My Journey

My name is Emraan Kamawal, and I am an 19-year-old basketball player from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

I first picked up a basketball when I was 13 years old. My first club was the Roxburgh Park Magpies. I wasn't the best player on the team. I wasn't the most talented, and I certainly wasn't the star. What I did have was determination and a work ethic that never stopped.

There were seasons where I spent most of my time on the bench. I even went through stretches of 10 games without scoring a single point. Sitting there watching others play was one of the hardest experiences of my life. I questioned whether I was good enough and whether basketball was really meant for me. More than once, I thought about walking away from the game.

But every time I considered quitting, I asked myself one question:

"Why would I give up on something I love?"

So I kept going.

As I got older, I wanted to challenge myself against better competition. I reached out to clubs across the Broadmeadows and Craigieburn Basketball Associations, hoping someone would give me an opportunity. Unfortunately, my statistics weren't impressive, and many teams either rejected me or never replied.

For a while, it felt like every door was closed.

Instead of giving up, I decided to create my own opportunities.

When I couldn't find a team, I started building my own so I could keep playing. I organised players, entered local competitions around Coburg and other community leagues, and managed everything from registrations to game days. It was rewarding, but it also became difficult to balance running a team while trying to improve as a player.

I continued playing wherever I could, including social competitions. While many people viewed social basketball as just a casual game, I treated every session as another opportunity to improve.

That mindset changed everything.

I committed myself completely to improving. Early mornings, late nights, extra workouts, strength training, and countless hours in the gym became my daily routine. Every setback became motivation to work even harder.

My dedication eventually earned me a place in the Melbourne Basketball League (MBL), where I had the chance to compete against strong players and continue developing my game.

Every hour of hard work, every rejection, and every setback eventually led to the opportunity I had been chasing.

Today, I am incredibly proud to say that I have officially signed with Lithuanian Basketball Academy (LBA Kaunas) in Lithuania.

Representing LBA Kaunas and continuing my basketball journey in Lithuania is an opportunity I have dreamed about for years. Based in Kaunas, a city renowned for its rich basketball history, LBA Kaunas provides a high-performance environment where players are challenged to improve every day. Lithuania is recognised around the world for its passion for basketball and for developing elite talent, making it one of the best places in Europe for young athletes to grow. Training and competing in this environment will allow me to learn from experienced coaches, compete against talented players from across Europe, and continue developing my game as I work towards my ultimate goal of playing professional basketball at the highest level.

For many people, signing overseas may simply look like another basketball opportunity. For me, it represents years of rejection, sacrifice, disappointment, resilience, and relentless hard work. It represents every game I spent on the bench, every unanswered email, every rejection, every workout when nobody was watching, and every moment when quitting seemed like the easier option.

This opportunity means everything to me.

While earning this opportunity is a dream come true, the financial commitment of relocating overseas is significant. Travel, accommodation, insurance, equipment, visa costs, and everyday living expenses all add up quickly.

That is why I am reaching out for support.

Whether through sponsorship or a donation, every contribution—no matter the size—will directly help me continue chasing this dream. In return, I will proudly represent everyone who believes in me and support those who support my journey by acknowledging their contribution throughout my journey.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Thank you for believing in me.

Most importantly, thank you for helping a young athlete from Melbourne continue chasing a dream that began with a basketball, a determination to never give up, and the belief that hard work can open doors that talent alone cannot.

— Emraan Kamawal