Nimari Burnett

"Never give up on your dreams. "

Q. Thanks for interviewing with us. Tell everyone who you are and what you do.

A. My name is Nimari Burnett, student-athlete from the University of Alabama, originally from Chicago, Illinois.

Q. What inspired you to play basketball?

A. My passion and love for the game inspired me to play. It was always natural and when I was big enough to shoot on a fisher price basketball rim, I would shoot on it all day.

Q. Who is your favorite sports hero?

A. I wouldn’t call him my sports hero, but Kyrie Irving is my favorite basketball player. I love his style; I love how he doesn’t rely on his athleticism, and he has pure skill to get his game off against anyone. In my opinion he’s one of the most skilled NBA players ever.

Q. Tell us what’s the next big move for you for 2022?

A. The next big move for me in 2022 is getting back to playing basketball and at a high level. I tore my ACL and LCL on September 2nd, 2021, and it has fueled me to be even hungrier and passionate. I love my story and the story I’m going to tell, and I can’t wait for me to accomplish my goals and dreams.

Q. Let’s talk about “FanJoy” and the motivation behind it?

A. The motivation behind Fanjoy is creating a product that many people can relate to. The quotes such as “Beat the Odds” and “Smile Through the Struggle” just symbolizes what I am all about and defeating adversity as I am doing right now to this day. Obviously, there is more adversity to come, and that’s the point of it as everyone in life will eventually deal with some form of adversity, it depends on how you handle it. A big quote that I go by is, “Life is 10% of what you go through and 90% how you handle it.” Overcoming the adversity with a positive mindset is the most important thing and that’s what me and Fanjoy collaborated on.

Q. Can you tell us your most memorable moment you’ve had in your career?

A. The most memorable thing that has happened in my career was defeating LaMelo Ball and Spire Academy in my junior year of high school. This moment specifically because that game brought attention to me more and my game began to be noticed more on a national level. Also beating them by a large margin was really a good time as me and my team had prepared for that game since the start of the season.

Q. What’s some words of inspiration you can provide to people who wants to be athlete?

A. Some words of inspiration would be to simply never give up on your dreams. Although many young players might always hear this, it should really stick in this instance because like I said before, everyone fights some form of adversity and what’s important is how you handle it. I would tell young aspiring athletes to continue to work hard, think outside the box, and study the game of which they play. Lastly, to never forget to always have fun playing the game which brought so much joy growing up, while off the court making good decisions, being around the right crowd and being discipline.

Q. What is one fun fact about yourself?

A. One fun fact about me is that I don’t eat dairy, beef, or pork so dietary restrictions as a whole.

Q. Are you working on any new events or projects?

A. Currently, I’m not working on any new events or projects besides my next drop of Fanjoy clothing. Currently focused on my rehab and getting better every single day, on and off the court, mentally and physically. I’m really focused on watching film and enhancing my knowledge and overall mindset.

Q. Where can the readers follow you?

A. The readers can follow me on Instagram @Nimari.Burnett and on YouTube by my full name: Nimari Burnett!