SALY, Senegal – At halftime of Game 1 of the NBA finals, Seifeldin Hendawy paused mid-conversation and reached into his pocket. The NBA Academy Africa star, watching the game on TV, pulled out an insulin pen, a necessity for managing a condition that he’s open about.
Hendawy has type 1 diabetes. The six-foot-seven guard has learned to manage the condition.
“You’ve gotta be able to sacrifice everything on time, because you always have to be worrying about what you’re eating, what you’re drinking,” he said.
Hendawy, who will play basketball this Fall at Loyola University Chicago, sometimes has to stop in the middle of practice to check his glucose. He takes a break when his levels are outside the normal range. Coaches and trainers understand his condition and work with him to manage it.
Many patients with type 1 diabetes like Hendawy are diagnosed during childhood as opposed to those with type 2 diabetes, which is more common in older people, according to MayoClinic.org.
“I’ve never seen him miss a medication. He’s always on the go with his medicines and food,” teammate Manuel Camboda said of Hendawy. “It doesn’t matter if we’re training or at the game, he’s always looking after his health.”
Academy technical director Roland Houston said health issues of players at the academy are a confidential matter. He declined to discuss Hendawy’s situation.
Born in Egypt, Hendawy started in the sport at nine years old. Informal conversations about the game with his father and dribbling a ball around his house turned into a basketball passion.
His stock rocketed when he jumped from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-3 in early high school. But Hendawy kept the guard skills – moves he learned from watching NBA players like Kyrie Irving – in addition to the increased height.
“It’s usually small guards guarding me, so I have a matchup always, so anytime I want to post up, I will,” Hendawy said.
Hendawy joined the Academy, the NBA’s international development system in Senegal. He also has played for Egypt’s U16 team in the FIBA African Championship and Egypt’s Basketball Africa League team, Al Ahly Sporting Club.
His next step is more than 6,000 miles away. Hendawy committed to Loyola on Feb. 15, after visiting the Chicago campus. He even got to see the college’s iconic religious sister, the 104-year old Sister Jean. The chaplain for the Ramblers’ men’s basketball team became a sensation during the team’s 2018 final four run and is still a supporter of the program.
A self-proclaimed point guard, most scouting sites list Hendawy as a shooting guard or wing. Hendawy’s favorite player is Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who’s a tall point guard. Hendawy admires Halliburton’s vision.
The academy is designed to transition African talent to the NCAA and eventually, the NBA.
There have been a few NBA players with type 1 diabetes, among them 16-year veteran Chris Dudley, Adam Morrison and Gary Forbes.
But diabetes is a part of Hendawy’s journey – not a detriment, he said.
“I don’t want it to be the reason I stop playing basketball.”
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