Chisom “Chiz” Okpara ’26 began his athletic journey when his family moved back to the United States from the United Kingdom in 2010. Born with a passion for sports, his first love was soccer. His father, who recognized Okpara’s height and build, encouraged him to explore basketball as well. “My dad wanted me to play basketball due to my height and how big I was… He thought simultaneously playing soccer and basketball would help me lose weight.” Okpara loved soccer and played until he was a sophomore in high school, but he ultimately hung up the cleats to focus on basketball.
In high school, Okpara excelled at Brunswick School, Vermont Academy, and La Lumiere School. Despite transferring multiple times during his high school career, his continued excellence within each program launched him to the top of many recruiting boards. By his senior year at La Lumiere School, he received a 4-star rating from ESPN and was projected a Power-5 starter by 247sports. After receiving offers from some of the nation’s top programs like Penn State and Vanderbilt, Okpara chose to continue his basketball career with the Crimson.
Choosing Harvard over other offers was influenced by Coach Amaker, head coach of Harvard Men’s Basketball, who emphasized career longevity in any professional field, rather than just a four-year athletic career. “Coach Amaker, when he was recruiting me, kept preaching ‘for forty years, not four,’” Okpara explained. He emphasized that Power Five schools “[would] use my talents for four years and then…won’t be as prominent as a school that can help me long term like Harvard.”
When it was time to transition from high school to college, he found the change rather seamless. Okpara had attended boarding school since eighth grade as a means of progressing his academic and athletic talent. Having lived away from home for so long, he had grown accustomed to independent living and time management. “Time management was something that was instilled in me at a very young age,” he stated. “Limiting my distractions and just knowing when to do what.”
Balancing rigorous basketball practices with academic commitments at Harvard poses its challenges, but Okpara’s life experience and preparation have allowed him to excel even in the face of adversity. Like the majority of his peers, Okpara expressed his appreciation for simple technology like Google Calendar as well as effective communication skills. He attributed his success to “getting ahead of [my week] and…communicating with a teacher that I can’t do this, communicating with my coach that I can’t do this.” In these ways, Okpara manages to navigate the busy world of being a student-athlete.
While setbacks have been part of Okpara’s journey, his resilience and determination have only strengthened his resolve. Reflecting on adversity, Okpara acknowledged the challenges of transitioning into limited playing time on the Crimson’s team. “Last year was probably one of the first years in my whole basketball career where I couldn’t really play a lot,” he shared. “I was blessed to play the amount of minutes I played.”
However, with the support of his teammates, coaches, and family, he overcame not having the opportunity to contribute as much as he wanted and emerged as a stronger player and leader. “This year, that was a huge pivot…jumping into a new leadership role on the team and…the opportunities I have…to help my teammates win.” Chiz noted the camaraderie among teammates at Harvard is a vital component of their success. “We’re a very young team, and we’re very close-knit,” Okpara emphasized. “We all have a common goal in mind.”
Beyond basketball, Okpara has learned valuable life lessons at Harvard. “Harvard has helped me appreciate the present more,” he reflected. Okpara commended his experience on the Harvard Men’s Basketball Team, highlighting that “the people I’ve met through the basketball team…and also the kids we have helped with, and the various community service helped me realize this is much bigger than basketball.”
As Okpara sets his sights on the future, his aspirations extend far beyond individual accolades. Qualifying for the Ivy League tournament and eventually the NCAA tournament are among his goals for the rest of the season. With a commitment to personal growth and team success, Okpara envisions a journey filled with triumphs both on and off the court, embodying the true spirit of a student-athlete poised to make an impact.
Luke Wagner ’26 (lukewagner@college.harvard.edu) and Santi Kelly ’26 (skelly@college.harvard.edu) write Sports for the Harvard Independent.