Rocky Mount, N.C. - Former North Carolina Wesleyan men's basketball standout Brandon Givens was recently featured in an article published by the Washington Post. On March 17th, the Post gave a report on Givens and his choice to play professionally in Iraq.
The article, which also includes a video link containing interviews with Givens and teammate Chadwick Gray, addresses candidly some of the issues involved in playing in the war-ravaged country. The Ruffin, S.C. native is one of 29 Americans playing in the state-run Superleague.
The Post's comments from the Wall Street Journal pointed out that "American players are coveted by fans and coaches and 'idolized' by their teammates because of their experience and flashy play."
Wesleyan fans know firsthand that Givens possesses much of that flashiness. In just one season with the Bishops, he captured the nation's scoring title and set a new program record for scoring average at 26.8 points per game in 2013. For his efforts, Givens was named a First Team All-American and the USA South's Player of the Year that season.
For now, he has found an unlikely home in Iraq, and welcomes the opportunity to continue a professional career that has also included stops in Luxembourg and Colombia.
"I never thought I'd be playing basketball in Iraq," said Givens in an interview, appreciating the rarity of this challenge.
To view the complete Washington Post article, as well as view the video interview, please click HERE, or visit www.washingtonpost.com and enter "Iraqi basketball" in the search box.