Serge Ibaka: Defying The Odds

How Toronto Raptor Serge Ibaka escaped poverty in the Republic of the Congo to become an NBA sensation.

- Sarah Kanbar

The evening brims with excitement as Dolce takes to Toronto’s swanky hotel and residence, One King West for an exclusive with one of Toronto’s most celebrated athletes, Raptor Serge Ibaka.

Serge Ibaka’s story begins in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, a far stretch from the fast-paced, glamorous life of an NBA superstar. For Serge Ibaka, a childhood of poverty and struggle would be the driving force behind his motivation to succeed. In fact, it is in these humble beginnings that the Toronto Raptors’ power forward discovered his greatness.

The streets of the Congo are much like those of any third-world country: poverty-stricken and filled with adversities. Ibaka has shared memories of his harsh upbringing, one that includes children like himself suffering from malnutrition and selling water on the streets just to support themselves and their families — and often that was not enough. For those of us living in Western countries, these visuals and stories remind us the value of life and how fortunate we are to have basic necessities such as water, food and shelter.