Florida A&M signs a 'steal' in Nigerian big man

Odi Onyekachukwu

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - The video was enough for Reggie Bellamy to be persuaded that Odi Onyekachukwu would be a good fit for his basketball team at State College of Florida.

The lanky Nigerian had size at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds and Bellamy didn’t want to lose his diamond in the rough. He signed Onyekachukwu sight-unseen to play at the school formerly known as Manatee Junior College.

What he didn’t know was that Onyekachukwu was fasting and praying for about 45 days that his government would grant him a travel visa. He lost about 35 pounds, stunning Bellamy on his arrival in America.

Bellamy began to wonder if he had gotten ...

READ MORE