Amanda Knapp
Nuni Omot, a Baylor swingman and NBA prospect, was reunited with his father, Kwot, after 21 years. Kwot watched his son play basketball for the first time when Baylor faced West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. Nuni Omot's story is an inspiring one, as he went from being a refugee in Kenya to becoming an NBA prospect. Omot's father is now working in South Dakota, and Omot himself hopes to find a spot on an NBA roster, not just because he knows he is good enough, but also because of his family's struggles to be together.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Nuni Omot |
| Father's Name | Kwot |
| Mother's Name | Pillow |
| Brother's Name | Aba |
| Country of Origin | Kenya |
| Year of Migration to the US | 1996 |
| Year of Father's Reunion | 2016 |
| University | Baylor |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Professional Aspirations | NBA |
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What You'll Learn
Nuni Omot reunites with his father after 21 years
Nuni Omot, a basketball player for the New York Knicks, was born in a refugee camp in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1996, when Nuni was three years old, his mother Pillow, and brother Aba, moved to Minnesota, United States. His father, Kwot Omot, was forced to stay behind due to a medical issue and was not able to join his family in the US until 2016.
Nuni and his family had fled an ongoing civil war in Ethiopia, making a 440-mile journey to the Kenyan border. They lived in the refugee camp for three years, enduring difficult conditions and a lack of food. After being granted refugee status by the United Nations, the family was able to move to the US with the help of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
Kwot finally reunited with his son in 2018, 21 years after they had last seen each other. The reunion took place at a Baylor basketball game, where Nuni was playing for the team. The game was against West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. A video of the father and son hugging each other was shown during the game, eliciting a big emotional response from the crowd.
"It was very emotional since I haven't seen him in 21 years," Nuni said after the game. "This was his first time seeing me ever play. I had a lot of emotions. I was just happy he was able to get to see me play. That's always been his dream just to see me, in general, but to have him here meant the world to me." Kwot also shared his feelings about the reunion, saying, "I was very excited and crying. I've been carrying a picture of Nuni as a child since the last time I saw him in Nairobi."
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Omot's father watches him play basketball for the first time
Nuni Omot's father, Kwot, watched his son play basketball for the first time on a Tuesday night when Baylor faced West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. Kwot and Nuni reunited for the first time in more than 21 years, with a video of the pair hugging each other drawing a big roar from the crowd when it was shown in the first half.
Nuni, his mother Pillow, and older brother Aba left a Kenyan refugee camp in 1996 to move to the United States. However, Kwot had to stay behind due to medical issues and didn't arrive in the US until November 2016. Kwot and Aba travelled from Minnesota to watch the game.
Nuni Omot, a Baylor swingman, has become an NBA prospect. He averaged 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds and started 33 games, leading to Baylor offering him a scholarship. Nuni's father attended Baylor's senior night and is now working in South Dakota. Nuni hopes to make it to the NBA so that his mother doesn't have to work anymore.
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Omot's family journey from Kenya to the US
Nuni Omot was born in a Kenyan refugee camp in 1994. His parents had fled their native Ethiopia, travelling hundreds of miles on foot to escape the civil wars around them. Nuni, his mother Pillow, and older brother Aba lived in the refugee camp for three years before they were cleared to emigrate to the United States in 1996. Nuni's father, Kwot, was unable to join the rest of his family due to a medical issue and had to stay behind.
Kwot kept a photo of Nuni as a child in his wallet for over two decades. Meanwhile, Nuni grew up in the United States, becoming a basketball star in high school and later at a community college in Iowa. He eventually earned a scholarship to play at Baylor University.
In November 2016, after more than 20 years of separation, Kwot finally joined his family in the United States. The following year, Nuni's senior year at Baylor, Kwot got to see his son play basketball for the first time when he attended a game against West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. The crowd went wild when a video of the father and son reuniting was shown during the game.
Speaking about the reunion, Nuni said, "It was very emotional obviously since I hadn’t seen him in 21 years. It was the first time him ever seeing me play and I had a lot of emotions. It’s been his dream to see me in general, but just to have him here meant the world to me."
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Omot's brother surprises him with his father's arrival
Nuni Omot had not seen his father, Kwot, in over 21 years. Nuni, his mother Pillow, and his older brother Aba fled a refugee camp in Kenya in 1996 and moved to the United States. Kwot was forced to stay behind due to medical issues and did not arrive in the US until 2016.
Nuni, a Baylor swingman, had become an NBA prospect. He had not seen his father since he was an infant and had no recollection of him. However, in a heartwarming surprise, Nuni's brother Aba arranged for Kwot to come to the United States. The night before Nuni's senior night at Baylor, Aba tricked Nuni into going to the gym, where he was greeted by his father at centre court.
The surprise did not end there. On Tuesday night, Nuni Omot played basketball while his father watched from the stands for the very first time. The Baylor basketball team faced West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. The crowd went wild when a video of the father and son reuniting was shown during the first half. "I was very excited and crying," Kwot said. "I've been carrying a picture of Nuni as a child since the last time I saw him in Nairobi." Nuni shared similar sentiments, stating, "It was very emotional... It was the first time him ever seeing me play, and I had a lot of emotions. It's been his dream to see me in general, but just to have him here meant the world to me."
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Omot's father, Kwot, was stranded in Africa
Nuni Omot, a Baylor swingman and NBA prospect, was born in a Kenyan refugee camp. In 1996, when Nuni was an infant, he left the refugee camp with his mother, Pillow, and older brother, Aba, to move to the United States. However, Nuni's father, Kwot, was stranded in Africa and had to stay behind due to medical issues.
Kwot Omot was unable to make the transition to the U.S., and Nuni grew up without seeing his father or having any recollection of him. Kwot carried a picture of his son as a child and kept it with him since their last meeting in Nairobi. Nuni's mother, Pillow, worked tirelessly to establish a life for her sons in their new home. She endured countless struggles and travelled thousands of miles to find a home for her family.
In November 2016, Kwot finally arrived in the United States, reuniting with his son after 21 years. During this time, Nuni had become a basketball player at Baylor, and Kwot watched him play for the first time on a Tuesday night when Baylor faced West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. The crowd went wild when they saw the father and son hugging each other during the first half of the game.
The reunion was deeply emotional for both Kwot and Nuni. Nuni stated that it was his father's dream to see him, and having him there meant the world to him. Kwot is now working in South Dakota, and Nuni aspires to make it to the NBA, motivated by his family's resilience and the desire to provide a better life for his mother.
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Frequently asked questions
Nuni Omot, a former Baylor swingman and NBA prospect, hadn't seen his father, Kwot, in over 21 years.
Nuni Omot's father, Kwot, was forced to stay behind in Kenya due to medical issues while Nuni, his mother, and brother moved to the United States in 1996. Kwot finally arrived in the United States in November 2016.
Nuni Omot and his father, Kwot, reunited for the first time in over 21 years in February 2018.
The reunion of Nuni Omot and his father, Kwot, was an emotional moment. The crowd at the Baylor-West Virginia game went crazy when a video of the father and son hugging each other was shown during the first half. Nuni shared that it was very emotional for him as well, as it was the first time his father had seen him play.
