God'sgift happy to be at St. John's

Ask God'sgift Achiuwa what he prefers to be called, and his answer is as simple as it is obvious. "God'sgift," he says.

After all, it is his given name, and he wears it with pride. That's not to say he minds if friends shorten it to "Gift," as a nickname, and he understands the curiosity his name provokes in strangers. When the 6-9, 240-pound junior-college transfer takes the basketball court for St. John's in the fall, his name is sure to be irresistible fodder for headline writers.

But imagine for a minute, the sense of responsibility and devotion that comes with such a name and how it must have shaped his values. Both his father, Donatus, and mother, Eunice, are Pentecostal ministers in Prince Harcourt, Nigeria. God'sgift is the third of their six children. His three brothers are named Promise, God'swill and Precious, and his sisters are Grace and Peace.

It has been two years since he last saw his family after leaving Nigeria to pursue his hoop dreams in the United States. Despite the loneliness and the difficulty of adjusting to a culture dramatically different from his own, Achiuwa says his religious faith has sustained him.

"I think that is the first thing in my life," the 21-year-old Achiuwa said recently at St. John's, where he is busy taking summer classes and settling into his new surroundings. "If there's anything I take seriously, more than any other thing, it's my spiritual life. I don't joke with it."

If he hadn't grown so tall at an early age, Achiuwa might still be in Nigeria playing soccer and attending school there. But seven years ago, he was spotted by local basketball coaches who encouraged him to try their sport.

"Some coaches saw me on the street and recommended basketball," he said. "That's how I started. After some months, I started going to the basketball court to watch people play. As soon as I started playing, I found it a fun game.

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"Immediately, I think I fell for the game. I took it like the best thing I've ever done. I put my whole time into basketball. I think that is one of the things that made me successful."

After two years, Achiuwa found himself traveling with the Nigerian junior national team. "When we went to the tournament, I realized this game can open up opportunities, not just to go to school, but to make money with the game," Achiuwa said. "I think that was one of the first places I had an eye-opener of how this game can help you. That even motivated me more to put everything I have into basketball."

Three years ago, Achiuwa attended a camp in Nigeria that was run by Alex Nwora, the coach at Erie Community College in Buffalo. When Nwora came back a year later, it was clear Achiuwa had the raw talent to make the leap to playing in the United States.

"He was the MVP of my camp," Nwora said. "I decided it was time for him to come to the States to work on his basketball skills and use that platform to get an education. It's worked out for him."

The apparent ease with which Achiuwa made the transition has been stunning. He averaged 13.1 points and 13.5 rebounds for a 27-2 team as a freshman, then bumped his scoring average up to 22.3 points last season while still managing 11.7 rebounds to lead 28-4 Erie to fourth place in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II tournament.

If it's not clear how that translates to major-college competition, just know that St. John's had competition from Kentucky, Washington and Cincinnati at the end of recruiting last spring. Red Storm coach Steve Lavin won out because he went after Achiuwa early and could offer a coaching staff with three assistants who have NBA experience plus an education at a religious school.

"I was just looking for a place where I can feel relaxed," Achiuwa said. "When I came here, I felt kind of peaceful inside."

Administrative assistant Derrick Wrobel was tracking Achiuwa for Cal and brought him to Lavin's attention when he joined the Red Storm staff last year. Lavin was sold on Achiuwa when he saw him put up consistent double-doubles while coming off an ankle injury at a recruiting event last July in Las Vegas. The better he came to know Achiuwa, the more Lavin liked him.

"There's the physical aspect of what he brings in terms of size, strength, wingspan and tenacity that makes him a very attractive prospect," Lavin said. "But there's also the intangibles of temperament and disposition. He has a very 'old soul' bearing. He's going to be our oak tree physically but also being well-rooted in his spirit and what he brings in terms of leadership.

"There's a gravitas that's unusual for a person his age. Clearly, he's been shaped by his life experiences and his spiritual walk. He has an insatiable appetite to learn about the game of basketball and academically, he's intellectually curious."

Achiuwa completed his first two summer-school courses with A's and is taking part in the second summer-school session to get a jump toward a degree in administrative studies. Soon, he will be joined by a flock of recruits on a team that returns only backup point guard Malik Stith from last season's 21-12 NCAA Tournament squad.

Lavin is bringing in one of the nation's top-ranked classes, including six high-schoolers ranked in the top 100. But Achiuwa is the obvious post player, and his rebounding, defense and maturity could be a stabilizing factor.

"We expect Gift to be an anchor for our defense along the baseline and in the basket area for our young team," Lavin said.

It's a role Achiuwa embraces. "My coach in junior college emphasized defense," Achiuwa said. "So that has become part of me already."

Lavin won't speculate on how Achiuwa will fare in the Big East, but the coach knows he can depend on his work ethic. "He's very diligent in his approach to life," Lavin said. "Some of that comes from not taking anything for granted in terms of opportunity because of where he came from and the hardship he grew up around."

In his preternaturally calm manner, Achiuwa expressed confidence he can handle the Big East. "I'm not worried," he said. "I'm just going to work hard and get ready for whatever challenge I'll meet along the way."

The true gift, as Achiuwa can tell you, lies in having the opportunity and being determined to make the most of it.