Beyond Basketball: Shobby Enakpene's Breakout Season
After scoring 22 points in the final game of his college career, Shobby Enakpene cried with his Southwestern University teammates. Their season had ended in the conference semifinals, closing a chapter he had spent most of his life working toward.
Although he felt proud of what they accomplished, he was also left wondering, “What now?” For Enakpene, the moment showed how far basketball had taken him and prepared him for what would come next.
Enakpene was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, and moved to the United States when he was three. As his family moved between different states, he regularly had to adjust to new schools, communities and expectations. He credits his parents, Christopher and Evbu Enakpene, with teaching him to keep working even when the results were not immediate. That mindset followed him into the classroom and onto the basketball court.
He began playing basketball around age six while his family lived in New York. By fourth grade, after joining his first AAU team in Arizona, he was training nearly every day and studying basketball videos. Recruiting became harder than he expected at Trinity School of Midland, a small independent school with less exposure than larger programs.
Enakpene emailed coaches, attended camps and sent out film before receiving an opportunity from Southwestern. He chose the university because it allowed him to continue playing while receiving a strong education.
His first three college seasons tested that decision. Enakpene spent long hours training but did not always receive the playing time or role he believed he had earned. At one point, the losing and frustration made him consider quitting. Before his senior year, a new coach told him the team would go as far as he could lead it.
Enakpene responded by working throughout the summer and producing the best season of his career. The team captain averaged 17.6 points per game, earned Second Team All-SAA honors and hit three game-winning shots. He also helped Southwestern earn its first conference tournament victory since 2015.
His basketball experience later took him to Greece, where he played with other top athletes from his conference. The team went undefeated, and Enakpene spoke with overseas coaches about continuing his career professionally.
Although he remains interested in playing overseas, he chose to begin an accelerated master’s program at the University of Texas at Austin. He now relies on the work ethic and time-management skills he developed while balancing college basketball and academics.
“Basketball is going to have to be on the back burner,” Enakpene said. “My education and getting my master’s degree are important.”
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