“Rebuilding the Beast” with Festus Ezeli

In February of 2020, my family and I went to Chicago for NBA All-Star Weekend. One of the highlights of the trip was meeting former Golden State Warrior and champion, Festus Ezeli, at a late night party. His energy and positivity was immediately apparent and  infectious. We bonded over shared roots and passions, agreeing to stay in touch :)

Three months later, when the world turned upside down and StubHub had rapidly restructured to survive, I asked Festus to share his personal story in a company all hands. Our team was sorely in need of inspiration and I knew he had a lot to offer.  

Festus’s journey – coming to the US from Nigeria, starting basketball “late” (in high school after going to a Kings game with his uncle), and rapidly learning and rising to a spot on the championship GSW team – is incredibly motivating, but so is his candor, honesty, and willingness to share his story. Festus was severely injured, halting his career at its peak and forcing him to dig deeper and rethink his path. “Rebuilding the Beast” is what Festus calls the act of choosing possibility consistently, through success and failure alike, to find and unlock our next opportunity. It’s also the name of his new podcast, as Festus leans on his storytelling and communication skills to help others do the same.

Last week, I saw Festus again in person after almost 2 years and we got to catch up on our journeys. I was once again reminded of his infectious energy and commitment to reinventing his path. We can each continually shape who we become through our choices, even those we never expected to make. Sharing our stories of how we #ChoosePossibility just might help others do the same.