

High School Book Club in Session



by Nick Gallo | Thunder Basketball Writer | mailbag@okcthunder.com Photography by Zach Beeker | OKC Thunder



The sun’s rays burst through the back windows of Millwood High School’s common area, splashing across the tables where anxious high schoolers sat awaiting their surprise. When Victor Oladipo, Enes Kanter, Alex Abrines and Joffrey Lauvergne crashed through the school doors, the kids couldn’t believe a Thunder surprise is what they’d been waiting for all along.

The quartet of Thunder players were on hand as a part of the organization’s first-ever High School Book Club event, where students each received a free book, and that book was donated to the school’s library. On Wednesday afternoon the students also had a chance to hear from Thunder players about the importance of reading, education and devoting themselves to their studies, then were able to get autographs and photos with their basketball heroes.

“(The message was) don’t take for granted what they have, the gift of the book and people’s ideas,” Oladipo said. “What people went through and what they’ve learned can kind of expand their minds and better them as people as well.”

“Sometimes we get caught up in social media, and we don’t dive into history, dive into knowledge and expand our minds,” Oladipo continued. “Don’t take it for granted, you don’t want time to pass you by and wonder ‘what if’.”

The book that each kid came away with from today’s event was called Invisible Man by none other than Oklahoma-native Ralph Waldo Ellison. Named after the great American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ellison is one of the great African-American writers in U.S. history.

After his childhood in Oklahoma, Ellison went on to attend the famed Tuskegee Institute, and in 1952 published Invisible Man which explores the theme of identity and place in society, themes that certainly apply during Black History Month but also are important subjects for students of all races, genders and walks of life.

“When you write about important topics, they become timeless. That’s how (Ellison’s) novel is,” said Millwood English teacher Angel Russell. “It’s not just for Black History Month. It’s not just for Black students or African-American students. It’s for everyone.”

The lessons gleaned from the book will be important, but perhaps just as crucial will be the fact that the students were encouraged and inspired to make reading and their pursuit of higher learning an integral part of their lives. Thunder players understand their place within the framework of Oklahoma City’s community: as leaders, role models and sources of inspiration. On Wednesday, they provided exactly that for Millwood’s students.

“There’s renewed excitement,” Russell said. “It’s not just that they’re reading the books. Now they’re attaching it to a face, a hero, a high-profile athlete. It’s not just a book in class that we have to read.”

Anything is possible. Oladipo: "...To be able to give back to kids and show them that anything is possible - they could be an author, they could be giving their books back to kids one day - it's an amazing feeling to be able to be a part of that."

Sharing the legacy. To commemorate Black History Month, students were given a copy of Oklahoma-native Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man."

Coming together. Russell: “It’s not just for Black History Month. It’s not just for Black students or African-American students. It’s for everyone.”

Thunder Celebrates BHM With Book Club