When Korede Griffith came to the United States from Africa at the age of 12, he felt like he was in a movie.

“It was almost Christmastime, I just landed in the airport and I saw all the snow,” Griffith said. “I just remember the dark and snow and lights.”

But Griffith wasn’t supposed to stay. His family, eight in total, planned to live with relatives for just six months before going back to his birth country of Guyana in South America. During the six months, though, his parents changed their mind and decided to stay.

Griffith is now a senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He never played basketball before coming to America, but leads Division III with four steals per game and has 92 total this season entering Tuesday. He’s overcome the challenges of living in a new place and being an undocumented student to thrive as a four-sport athlete at John Jay.

“He’s electric on the defensive and offensive end,” John Jay head basketball coach Ryan Hyland said. “I’ve never seen anybody faster, quicker, more explosive than Korede. He’s freakish.”

At 6 years old, Griffith moved to Botswana because his father, Compton Griffith, was recruited to teach math. At his private school, Griffith learned how to play soccer and cricket — his favorite sports at the time — and run cross-country and track and field through the mandatory school athletic competitions.

When Griffith was 12, his father’s teaching contract expired, and the family made its trip to the United States. But during their six months in America, his parents decided to stay for a better education and life for their six children.

In Guyana, Griffith’s father would stop him if he failed to greet anyone they passed on the street. But in America, people ignored him and gave him strange looks.

“I thought that’s what you were supposed to do,” Griffith said.

At his middle school, Griffith learned to play basketball outside during lunchtime with his friends. Without formal training, his playing style developed to be unorthodox.

He uses his footwork to stay in front of his man while standing straight up instead of hunched over. When he tries to knock it loose, he swipes his hand up to try and force the turnover.

“I’ve told him from day one you keep doing whatever the heck you’re doing,” Hyland said. “He’s a great anticipator and he’s got lightning-quick reflexes.”

His background in running helps his endurance and speed and all the jumping in volleyball has helped his legs grow stronger.

Griffith would practice during open gym periods in his after-school program and stay afterward to watch adults play.

“I would say (it’s) incredible (to play with him),” John Jay guard Kris Owens said. “He just brings a certain amount of energy to the game that any team would ask for.”

During his junior year in high school, Griffith tried out for the basketball team, but didn’t make it.

“I felt like those guys weren’t really better than me, they just had the coach on their side,” Griffith said.

He was determined to make the team his senior year, though, and did.

Being an undocumented student, Griffith’s post-graduation plans consisted of nothing more than staying at home — waking up and going to sleep every day. He didn’t know much about college, but a guidance counselor encouraged him to apply.

On the first day of classes, Griffith couldn’t pay for the school so he lay in his bed, thinking to himself, “I’m not going to go to college anymore.”

Now, he does maintenance work at a dance studio and cleans houses on the weekends to pay his tuition, all while playing multiple sports.

At the end of the year, Griffith will graduate and his future is, again, a little unclear. He wants to attend graduate school, a challenge for any undocumented student, and study criminology and society to answer his questions he’s had about America since he got here.

Said Griffith: “I’ve seen three different cultures and this one is the only one I can never put my hand around as to why it’s the way it is.”

Published on February 11, 2015 at 12:09 am

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