The 50-year-old basketball player was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He goes by the birth name of John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi. If you have 12 other ball players in your locker room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate." On Thursday, BBC Bitesize shared a video of psychologist John Amaechi explaining his perspective on the topic. Amaechi played 28 games for the Cavaliers during the 1995–96 season, then played for two years in Europe – for Cholet and Limoges in France, for Virtus Bologna in Italy, Panathinaikos in Greece and Sheffield Sharks in the United Kingdom. [19], Cyd Zeigler, the co-founder of Outsports.com, a website dedicated to the gay influence in sports, said, "I don't think (Amaechi's declaration) will have any effect on his ability to do that," referring to Amaechi's businesses and charitable work. Amaechi was born in Boston in the United States, to an English mother and a Nigerian Igbo father. Humanists UK is delighted to announce the appointment of its newest patron, John Amaechi OBE. He returned to the NBA, signing with the Orlando Magic in 1999. Moreover, upon retirement from the NBA, he represented England in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and then embarked upon in a career as a broadcaster, academic, and consultant. Amaechi is a respected organisational psychologist, best-selling New York Times author, executive coach, CEO of APS Ltd, and former NBA player. Longtime English NBA power forward and one of first NBA players to publicly declare his homosexuality. During his basketball career, he has played for some of the top teams in the NBA, Europe and even played in the UK for the Sheffield Sharks. His hair color is black  and his eye color is dark brown. [citation needed]. As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I'd be fine with it." A big trust factor. [1] Since then, he has been regarded as "one of the world's most high-profile gay athletes". He played college basketball at Vanderbilt and Penn State, and professional basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA). “It’s amazing how many different ways you can call someone [ the N-word] without actually saying the word,” he said, “so we have to be more sophisticated, too.” He also released a book, Man in the Middle, published by ESPN Books, which discusses his career and life as a closeted professional athlete. Something has to give. Similarly, there is no information about his siblings. 742781812 509468709 78756 1 1 1 4 213823 101088.35 101088.35 1720033947. "[21], In May 2007, a few months after coming out, Amaechi said he had "underestimated America", adding that he had expected the "wrath of a nation" but it never materialised. John partners with organisations to help leaders deliver on the promise of authentic, transformational leadership. At the age of 17, an overweight, not incredibly athletic young British man that had never touched a basketball, embarked on an incredible journey that has yet to be duplicated. Psychologist, author, and patron of Humanists UK John Amaechi OBE is a respected organisational psychologist, best-selling New York Times author, executive coach, and CEO of APS Ltd: an organisation that specialises in creating high-performance workplace cultures. View Amaechi John’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. In the wake of the George Floyd killing and the Black Lives Matter protests, and at … He is far from rumors and controversies. Likewise, he also played a total of 28 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers and then played for a total of two years in Europe. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker room. He began playing college basketball at Vanderbilt but transferred to Penn State, where he was a two-time First Team Academic All-American selection. In February 2007, he became the first former NBA player to come out publicly after doing so in his memoir Man in the Middle. John Amaechi is a psychologist, a New York Times best-selling author and a former NBA basketball player. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Amaechi’s connections and jobs at similar companies. [12] Amaechi also became a Senior Fellow at the centre for Emotional Literacy and Personal Development at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) in the United Kingdom.[13]. Amaechi came out of retirement to represent England during the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, helping the England team win the bronze medal. "You will have some people who will raise an eyebrow," Zeigler added. LeBron James said, "With teammates you have to be trustworthy, and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy. Among them are former National Football League (NFL) players Ryan O'Callaghan, Kwame Harris, Wade Davis, Esera Tuaolo, Roy Simmons, and Dave Kopay, and former Major League Baseball players Glenn Burke and Billy Bean. "[30] Pat Garrity warned that an openly gay player could expect to face both acceptance and hostility from his teammates. John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi OBE is an English retired basketball player who currently works as an educator and broadcaster in Europe and the United States. John Amaechi: how the first NBA player to come out is now teaching us all about white privilege. Net Worth: Online estimates of John Amaechi’s net worth vary. He said he was considering legal action.[26]. John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi, OBE (/əˈmeɪtʃi/; born 26 November 1970) is a British psychologist, consultant and former professional basketball player. 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