Arsalan Kazemi has come a long way — 7,120 miles if you want to be exact.
Even though it wasn’t very popular in his home country, Iran, Kazemi decided to add basketball to his already-full list of sports when he was 9.
“In my elementary school I was competing in five different sports,” he said. “I was really into sports from the beginning.”
Kazemi quickly narrowed the list down to one. At 14, he was playing for the Iran national team in his age group and began helping them win championships. Only a few years later, Kazemi left everything and came to America for his senior year of high school at The Patterson School in North Carolina.
“I had to sacrifice a lot of things. When I came here (U.S.) I was only 17 years old, I came here by myself and don’t have any family in the U.S.,”said Kazemi. Before transferring to UO Kazemi attended Rice, in Houston for his first three years. Although he won’t disclose the reasons, reports emerged of complaints of discrimination.
Kazemi petitioned the NCAA for waivers to the rule that requires transfers to sit out a year. His exception was granted. “The process was so quick, I came on Saturday and was in school on Monday,” said Kazemi.
As the first Iranian to play Division I basketball, he understood the importance of his athletic career.
“It was sometimes hard because I felt a lot of pressure because I was the first one. I always wanted to show that I was good and that we have talent back in Iran, and like people should recruit more people (from Iran),” said Kazemi.
For the one year he attended Oregon, Kazemi made an impressive collegiate resume for himself with numerous school records, winning the Pac-12 championship, and played a key role in the UO going to the Sweet 16 during March Madness, but ultimately Kazemi has bigger plans. “I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished so far and my family is really proud of me and all that but obviously my main goal is to make it to the NBA,” said Kazemi “I had this dream since I was a kid and I never thought I would get this close to it.”
If he makes it into the NBA, Kazemi will be able to help give other Iranian players opportunities to play in the U.S.. Kazemi plans to promote American teams travelling to Iran so they can experience the country and hopefully form a better relationship between the two nations.
“I think sports is that one thing that can open up the doors to other countries and that’s my main goal,” said Kazemi. “NBA is the next level and it’s the highest level you get. People look at you different and obviously you kinda get more power and more sponsors and more people to help you.”
Now living in L.A. for the NBA draft in June, whether or not Kazemi is drafted he will continue to work toward his life long goal.
“ I’m going to train really hard and do my best to make it to the NBA,” said Kazemi. “But if it doesn’t work, there are other countries that have good basketball teams, then play in the NBA in the future.”