Minnesota's Nuni Omot nearly helped South Sudan pull off an upset against Team USA
MINNEAPOLIS — The South Sudan national team nearly pulled off a world-shaking upset of Team USA basketball in a pre-Olympics game. Minnesota's Nuni Omot was a big part of it.
"The excitement and joy that was here in the country was unbelievable," said Omot. "The videos and the people that called me and showed me what was going on was crazy because obviously the sport has unified a whole country, after so much that the country has been through."
Omot was a refugee from then-Sudan and grew up in Minnesota. He only started organized basketball as a junior at Mahtomedi High School.
"The work that I had to put in was a lot different than a lot of other people because I had to pretty much play catch up," said Omot.
Omot's hoops dream took him to Concordia University, St. Paul, then a top junior college in Iowa. He then finished with two seasons at Baylor. After that, a globetrotting pro career, and recently, the moment that had USA basketball terrified. South Sudan that game led for the majority and came up one point short of a gargantuan win, losing 101-100.
"It was amazing," said Omot. "The U.S. is the best team in the world. Just to show the world that we can compete with them, it just shows that the level is not that far off."
That game and South Sudan's Olympic run was galvanizing back home. Omot's family left Sudan three decades ago amid an endless civil war. In 2013 a new nation, South Sudan, was born.
"It was nothing but war here," said Omot, on a video call from Juba, South Sudan. "The terror and violence that this country has been through has been something that's scarred people. Just to be able to have this basketball united us and bring us as one and obviously uplift the country. Because the country hasn't had something that positive happen since obviously they gained independence in 2013."
Omot is still chasing his NBA dream. He has been a part of three NBA teams for briefs stints, but never played in a regular season game. Nothing comes close to the real world difference he's already made.
"It's just a blessing," said Omot. "Obviously, there's things I haven't done yet as far as playing in the NBA. But the impact that I've had on my people and on this country is something that can't be taken away from me."