Richard Agbo: Raw Talent Into Opportunity
This second-year student’s work ethic and willingness to grow has granted him success on and off the basketball court.
By Sterling Giles
Richard Agbo, a Nigerian-born, second-year student at Richard Bland College (RBC), came to the United States more than six years ago aspiring to become a student-athlete at the collegiate level and eventually go pro. Though he grew up playing soccer, a late growth spurt pushed him toward basketball around 14 years old.
“I was raw,” Agbo said with a chuckle. “If I show you my highlight tape from back then, ‘Oh, my God!’”
But Toby Campbell—now former head coach of the boys’ basketball team at The Carmel School in Ruther Glen, Virginia—could see Agbo’s potential. He recruited Agbo and went as far as to serve as his guardian. This wasn’t out of the ordinary for him, Agbo explained.
“He’s had other players from back home play for him and stay at his home,” Agbo said. “Most of them went D-I.”
Agbo sharpened his skillset and eventually garnered the attention of Guillermo Cabrera, head coach of the RBC men’s basketball team. Agbo had the ear of a handful of coaches, but he appreciated how invested Cabrera was into his development as a student-athlete.
“He came to my AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and high school games—tracking me for a while,” Agbo said. “When he got the job at RBC, he called me.”
Now a forward/center for the Statesmen, Agbo describes his time on the team as transformative.
“At first, the game felt too fast,” the second-year student admitted. “But once I learned to slow it down, everything opened up.”
Off the court, Agbo is equally driven. He is majoring in math and computer science, with plans to transfer into an automobile engineering program. His love for cars dates to his childhood. In his free time, he built makeshift models from cardboard and batteries. While his dream is to play basketball at the highest level possible, Agbo is intentional about preparing for life beyond the game.
“I feel like at some point playing basketball is going to end,” he said. “I’m fully equipped and prepared just in case.”
As an international student, Agbo says RBC is a welcoming environment, with supportive faculty and a manageable coursework that allows him to balance athletics and academics. Richard also serves as the International Representative of the RBC Student Assembly.
“Everyone here is so nice—you definitely feel supported,” he said.
Despite the wealth of opportunity he’s been provided in the States, Agbo still misses home. But his mother, who lives in Nigeria, calls weekly and keeps him grounded.
“She gives me assurance and sends me daily devotions,” he said. “She stays up late at night, fasts and prays for me to succeed.”
