Abdulsalam Poised To Lead Through The Pain

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Mohammed Abdulsalam is excited to embrace a leadership role this season for the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men’s basketball team. 

“Being a junior, I understand that I have to lead by example,” Abdulsalam said. “I know that coach Wes Miller expects more from me and is also going to coach me harder than he has ever which is what I want.”

That Abdulsalam would find himself as one of the Spartan team captains this season is remarkable, considering he’s still learning the sport and getting comfortable in his 6 foot, 8-inch frame. He is one of 12 returnees from last season’s 23-win squad. He will play a bigger role this season.  

The youngest of six children, Abdulsalam is from Oyo State, Nigeria. He has been in America since 2013. He played soccer most of his life in Nigeria before starting to play basketball in 2012. It was love at first sight even though he was a novice. 

Learning a sport in a new country was the ultimate challenge.

“When I got here, I didn’t know too much about basketball,” Abdulsalam said. “Every time, we stepped on the court, I was horrible. Terrible. That made me frustrated. Stuff that my peers were doing, I just hadn’t learned it yet. It just seemed so hard to me. I knew I had to do extra and it was times that it was so hard but quitting was never an option. 

“That gave me the hunger to become so much better and try to learn stuff quicker. I knew I was already behind and trying to learn stuff on the fly. That hunger set the tone for me and I was able to follow that and not give up.”

He has been dedicated since arriving at UNCG, losing close to 60 pounds in two years. Despite learning the game, Abdulsalam was a blue-chipper, committing to UNCG despite having offers from bigger programs. 

Abdulsalam can’t stop now. 

He knows the special set of eyes of his father, Saka, will be looking down on him and watching his every move.

“My pops passed away in May,” Abdulsalam said. “It was truly the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my life. He is the main reason why I am here today. He believed in me so much even when I couldn’t. Freshman year was tough, I remember talking to him after every game and he could hear the frustration in my voice.” 

The soothing voice of his father consistently reassured his son that things would get better during the tough times. It pushed Abdulsalam to do more. Following the lead of his father, Abdulsalam became a role model for work-ethic, commitment, and determination. 

“My dad didn’t know much about basketball, but he started doing research and watching videos trying to learn the game just because of me,” Abdulsalam said. “He was my best friend. Even though he was so far away, he always made sure I knew everything going on back home. He always told me that things take time and to be patient but also hungry.”

After averaging 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore, Abdulsalam is ready to feast this season like a starving lion. 

 A menacing force of solid muscle with the right blend of quickness and ferocity, Abdulsalam had some memorable moments during the year like the seven steal, eight-rebound game in a huge road victory over Georgetown, a 10-rebound performance in his only start of the season against Wofford, and a career-best 10 points against Furman. 

 “It is an honor to be one of the captains on this team,” said Abdulsalam, an information systems management major. “I believe what has prepared me for this role is my two years of being a follower. I have had the opportunity of having great leaders who have shown me the way. It’s not going to be easy, but it is up to us as leaders to get the young guys who are still trying to figure out our system. We are ready for it.”

Motivation runs deep for Abdulsalam. 

Abdulsalam wants to use his platform to impact meaningful change especially after watching the horrific images from last month’s Lekki Massacre. It’s something he’s passionate about.

“Nigeria is my home," Abdulsalam said. "It breaks my heart to see all these senseless killing of youths who have had enough. “Peaceful protests should not be turned into massacres. There were soldiers opening fire on unarmed civilians in the name of following orders. Police brutality must be stopped. We must end SARS.”

 It helps that he’s also entering the season with a chip on his shoulder. 

 Not only did the Spartans lose their first game of the Southern Conference tournament for the first time since 2016, a possible postseason appearance never happened because COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the basketball season.

 “Losing three games in a row to end our season left a sour taste in our mouths,” Abdulsalam said. “J.D., Leek, and K.G. showed us what true leadership was. They did so much for this team and to go out the way we did last year was disappointing. This and so much more fuels the fire burning inside all of us. I just wish my pops was here to see me now.”

NOTES: The Spartans begin their 2020-21 season against Little Rock on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at Louisville's KFC Yum! Center. UNCG will play five games over nine days to start the campaign. In addition to Little Rock, the Spartans will battle Winthrop (Nov. 27), Duquesne (Nov. 29), Prairie View A&M (Dec. 2), and Louisville (Dec. 4).