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The importance of making good choices is the message that former Los Angeles Laker player Adrian Branch brought to a group of students at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center on Oct. 27.

“In your life, you are not born a winner or a loser,” said the 6-foot, 7-inch former guard/forward. “You are born a chooser. Your choices determine who you become.”

Branch, now a college basketball analyst for ESPN, came to the Center after learning that his engagement to speak at an East St. Louis school had been thwarted due to School District 189’s strike. He spoke with approximately 35 young people, including ninth and tenth grade males from the East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) and Upward Bound East St. Louis, Cahokia (EC) male and female students.

Branch stood in the middle of the assembled group and discussed academic excellence, integrity, peer excellence, respectful relationships and achieving dreams.

He recounted for the students his high school days of developing into a star basketball player.

“I played for the winningest coach in the history of high school – Morgan Wooten at DeMatha Catholic High School in (Hyattsville) Maryland – and I got the big head,” Branch said. “I was concentrating on ‘showboating’ and looking good.”

Wooten threw Branch off the team. He was only allowed back after the players voted for him to return, and he apologized. But Branch said he did not learn his lesson.

He was also a star basketball player at the University of Maryland from 1981-1985. Off the court, Branch ran into some difficulties by being in the wrong place at the wrong time and with the wrong people.

The consequences he faced had some setbacks for his college basketball career, but Branch told of other teammates who suffered greater results, including death.

 “It’s not a crime if you fall down,” Branch told the students. “It’s a crime if you stay down and don’t get back up.”

 The former basketball star went on to tell of his accomplishments after college, namely becoming a professional for 11 years, playing with the Chicago Bulls and the Lakers. While with the Lakers, the team won the NBA Championship in 1987. Branch displayed the $10,000 ring that he won from the championship game and allowed students to wear it.

 "I learned a lot,” said Aareon Rice, CHS sophomore, of Branch’s presentation. “I was thinking that I was born to be a loser, because I have given up on so many things.

“He (Branch) helped me realize that I need to change my thinking, start to be more positive and have more positive friends. This year I’m trying to run with more positive people.”

“Adrian Branch is a positive role model for our students,” said Gina Washington, CHS director. “His motivational message was phenomenal!”

Some other achievements that Branch relayed included playing in such countries as Israel, Spain, Turkey and the Philippines. He has also worked with Sportsworld Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Young Life, Youth for Christ, Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Athletes in Action (AIA) and Sports Power International.

“Eventually, I did put my trust in God, and He helped me,” Branch told the students. “But you can make good choices for yourself.

“You become what you hang around,” he continued. “If you hang around with nuts, you will become a nut. If you hang around with champs, you can become a champ.”

 The SIUE Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college- ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students' talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.

Photos:

Former Los Angeles Laker player Adrian Branch talks to a group of students at the SIUE East St. Louis Center. In the background is Gina Washington, SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS) director.

CHS student Jaylen Staten holds Adrian Branch’s NBA championship ring.