Tennessee Basketball: Former Vol Becomes US Citizen

Former Tennessee Vols basketball player Emmanuel Negedu is officially a US citizen.

Former Tennessee Vols basketball player Emmanuel Negedu, a native of Kaduna, Nigeria, is officially a US Citizen.

Negedu played in 2008-09 for the Volunteers, averaging 1.9 points per game and 1.7 rebounds per game.

Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, Negedu suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while running at Tennessee’s indoor football facility. He had to be revived by by trainer Chad Newman and director of sports medicine Jason McVeigh.

The Vols offered to keep Negedu on scholarship, but they refused to clear him to play. As a result, Negedu sought new playing opportunities. He received that chance from New Mexico, who cleared him to play.

Unfortunately, Negedu’s health wouldn’t allow him to play more than ten games with the Lobos. New Mexico announced after the 2010-11 season that Negedu’s college basketball career was over.

Negedu, however, had no regrets about transferring to New Mexico, though he mentioned he felt Tennessee didn’t give him another “shot”, saying “All I needed was a shot. Nobody gave me that when I was in Tennessee; a second chance. And I had that.”

(For what it’s worth, it’s clear Tennessee made the right decision.)

Regardless of Negedu’s college basketball career, it’s pretty awesome to see his dream of becoming a US citizen become a reality. It’s not an easy (or cheap) process.

It’s also pretty cool seeing the pride Negedu has for the US, proudly displaying a US citizen shirt and hat.

Kudos to Negedu for achieving his dreams.