DENVER  
During the month of February, the University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation will catch up with eight former black student-athletes, reflecting back on their DU careers.
 
Former Denver men's basketball student-athlete Yemi Nicholson averaged nearly 20 points a game in his final two seasons as a Pioneer and averaged a double-double in his senior campaign at 19.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Following his time in Crimson and Gold, Nicholson played for both Sacramento and New Orleans in the NBA Summer League, Austin in the NBA's G-League and spent 10 seasons playing professionally in the Czech Republic, Poland, Belgium, Germany and Spain. His collegiate awards included Associated Press All-America and SBC Player of the Year honors in 2005 and SBC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006.
 
Prior to his time at DU, Nicholson had played just one year of high school basketball. During his youth, Nicholson saw former president Bill Clinton play the saxophone and began to pursue learning the instrument, eventually being recruited to do so by Fort Lewis College.
 
While at Fort Lewis, Nicholson walked on the basketball team, and in a pick-up game over the summer, was spotted by then-student-athlete and current head coach Rodney Billups. Billups convinced the DU coaches at the time to take a closer look at Nicholson, and eventually he transferred to the DU campus.
 
In a University of Denver magazine article just after his junior year at the University of Denver in 2005, his mother, Bola, remembered back to the youth basketball career, of her then-6-10 son (Full University of Denver Magazine Story)
 
"When he first started playing as a little boy, he wouldn't put his hands up when he was covering opponents. After the game I asked him why, and he said if he did, the opponent wouldn't be able to see where to throw the ball."
 
Years later, Nicholson made a career of not letting his opponent see the hoop, blocking a then-school record 210 shots en-route to a Sun Belt West Division title, an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championship and a trip to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), the team's first post-season DI appearance in 46 years.
 
The high academic standards and competitiveness in the basketball program helped prepare him for a 10 year career in Europe. Following his playing days, Nicholson started his own recording studio in Denver, and continues to run it to this day. Nicholson lives with his wife and two sons in the Mile High City, and is waiting for the opportunity to sit on the sidelines as a Denver men's basketball fan again soon.
 
Coronavirus Updates: 
For the latest University of Denver updates on the coronavirus, click here. 
 
COVID Relief Fund: 
University of Denver Athletics and Recreation announced the launch of the 5280 COVID Relief Fund in September, a yearlong campaign with a goal of raising $1 million that will go towards supporting divisional operating costs negatively affected by COVID-19. Click here to donate to the 5280 Together COVID Relief Fund.  
 
– 5280 Together –  
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