Abi Olajuwon's Diary -- March 12, 2006

Abi Olajuwon’s McDonald’s All-American High School Game Diary

March 12, 2006

People often wonder if Hakeem Olajuwon is my dad. I'm very proud to say that yes he is.

It took a while for me to get used to people comparing my basketball game to someone as famous as my dad, but I’m comfortable with it now. My dad never pressured me to play basketball. He wanted me to explore all my talents and interests. The only thing he expected of me was when I found something I truly loved, to take it seriously and pursue it with my best effort possible.

I feel being chosen for the McDonald’s High School All-American Game is one of those rewards. I remember the summer before my sophomore year when I was at a basketball camp, two of the counselors, Noell Quinn of UCLA and Crystal Irwin of Notre Dame, were wearing McDonald’s All-American rings.

I thought their rings were the coolest thing I ever saw in my life. It was something I wanted and is something I’ve worked hard for. I was so elated when I was picked for the McDonald’s game.

The icing on the cake is to have the game played in San Diego. I live in Los Angeles, but I have a lot of San Diego in me. My mom, Lita Richardson, was born in San Diego and we’ve spent a lot of time with family in San Diego. It’s a gorgeous drive down from Los Angeles to San Diego.

I know that Chase Budinger from La Costa Canyon High is a McDonald’s All-American in the boys game, but there were no San Diego girls picked. If San Diego basketball fans want to adopt me as a San Diego girl for the McDonald’s game, I would love to represent San Diego.

I’ll be looking forward to meeting one of our assistant coaches for the West, Rancho Bernardo High coach Peggy Brose. She coached my cousin, Amanda Leisenring, at Rancho Bernardo before Amanda tragically died in her sleep from natural causes on Aug. 21, 2002.

I feel it’s more than a coincidence that I’ll be playing for Amanda’s coach. Last summer at the USA Youth Basketball Tournament in Colorado Springs, they gave me No. 21. That’s the number Amanda wore in high school.

When Amanda’s mother, Tammy Leisenring, saw me in a picture with No. 21 instead of my usual No. 34, she was very touched. Tammy is my mom’s first cousin and Tammy told my mom it was a very special moment for her.

It shows you that it’s a small world for me to wear No. 21 last summer and play for Amanda’s coach in the McDonald’s game. It can’t be just a coincidence.

I hope you’ll come out to the McDonald’s game. You can cheer for me, because you’ll also be cheering for Amanda. I’m a San Diego girl for this game.