Hlas: Hawkeyes' fifth senior is just getting started

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — It always sounds pious and pompous, the way the NCAA never fails to refer to the ballplayers in its men's basketball tournament cash-grab as 'student-athletes.'

But somehow amid this colossal cash-grab of a collegiate event, there are scholars among the jocks. It's been duly reported that Iowa senior Jarrod Uthoff was named the 2015-16 Academic All-America of the Year for Division I men's basketball, and Mike Gesell was voted to the Academic All-America second team.

They and their two fellow Hawkeyes senior starters were on a podium at an NCAA tournament press conference discussing basketball things at Barclays Center Thursday. At the same time, Iowa's other senior was in his team's dressing room studiously making notes in a journal about things he learned at recent lectures, and thoughts he had about fundraising for a big goal of his.

Okey Ukah, a walk-on forward from Iowa City West High, has scored eight points this season and 13 in his Hawkeyes career. But he has made an impression on campus and around Iowa City in other ways, and he's just getting started.

'I'm hoping to open a non-profit, a multi-culture center somewhere downtown,' Ukah said. 'The biggest issue is with young black people in Iowa City, finding a place where they can gather and be black unapologetically.

'I want to open a space downtown that international students can come together, have a computer lab with unlimited use of time. I'm still working out the kinks, but that's the general idea.'

As reporters filed into Iowa's locker room to discuss Friday's Hawkeyes-Temple NCAA matchup, Ukah was writing down things he remembered from hearing polticial activist/author Angela Davis speak at Iowa City's Englert Theatre last week. Davis was the University Lecture Committee's 2015-2016 Distinguished Lecturer.

'She's been a hero to me,' Ukah said. 'I've read all her books growing up.

'She speaks about the experiences of minorities and persons of color in predominantly white environments.'

Like Iowa. Like, yes, Iowa City.

'Iowa City has a reputation as one of the most liberal places in the Midwest,' Ukah said. 'It can be liberal without being the most-accepting place.

'Growing up, (if you're black) you're constantly being pulled over by police. People might move to the other side of the street when they see you coming, especially if you're a 6-8 black male.'

Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery invited Ukah to walk on with the Hawkeyes after Ukah spent one season at Kirkwood Community College. Ukah graduated last May with a degree in political science.

He has been roommates with Uthoff for four years at Iowa. They are both keenly interested in politics, but definitely do not share ideologies.

'We grew up in very different situations,' Ukah said with a laugh. 'Jarrod's from Marengo, Iowa. I think that says enough. I was born in Alabama. My family lived in New York, then moved to Iowa City.'

But Uthoff, said Ukah, 'is my brother for life.'

'OK always wants to be a giver rather than a receiver,' Uthoff said. 'Ask him to help you with something, and he's happy to drop everything he's doing.'

You can believe that if you've watched Iowa's bench during games. The player likeliest to be cheering the hardest on his team's bench during good times and trying to lift spirits in times of struggle is Ukah.

He speaks about issues with seriousness and purpose, yet comes across as thoughtful and warm. He said he hopes to get into local politics.

When you meet him you have no trouble envisioning him connecting with the public. And, it won't hurt that he can play the Hawkeye card in Iowa City with conviction.

'It's definitely been a big privilege to be on the team,' Ukah said. 'I know my impact in the community has been able to grow being a Hawkeye, being able to speak at elementary schools and talk at The Spot (a church-based community center in Iowa City) and some youth clubs.

'It's almost boosted me to a position of leadership in these areas. It's not always deserved, but it kind of gives me a platform to speak up.'

Ukah will be a face on the bench Friday, almost sure not to be mentioned during the telecast of Iowa's game. He's never had a problem with that. He didn't major in basketball, after all.