TUCSON, Arizona — At the Roy Drachman Boys and Girls Club on Santa Clara Avenue, Hakima Abdulkadir and friends aren't necessarily thinking about where the court came from.
Maybe, they shouldn't have to. But, both the court and air conditioning were a gift, three and a half years ago, from then Arizona Men's Basketball head coach and his wife, Amy.
"I think it gives many young kids in Tucson an opportunity," said Sean Miller back in 2019.
"I never got the opportunity to play basketball and I took it to heart," said Abdulkadir. "Coming into this clubhouse gave me the chance to be a child and an athlete."
The sneaker marks on the court only tell part of Abdulkadir's story. A refugee from Somalia, she not only played basketball at Sunnyside High School, but she became the school's class president and won the Tucson Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year. She's headed to Howard University.
The court isn't just used for basketball. It's used for Thanksgiving events, Teen Night, and it has been a source of pride for the community.
"You have the opportunity to be anywhere in the clubhouse, and the majority of the time, you just want to be on the court," said Abdulkadir.
When Miller donated the court, he talked about coming back to visit the following summer. The pandemic then hit, and his time at Arizona ended. Today, his mind is likely on a different court, as his Xavier team gets set to play Texas in the NCAA Sweet 16.
"I'm thankful to Mr. Miller because this is where my basketball journey started."
