Bossip
Video
SZN
Opener
is
back
with
new
episodes
dropping
every
week.
Source:
Meg
Oliphant
/
Getty
On
Season
2
of
this
dynamic
podcast
series,
host
and
noted
sports
analyst
Monica
McNutt
showcases
Black
college
athletes
and
explores
their
triumphs,
challenges
and
aspirations
along
their
sports
journeys.
In
Episode
6,
USC
forward
Vincent
Iwuchukwu
details
his
journey
from
globe-trotting
military
kid
to
playing
USC
basketball.
He
also
reflects
on
returning
to
the
court
since
suffering
a
cardiac
event
as
a
freshman,
and
supporting
teammate
Bronny
James
through
a
near-identical
experience.
Iwuchukwu
was
a
die-hard
soccer
fan
growing
up
Growing
up
overseas
in
South
Korea
and
Germany,
Iwuchukwu
was
all
about
soccer
early
on.
“It
was
the
first
sport
I
played,”
he
says.
“I
honestly
thought
by
this
time
in
my
life,
I’d
be
playing
for
Barcelona
in
Spain.
So
this
is
definitely
a
little
different
from
the
childhood
dream
I
had
growing
up.”
When
his
family
settled
in
San
Antonio,
Texas,
Iwuchukwu
joined
the
middle
school
basketball
team
because
they
didn’t
have
a
soccer
team.
The
more
he
played,
he
developed
a
deeper
appreciation
for
the
game.
Basketball
has
since
surpassed
soccer
as
his
favorite
sport,
he
says.
“I
wanted
bragging
rights,
that’s
really
why
I
kept
playing
(basketball).
And
from
there,
I
fell
in
love
while
I’m
trying
to
get
better
at
the
sport,”
he
tells
McNutt.
“It’s
something
that
I
can
take
beyond
what
my
mind
had
conceived
it
to
be.
And
now
I’m
here.”
Iwuchukwu
attended
La
Lumiere
School
and
Southern
California
Academy—which
are
known
for
producing
professional
athletes—before
landing
at
the
University
of
Southern
California
for
college.
Vince
is
one
of
two
USC
Trojans
who
suffered
cardiac
events
in
recent
years
It
was
the
summer
of
his
freshman
year
at
USC
when
Iwuchukwu
suffered
cardiac
arrest
during
a
team
practice. One
year
later,
USC
Trojans
teammate
Bronny
James,
son
of
Lakers
star
LeBron
James,
went
into
cardiac
arrest
during
a
summer
workout
as
a
freshman—eerily
similar
to
what
Iwuchukwu
went
through.
The
two
Trojans
have
since
returned
to
the
court.
Thanks
to
the
USC
trainers
who
acted
quickly
to
revive
the
players,
they
averted
two
life-threatening
situations.
Both
Iwuchukwu
and
James,
despite
the
unfortunate
circumstances,
found
comfort
in
having
the
other
to
confide
in
through
the
difficult
and
scary
experience.
“It’s
so
crazy
to
say,
but
I’m
low-key
happy
that
I
have
someone
that’s
been
through
it
with
me,
because
I’m
not
alone,”
says
Iwuchukwu.
“It’s
happened
to
one
of
my
close
brothers,
and
I’m
just
glad
I’m
over
there
to
be
able
to
help
him.”
“There’s
a
great
support
system
around
us,
from
the
coaches
to
your
teammates
to
your
own
family,”
he
adds.
“I
was
telling
him,
‘Whatever
happens,
stay
close
to
your
family.’”
While
Iwuchukwu
is
back
on
the
court
with
the
Trojans,
that
wasn’t
always
guaranteed,
says
the
7’1”
forward.
“There
was
definitely
a
moment
where
I
was
like,
man,
playing
basketball
is
over
with,”
he
recalls.
“It
was
a
tough
mental
battle
to
go
through
thinking
that
it
would
be
over,
and
I’m
just
glad
that
I
have
people
around
me
to
really
help
me
process
that
…
and
use
that
energy
that
I
had
into
something
positive.”
Thoughts
on
NIL
and
joining
the
Big
Ten
Conference
Iwuchukwu
also
shares
his
thoughts
on
USC
joining
the
Big
Ten
Conference
and
why
he’s
not
convinced
that
NIL
(name,
image
and
likeness)
is
a
detriment
to
college
sports.
Catch
the
full
conversation
with
Vincent
Iwuchukwu
above.
Listen
to
Episode
6
of
SZN
Opener
Season
2
on
the
Urban
One
podcasts
platform
or
your
favorite
streaming
app.
