Former NBA player Olden Polynice overcame having a physical disability growing up and went on to play professional basketball for 17 years. Polynice has also become an Ambassador for the nation of Haiti and people living with disabilities.
Polynice represented for the 31 Days Foundation in order to help expose the importance of people with disabilities gaining employment.
“It’s all about bringing awareness to employers to hire individuals with disabilities no matter what the disability,” said Polynice. “Our belief is there’s a gem out there somewhere.”
Polynice, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was appointed by the country’s President to promote business and bring good will. Businesses have been coming into Haiti at a “rapid pace,” according to Polynice.
“A lot of new hotels have been erected and the old ones were rebuilt,” he said.
Polynice was born with a deformity that caused his feet to turn inwards and was diagnosed to never walk. The first two years of his life, he had to wear a cast around both legs constantly.
“My feet had to be reset and positioned,” said Polynice. “It was very difficult especially in Haiti, we don’t have the best health care.”
At the age of eight, Polynice moved to New York City. The Haiti native considered learning English, playing basketball and being bullied a small challenge compared to learning how to walk.
“I already won the major fight of my life, which was to walk,” said Polynice. “I became one of those kids that no matter what somebody said to me, I was gonna prove them wrong.”
Polynice saw basketball as a way to pay for college. Once his high school coach told his parents that Polynice could earn a scholarship, they allowed him to play.
“I learned how to play basketball in a few months,” said Polynice. “From the day I touched a basketball to the NBA, it was seven years, that’s unheard of.”
After high school, Polynice attended the University of Virginia for three years and entered the 1987 draft. Polynice spent 15 years in the NBA, playing on multiple teams including the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, and Sacramento Kings. College basketball is far different than NBA basketball, according to Polynice.
“If you [are] not mentally prepared for the NBA life and the NBA lifestyle, you’re gonna suffer, your game will suffer, your life will suffer.” He said.
Polynice recalled times of being traded with little to no early notice.
“I’m in LA, hanging out with some friends one night in Santa Monica. I look up on the TV, my pictures up there,” said Polynice. “I’ve been traded to Detroit. I didn’t even get a phone call.”
Polynice has shown support to people living with disabilities during his NBA career as well as after. During his time with the Sacramento Kings, Polynice would run a basketball camp for fully and differently abled children. As the camp would progress all the children would become close despite their differences, according to Polynice.
“It was amazing seeing the transformation,” he said. “Part of the whole camp was to bring them together and show it’s really not that much difference between us.”
