British basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan’s parents, Issac and Michelle, worked in two professions far from sports.
The couple raised their two sons (Tosan & Toju) in Newcastle, England.
Both his parents have two initials ahead of their names- Issac as “Dr.” & late Michelle had “Capt.”
Issac and Michelle met in Lagos, Nigeria, through mutual friends & began dating in their 20s. Afterward, Tosan’s father moved to England, followed by his mother.
The two were a couple until the latter died of breast cancer.
Tosan, who grew up as a sporty kid, worked his way from a soccer academy in Newcastle to the basketball courts of Princeton University.
Standing at 6’8, Tosan played as a forward for the Princeton Tigers.
Today, he stands one step closer to becoming a professional NBA player entering the draft alongside Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. And one day, he aims to play alongside the greats of the game.
Tosan Evbuomwan Parents, Isaac, And Michelle Evbuomwan
Tosan Evbuomwan’s parents, Isaac and Michelle Evbuomwan, come from Nigerian backgrounds.
His dad, Issac, is from Nigeria, and his mother, Michelle, came from a mixed background, her father was a Nigerian, and her mother was from England.
His Father Is A Gynecologist
Issac Evbuomwan was the one to inspire his son to take up basketball. Though he never played the game professionally, Issac was previously a part of the adult league basketball team Wickham Warriors.
Tosan didn’t take up basketball until he was 14. It was after watching his father play for the Warriors, which made Tosan take the sport seriously.
Before that, Tosan, like any other kid in England, loved playing soccer, but not an ordinary one. He was called up by Newcastle United Youth Academy at eight.
Issac spent most of his youth in Nigeria. He graduated from the University of Lagos in 1986 and took his postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the UK.
He is a consultant reproductive IVF gynecologist at QE Hospital Gateshead and received his fellowship from RCOG in 2011.
Issac is available on Twitter with the username @EvbuomwanIsaac and is seen dedicating his Twitter handle to sharing the latest news about his son.
Michelle Has Her Name Written In Golden Letters In Nigeria
Tosan’s mother, Michelle, passed away in 2012 when he was only 11. Michelle battled breast cancer for years, and it is one of the reasons, Tosan plays with pink sneakers.
Before becoming a homemaker and mother of two boys, Michelle was one of the first women to captain a plane in Nigeria. And she didn’t fly any commercial planes but flew the likes of Nelson Mandela.
She flew for the Red Cross during the Angolan War and the Rwandan genocide. She had to move to Lagos at 21 and soon received her Airline Transport Pilot license.
Tosan, who wears jersey no.20, does so in honor of his mom, as her birthdate falls on March 20.
Michelle didn’t get to see her son become a basketball star, but there’s no doubt she must be extremely proud of the man he has become today.
Tosan Evbuomwan Brother, Toju
Tosan Evbuomwan’s brother, Toju Evbuomwan, is a freelance DJ in the UK.
He graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Liverpool and currently runs the Drop The Mic events.
Earlier this year, in February, Toju announced he and his two friends have formed a band called Third Kulture. The band has its first gig at the Sounds From The Other City festival in April.
He has previously shared videos of his DJing skills on his Instagram handle and has shared various posts as a tribute to his mom.
The proud big brother, Toju, shared a sweet post for his brother after he graduated from Princeton University in June.
With Toju saying he knew his brother was destined for greatness since his early days, it might not be far-fetched to think Toju and his band aren’t far from it too.
