'Carrying the Torch'

Two summers ago, Pops Mensah-Bonsu figured maybe 100 kids would show up for his first youth basketball camp in Ghana's capital city of Accra.

It was a pleasant surprise when almost twice that many eager youngsters filled a pair of outdoor courts eager to learn from the high-flying forward who enjoyed a Hall of Fame run in Buff and Blue before moving on to a nine-year pro career in the NBA and overseas.

When the group swelled to nearly 400 for the second and final day of camp, Mensah-Bonsu was more certain than ever about the importance of his mission to grow the game in the West African nation.

"There were a couple kids out there at 15, 16 who were light years ahead of where I was at that age," said Mensah-Bonsu, whose parents migrated from Ghana to London shortly before his birth. "But without an opportunity, we'll never know what they could be."

During his GW Athletic Hall of Fame induction speech last November, Mensah-Bonsu challenged everyone in the crowd to find their life's purpose. His, he's come to learn, wasn't playing basketball but rather using the sport to make a difference for the next generation.

"People kind of looked at me funny when I said it, but basketball was the conduit for me to empower and lead people," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Now I've found the direction I'm supposed to go in, and I'm getting the opportunity to live that and help others in the process."

Mensah-Bonsu, who recently wrapped up a two-year run as general manager of the NBA G League's Capital City GoGo, has had a busy summer pursuing that passion for service.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 global pandemic, he's managed to continue his work in Ghana. He took his camp virtual last month, lining up an array of friends, including two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng and former GW assistant Roland Houston, to help.

Together, they spent more than five hours teaching lessons about hoops and life via Zoom. It was a thrill for Mensah-Bonsu to watch the audience soar to more than 200 and hold steady throughout the day.

"To see that many kids engaged for that long was heartwarming," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Despite everything, it was still a success. The kids got a lot out of it. It just continues to build the foundation and build on the culture that is basketball in Ghana."

As he continues to develop that vision, Mensah-Bonsu has launched SEED Academy Ghana, an affiliate program to the NBA-sponsored SEED Academy in Senegal that has been preparing student-athletes on and off the court for college careers for nearly two decades.

The initiative marks a chance to honor his mentor Amadou Gallo Fall, SEED founder and current President of the Basketball Africa League, while creating pathways for Ghanian youth.

"I always put that burden of responsibility on myself," Mensah-Bonsu said. "Because I'm kind of carrying the torch for the sport in this country. Seeing what it's been able to do for me and some of my friends of African descent, I want to be able to grant those opportunities for others."

Closer to home, Mensah-Bonsu has used his voice as part of the Black Lives Matter protests, joining the thousands in the streets of D.C. calling for an end to violence and systemic racism towards the Black community.

"I think Doc Rivers said it best – It'd be great if we could just be basketball players and professional athletes because that's what we are, but because of our skin color and our experiences, we're so much more than that. And with the platforms that have been granted for us through the sport that we love and play, we have to use it," Mensah-Bonsu said.

Where he can, Mensah-Bonsu wants to take action to help the cause.

Last week, he was announced as an investor, along with NBA notables Deng, Robert Covington and Matt Barnes, in a project through inner-city focused real estate fund Own Our Own aiming to transform a Chicago neighborhood through an affordable housing and community development initiative.

"To whom much is given, much is expected," Mensah-Bonsu said. "I've been blessed, and I felt like what better way to help others than by re-investing in your community or communities similar to ones I grew up in or ones I've lived in.

"Own Our Own is part of it. We're investing into the underserved areas in Chicago and want to pour back into that community, so that we can start to give these communities opportunities to thrive and to even the playing field out for everybody."

Mensah-Bonsu brings that background and perspective into next Wednesday's Sports, Ethics, and Black Lives Matter panel (register here). He'll be joined by sports diplomacy expert Dr. Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff (ESIA BA '99) and GW women's basketball head coach Jennifer Rizzotti at the virtual event sponsored by Elliott School Alumni Programs, Columbian College Alumni Programs, GW Athletics, The Leadership, Ethics, and Practice Initiative at Elliott School of International Affairs and the Young Black Professionals in International Affairs student organization.

For Mensah-Bonsu, it's a chance to speak about a topic he's passionate about representing a place that he loves.

"It's amazing," Mensah-Bonsu said. "As I've said often, GW molded me as a man. My experience there has allowed me to do a lot of the things I'm doing today. It's led me to so many opportunities, both on and off the court, and it's also led to me learning about diplomacy, learning about how to adapt to different situations and cultures.

"GW changed my life, so whenever I can reciprocate and give back and be a part of the culture, I'm going to do it."

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