The media has so much sway over everything that we believe, and increasingly, we’re becoming more wary of everything we see, read, and consume – rightfully so. For a long time, media was all about finding cultivating ways to tell stories about people, and in sports media, those people were athletes. Too often however, athletes were dissatisfied with how they were being portrayed in the public lens. Whether misconstruing a story, or clickbaiting a headline, there always comes a point where the subject has had enough. There’s a phrase that goes, “Every story has three sides to it: the perspective of the teller, the perspective of the listener, and the truth.”
That’s why in 2017, as a means of connecting athletes directly to the media in a form that wasn’t confined to their post-game interviews, LeBron James started UNINTERRUPTED. His mission? To empower athletes from all walks of life to communicate in an unimpeded way and to be More Than an Athlete.
Last year, UNINTERRUPTED was brought to Canada in an effort to latch onto the exploding sports scene in the North. Executively produced by Vinay Virmani – whom some may know from his lead role in the Hollywood comedy, Dr. Cabbie – the show has already featured two players from the Toronto Raptors.
Fred VanVleet opened the floor pre-COVID-19 to discuss how his newfound fatherhood has changed how he looks at money. Most Recently, Serge Ibaka sat down with Virmani to discuss where he’s come from, and the mindset that he’s carried throughout his life regardless of financial situation.
When asked about what it was like growing up in the Congo all alone, with his mother having passed away when Serge was just 7 years old, and his father being in jail at the time, Serge shared a meaningful life lesson.
“I envision [my dream] first, and then I would put in work. Maybe I’m not living my life the way I want right now, at this moment, at this age, but it’s okay. Life is still going on, right? So I want to keep fighting so I can live life the way I want to.”
Of course, the MaFuzzy man is known to come Avec Classe, occasionally even draped in 15-foot-long scarves, but he explains on the show that aside from a bit of his fashion taste, he’s really a simple guy.
For all of Ibaka’s life tips, his story growing up, and his perspective as a mega celebrity who has come from poverty, feel free to check out the full episode on YouTube below.
