'Going With The Flow' Leads Tut To International Opportunity

As a teenager in 2017, Wanjang Tut received the phone call of his lifetime – one that asked him to be a part of history. 

The Omaha Burke High School product was playing at TSF Prep Skills Factory in Atlanta, Ga., at the time when he received a call from David Alou, who invited him to be on the first South Sudan National Team. 

“I was at a prep school in Atlanta and I was doing pretty well as one of the leading scorers. I then got a call from David, who invited me to play on the South Sudan National Team, and that it would be the first one ever,” said Tut. “They wanted me to play in a FIBA National Tournament.

“I’m not going to lie. I was nervous because I’ve never been out of the country. My prep school coach talked me into it. I had to get a passport, which wasn’t easy in the short amount of time. After I did that, I talked to my mom about it and went through with it. I’m not going to lie, I’m scared of flying as well, but I was a once in a lifetime experience, so why not?” 

That once in a lifetime experience led him to Cairo, Egypt – the country’s capital—where all FIBA tournament games were to be played. 

“When I arrived there, it was a different experience,” said Tut. “It’s not like it is in America. There weren’t any streets or stoplights and everything was in a different language. During our time there, we even met the ambassador, had dinner at his house and toured all over the city. It was a wild experience for me.” 

South Sudan played in a few exhibition games before the FIBA tournament, which spanned six games. As one of the youngest players on the roster, Tut embraced his opportunity. In the midst of that opportunity in an unfamiliar experience, Tut also felt very humbled by the amount of support people had for South Sudan. 

“I remember in one game, were playing Nigeria and I came off the bench, since I was one of the youngest people on the team,” said Tut. “I wasn’t expecting to play much at the time but when I came in, I scored 11 points and sparked a comeback for us. It was wild going up against actual pros who do this game for a living as a teenager. I felt very proud, honestly. People do not get the chance to do what I did in that setting. The fans showing their love was such a great moment.”

Looking back on his time in Egypt representing South Sudan, Tut has used his experience to pass on advice for anybody presented with the same experience. That advice is to seize the moment and to not take anything for granted. Regardless if it is in sports – or in life. 

“You have to cherish every moment,” said Tut. “Not only was I playing for myself, but I was playing for my teammates, the coaches and the people that came to see us play. I would tell anybody in my shoes to go with the flow and do not be afraid of an opportunity. Not many people can say that they were able to do what I did, so do not hold back any opportunity.”