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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Second Act
Pro basketball player Jesse Chuku ’12 chases a different score. As a professional basketball player, Jesse Chuku ’12 was pursuing a career that many young athletes aspired to live. After a successful Division I career at Lehigh University, Chuku played professionally in Greece and Italy before returning to England for a position with the Leicester Raiders. Then COVID-19 cut the 2019-20 season short. With two months left in the season and stuck inside his London apartment, Chuku returned to an old hobby, making videos. “It’s something I used to do, but I haven’t really shown people the videos I made,” he says. “I felt my identity was always a basketball player and people wouldn’t take me seriously. Then I just said, ‘Why not?’ When COVID hit, I felt like it was a good time to try my talent.” Chuku began sharing comedic videos that highlight Anglo-American miscommunication and cultural differences through the social network TikTok. His videos draw upon personal experiences from his six years in the United States and his knack for mimicking an American accent. His humor and charm struck a chord, and he’s racked up 1.8 million TikTok followers. In March, he was one of 12 artists recognized by London’s Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund with an award of £10,000—roughly $14,000— and an acting mentorship. Honored as a “TikTik Breakout” artist, Chuku soon signed on with an agent and began auditioning. “When I look back it
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KIMBALL UNION MAGAZINE
seems surreal, but I’m used to putting my mind to something.” Chuku says his time at Kimball Union was a catalyst for his creativity. After arriving at the school to pursue his dream of playing basketball in America, Chuku landed in the hospital with persistent, flu-like symptoms. He spent significant time in the ICU after being diagnosed with Lemierre’s syndrome, a rare illness in which a bacterial infection spreads into the tissue and forms a blood clot in the jugular vein. His doctor was convinced Chuku’s basketball career was over. “My experience at KUA of getting sick really developed my character,” he says. “I was able to fight something so serious and had someone who was involved in saving my life.” Now he has turned another challenge into an opportunity. With auditions coming in and a modeling career underway, he opted not to sign for another season with the Raiders. Instead, he plans to pursue acting and film production. “I still love basketball. It’s in me now,” says Chuku. “I played for the England junior national team, played DI in college, and no one recognized me. Since all this happened, everyone recognizes me and people stop me on the street and say, ‘You make those funny videos on TikTok—keep doing what you’re doing.’” K Follow Chuku on TikTok @chewkz.
