Given the gift of basketball
A promising young athlete has forged a path to the NBA with his work ethic, connections, and adaptability. 24-year-old Luther Muhammad isn’t like most athletes; he’s defying all the odds against him by starting at Ohio State, transferring to a top-ranked Arizona State basketball program, and now entering the transfer portal and preparing for the NBA. Luther Muhammad has been through a considerable amount of adversity at a young age living in a city where crime, poverty, drugs, and fast money were and still are at an all-time high, Newark, New Jersey. “Newark forces you to grow up fast.” Luther said, “I’ve seen things I shouldn’t have at a young age.” “I’ve had hard, stressful pressure ever since I was a child to make it out of where I’m from and overcome the struggles my parents didn’t.” Luther stated in an Interview I did with him. Moreover, he shared a household with four older brothers. At a very young age, he discovered that nothing in this life is free, let alone easy, and he’s taken advantage of every opportunity. Now that he’s done and graduated, he’s entering the transfer portal to play elsewhere to keep the path to the NBA clear.
His career thus far speaks for itself, raking in the top 100 athletes in the nation on 247 sports out of Hudson Catholic High, being named to the All-State First Team, getting recognition from NBA players such as Kevin Durant, and playing with big-time names in the basketball world such as Javon Quinerly which Luther calls “Ja” which is currently a starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ja’Quaye James all while in high school. Furthermore, He kept his foot on the gas committing to Ohio State after high school graduation; Luther said he decided to get a “full college experience.” During his two-year run at Ohio State. However, when he got to Ohio State, He was immediately tested as his summer practice was rigorously intense to prepare him to start during the 2018-2019 season. His most memorable and eye-opening game was against the Cincinnati Bearcats, where more than a few thousand fans came to watch Luther’s debut, as well as ESPN and other big sports news networks. he describes the scene of stepping out of the locker room and onto the court in college for the first time as something straight out of a movie. “Coming out of the tunnel to all the lights and the roaring was an experience I won’t forget.” He said, “The floor was vibrating so loud that my ears went numb.” In his first year, Luther Muhammad started for 28 averaging 7.3 points, where a crowd of 5,000 plus people attended almost every game; his next year, he started in all games averaging 7 points a game. However, in the 2020 season, he dislocated his shoulder.
This is where things became substantially rough for Luther. This was the first time in his life that he stopped playing sports for a season, let alone having more leisure time; he says this was an entirely new experience, and he never had to deal with this before. “This was one of my top three most depressing moments.” During that offseason, he had much time to step back and sit in the passenger seat for once. Coming to basketball with absolute clarity and conviction, he transferred to Arizona State University for a fresh start. It wasn’t until the second season that Luther Muhammad started performing, averaging 10.3 points, and making it to march madness. I also spoke to Luther Muhammad on life outside of basketball; on the surface, his daily life is routine. He works on his craft nearly every day of the week, finding ways to get 1% better daily while also focusing on his studies. However, on rare occasions that he takes time to himself and for his friends to enjoy the day or night, he’ll spend his time on and off with high-profile athletes like his brother Al’Quandian Muhammad, one of Luther’s brothers, who now plays for the Chicago Bears, well-exceeding six figures.
Particularly Luther’s life is flashy and fast as he is in the most lavish clubs, restaurants, and parties. Ironically, I’ve seen a glimpse of that lifestyle firsthand as I saw him in a highly touted club and lounge in Scottsdale, Arizona, named “pretty please” the night after winning against the number 20th ranked team in the nation, the Michigan Wolverines. His most memorable party experience was in Barcelona, Spain. He took that trip in his sophomore year at Ohio State. “When we went out and party there, I didn’t stay up all night, but it looked like the carnivals they got in Brazil,” Luther said laughingly. Usually, the morning after a wild night, he gets right back to work. Most can’t juggle having a wild night and taking care of business, early morning at that. I asked Luther during an interview, “What drives you to keep getting up and putting yourself through this stressful process.” Especially at the Division 1 level, it’s highly competitive and cutthroat. He said, “I’ve put it on myself to get better every day for the people behind me and above me.” Despite all the parties, trials, tribulations, and bright lights, one thing remains consistent for Luther Muhammad: his work ethic. He regrets nothing. He pointed out to me, “I’m a graduate of college. That’s what matters.”
He says his path to the NBA won’t be traditional, but he’s determined to get there. “I come from winning situations, and I know how to win. I’ve never been the type to give up just because something doesn’t go as planned.” Muhammad said this statement with a deeper tone as I saw in his face that he knew his road his undergraduate chance had run out of road, but he was far from giving up. Now Luther Muhammad is finishing the rest of his classes, continues to practice hard, and planning to move to the east coast and play for whoever takes a risk on him.