Early in the 2023-24 CBU basketball season, shooting guard Nmesomachi “Nmeso” Nnebedum ruptured the quadriceps tendon in his right knee.
The season-ending injury came as a shock. It was supposed to be his senior year—Nmeso’s time to shine as a leader on the court. Now, he was facing surgery and months of rehab.
Recruited to CBU from South Suburban College outside of Chicago, Nmeso had helped his former team win the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Championship in 2022.
He averaged 4.2 points at CBU his first year (2022-23 season) and was confident that the following season would take his game to the next level.
But instead he was in pain, healing from surgery, homesick, and dependent on crutches to get around.
Nmeso craved the companionship and support of his friends and family back home in Kalamazoo, Michigan, but a visit was out of the question. He didn’t have money for a flight or a car to make the 10-hour journey.
“I didn’t have anybody to run to,” Nmeso said.
Stuck in his dorm room, Nmeso did what we all do when we’re bored. He picked up his phone. Scrolling through Instagram, he landed on a post from CBU Campus Ministry inviting students to Praise & Worship, a weekly interdenominational service held in the De La Salle (Stritch) Chapel on Tuesday evenings.
Nmeso identified as a Christian, and his faith had been growing since leaving home, but he hadn’t explored the services available on campus.
“I thought I might as well do something, so I ‘crutched’ over to the chapel,” Nmeso said. “My body might have been hurting, but my spirit was healed. I felt spiritually full.”
He started to attend Praise & Worship weekly and embraced the support and comfort he received at the services.
Joel Kelley, CBU’s Director of Campus Ministry, noticed the new attendee (and his crutches) during an early visit.
“As folks were leaving the chapel one night, I asked this relatively new student on crutches for his story,” said Kelley. “Nmeso shared with me that God was using his injury as an invitation to dive deeper into his faith, and it was obvious by the joy on Nmeso’s face that he was taking advantage of the situation.”
What began as a significant setback developed into a blessing for Nmeso. Participation in Campus Ministry gave him the space to explore his faith and build upon his leadership skills.
“I locked in with God on my faith, and He created so many opportunities,” Nmeso said. “If I would have never gotten injured, I probably wouldn’t have gotten as involved with Campus Ministry.”
Kelley noted how Nmeso’s involvement has grown over time.
“Where others might have found despair, Nmeso found hope in God,” he said. “Since then, not only has he been a regular participant in Praise & Worship, but he has joined the student leadership team that plans and facilitates these evenings of prayer.”
Physically recovered and back on the basketball court, Nmeso is now also on track to graduate this spring with a degree in Business Administration.
“I have a lot of respect for him off the court and on the court. I love how hard he works at everything he does,” said John Reilly, the university’s longtime men’s basketball coach.
“He’s been good for CBU, and CBU has been great for him,” Reilly said. “After three years, he’s really like the elder statesman in our group now. The injury that he had was substantial. He may not have the mobility he once had, but his game is better. He’s dependable. You can count on him. I think he’s going to be very successful with whatever he chooses to do in the future.”
Leaving his legacy at CBU, Nmeso is among five seniors named to the Class of 2025 Lasallian Fellows, a top honor at the university. Those selected are nominated by faculty and staff for how they embody the values of scholarship, service, inclusion, faith and justice set forth by CBU’s founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle.
