, she is very unselfish, she can either drive or shoot. She’s really good,” Watson said.
“We need someone who’s really quick; she is always there to give a high-five and always makes us laugh. She definitely brings the team together because we haven’t had someone that can really run the offence really well, and she can do that.
“Although she doesn’t always know what we’re saying, she’s always working as hard as she can be doing it; she’s really good at defence and getting steals,” she said about the quality Lade brings to the table.
Q&A with Lade Adepoju
So, who is Lade Adepoju?
Lade is just a simple girl who likes hanging out with friends, loves her family, and works hard for what she wants.
What kind of person is your father, Mr. Mutiu Adepoju?
He is the kindest and most humble person I’ve ever known, in and out the field. He never lets his emotions get on his way, and that’s how I aspire to be.
What does style mean to you?
It’s a great feeling that can really lift you up. However, outfits that aren’t comfortable just aren’t worth it. You should feel confident and comfortable.
Is your style inspired by your mother who is regarded as a fashion guru?
Sometimes yes, but most of the time I wear sweatpants and a t-shirt or a very big jacket because it’s very cold here in Iowa.
How is growing up without your dad who was always away on football assignments?
I wouldn’t say that I grew up without my dad, because even when he was gone, he was there for me. We used to talk on the phone very often. Every time he would come back home, it was like he never left. I think that made me appreciate every moment I spend with people I love.
Who is your favourite basketball player vis-a-vis sport personality; what do you think about the William sisters?
Michel Jordan has been one of my favourite players since I was little. The William sisters are great tennis players that all young girls look up to. We started in tennis because of them.
What do you like about your parents?
Their love and respect towards each other and the family. I love how they raised us up, even though sometimes I didn’t use to listen much to them, now I know what they meant. Everything I know and I am, I owe all to them.
