Any time University of Toledo sophomore AJ Edu returns to the Philippines, where his mother was born, he can’t help but notice the influence basketball has on everyday life in the country.
Edu was born in Cyprus and played high school basketball in England. His mom is Filipino, and his dad is Nigerian. When it came to playing international basketball, Edu chose to play for the Philippines and represent a basketball-starved country on the international stage.
Beginning on Saturday, Edu will lead the Philippines team at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Greece.
“Ball is really life in the Philippines,” Edu told The Blade via text from Greece.