Isaac Kante speaks up about diversity in sports
Hofstra men’s basketball player Isaac Kante is a growing star on and off the court. In the 2019-2020 season, he played in and started all 34 games for the Pride. Averaging 11.4 points per game and 7.7 rebounds, he led the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in field goal percentage, making the All-CAA Third team.
It is clear that Kante has been a leader for the Pride ever since he transferred from the University of Georgia in 2018. Before last season’s tournament was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19, the Pride punched their ticket to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) March Madness Tournament for the first time in 19 years. Getting Hofstra back to their winning ways is definitely on Isaac’s mind this year.
“We let our new players that are with us now know from day one: We’re trying to repeat. We want to go back to the championship and finish what we started last year,” Kante said. “Being able to make the tournament back-to-back times would absolutely make the hurt from not being able to play last year better. We would feel great doing that again as a team for our school.”
But getting Hofstra back into the NCAA Tournament has taken a back seat in Kante’s mind lately, as he now feels the importance of being a leader off the court, using his voice to speak up about the social injustice issues we see in our world today.
“The issues in our world today are very disappointing to me, as a man of color. We need change. But that change is not something that happens now or tomorrow, real change takes time,” Kante said. “I feel like everyone as a society really needs to keep the conversations going. We all really need to take that step of coming together.”
Taking that step of togetherness is something that has been instilled in him since he was a child. With the help from family by his side, Kante has gone through life trying to express his values of love and peace to others around him.
“My mom always used to preach love and peace to my family. Over time, that is something that made me who I am today,” Kante. “My character and the way I treat others with respect comes from the mindset that was taught to me and that is just how I think – with peace and love.”
As a person of color who wants to see change happen in our world, Kante was impressed with how Hofstra and the athletic department gave student athletes an opportunity to speak on how they felt about the social injustices people face every day.
“Earlier this year, we actually had a diversity and inclusion meeting with the school president, athletic director and some student athletes. They let us speak out about how we were feeling, but more importantly, they listened to us,” Kante said. “I think it’s great to know that Hofstra is behind us and that they are supportive of this movement being made.”
“I think the conversations we had with the athletic directors and people who are higher-ups here at Hofstra need to be had at other schools as well. For people like myself, who are young Black people, as we move on from college into the real world, it helps us to know that our voices are being heard by people like them who are willing to help bring change.”
Kante’s goal is to make it to the National Basketball Association (NBA) one day. In the NBA, various teams boycotted their playoff games, showing their desire to make change by using their platforms. LeBron James, who is Kante’s favorite player, was someone who really pushed these ideals to the forefront. At one point during the boycott, James suggested the NBA’s season should be canceled completely.
“A part of me felt like [James] was right to say that the season should end. But another part of me thought at the time that they should keep playing,” Kante said. “It is important to keep that message of change going and the NBA is a big platform, so players should definitely use that platform to get the message out there.”
Kante and the Hofstra Pride men’s basketball team have their own way of keeping the message of change and the need for diversity going: When they get the chance to step back onto the court this season, the Pride’s uniforms may look a little different.
“After speaking to some of my teammates and coaches, we heard we are going to be able to put certain quotes on the back of our jerseys,” Kante said. “Aside from that, during interviews I would love to shed some light on the social injustice issues we have talked about – all in hopes to keep the conversation going.”
In order to come together as a community, society and as a nation, to change the problems people of color face every day and to create a step forward in the push for diversity in all areas of the world, Kante encourages others to do what he has learned to do himself.
“First step is to move on with love, let go of the hate, anger and all of those negative things. The best course of action for anyone to take in order to help this change is to lead with love and peace,” Kante said. “Violence doesn't solve anything, but more peace and love can make a real difference in our world today.”
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
