FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood men's basketball sophomore Kanayo Obi-Rapu was chosen as a nominee for the Allstate NABC Good Works Team®, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced Wednesday.
 
The Allstate NABC and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Good Works Teams recognize student-athletes who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement. Obi-Rapu is one of nominees for the NABC Good Works Team and one of 257 total nominees for both teams, which include male and female basketball players from all levels of college basketball.
 
A 6-3, 190-pound guard from Greensboro, N.C., Obi-Rapu is the founder and coordinator of the Josh Level Classic, a charity pro-am basketball game in his home state that raises awareness and funds for the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for local schools. That initiative stems from a personal tragedy Obi-Rapu experienced as a high school junior when his late friend and teammate at New Garden Friends School, Josh Level, collapsed on the court during a basketball game due to an undetected heart condition. Level passed away as a result of the cardiac event, and Obi-Rapu has since embarked on a personal mission to make AEDs available in area schools to help avoid future tragedies.
 
"The 2016 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams nominees are truly inspirational, and their stories of service are a great example of the impact young people can make by dedicating their time and energy to do good," said Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2016 NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams selection panels. "For the fourth year, Allstate is honored to join the NABC and WBCA to recognize these student-athletes for their leadership off the court to help make a difference."
 
Along with his service off the court, Obi-Rapu has emerged as Longwood's top scorer and one of the nation's top three-point shooters early in his sophomore season. He ranks tied for fifth nationally with 26 made three-pointers and fourth with a .510 three-point percentage while leading Longwood and ranking sixth in the Big South with 16.1 points per game.
 
As a nominee for the service award, Obi-Rapu is eligible for one of 10 spots on the Allstate NABC Good Works Team, which will be announced in February. Selected by a voting panel headlined by former Duke basketball standout and NBA veteran Grant Hill, the 10-member men's team will include five student-athletes from the NCAA Division I level and five from the Divisions II, III and NAIA levels. Those 10 NABC Good Works Teams finalists will be honored at the 2016 NABC Convention and the NCAA Men's Final Four in Houston.
 
"Once again as we have a record number of nominees for the Allstate Good Works Teams, it's very evident that our men's and women's student-athletes in college basketball are unselfish and unwavering in their commitment to service," said Jim Haney, executive director of the NABC. "From global initiatives in third-world countries to feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless around their own communities, these young men and women are very deserving of the recognition that Allstate provides with this exemplary program."
 
In addition to Hill, the 2016 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Team® selection panel members include: former college basketball student-athletes Clark Kellogg (Ohio State University / CBS Sports), and Alana Beard (Duke University); media members Seth Davis (Sports Illustrated/CBS), Dana O'Neil (ESPN), Carolyn Peck (ESPN) and LaChina Robinson (ESPN/FOX); former head coaches Bobby Cremins (Georgia Tech/College of Charleston), Seth Greenberg (Virginia Tech University), Marsha Sharp (Texas Tech University) and Nell Fortner (Auburn University); and current college basketball coach Coquese Washington (Penn State University).
 
Obi-Rapu makes a return to his hometown this evening as the Lancers open Big South Conference play at preseason favorite High Point Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game will stream live on the Big South Network, WVHL Kickin' Country 92.9 FM in Farmville, WHAP Fox Sports Radio 1340 AM in Hopewell, Va., and the Richmond area.
 
2016 NABC Good Works Team Nominees (Division I)
Air Force Academy – Zach Moer
Alcorn State University – Marquis Vance
Arkansas State University – Josh Pierre
Auburn University – Jordon Granger
Austin Peay State University – Khalil Davis
Belmont University – Jeff Laidig
Bethune-Cookman University – Ricky Johnson
Brigham Young University – Kyle Collinsworth
Butler University – Kellen Dunham
California State University, Bakersfield – Kevin Mays
Central Connecticut State University – Brandon Peel
Central Michigan University – Chris Fowler
College of Charleston – Canyon Barry
Creighton University – Geoffrey Groselle
Davidson College – Nathan Ekwu
Drexel University – Rodney Williams
Duke University – Marshall Plumlee
Eastern Washington University – Venky Jois
Florida Atlantic University – Jackson Trapp
Florida State University – Devon Bookert
Fordham University – Mandell Thomas
Fresno State University – Marvelle Harris
Georgia Southern University – Devonte Boykins
High Point University – John Brown
Idaho State University – Ben Wilson
Indiana State University – Matt Van Scyoc
Iowa State University – Nazareth Mitrou-Long
IUPUI – Marcellus Barksdale
La Salle University – Rohan Brown
Lehigh University – Devon Carter
Longwood University – Kanayo Obi-Rapu
Lyon College – Riley Jenkins
Mercer University – Jibri Bryan
Middle Tennessee State University – Reggie Upshaw             
Missouri State University – Tyler McCullough
Morehead State University – Corban Collins                            
North Carolina A&T State University – Denzel Keyes
North Dakota State University – Chris Kading
Northeastern University – Zach Stahl
Northern Arizona University – Jordyn Martin
Northwestern State University – Jalan West
Oakland University – Max Hooper
Oklahoma State University – Phil Forte
Old Dominion University – Trey Freeman
Oral Roberts University – Obi Emegano
Oregon State University – Daniel Gomis
Pepperdine University – Stacy Davis
Presbyterian College – Will Adams
Purdue University – Rapheal Davis
Quinnipiac University, (Conn.) – James Ford, Jr.
Rice University – Max Guercy
Rider University – Jimmie Taylor III
Rutgers University – Greg Lewis
Santa Clara University – Nate Kratch
Southern Methodist University – Semi Ojeleye
South Carolina State University – Darryl Palmer                       
Stephen F. Austin State University – Thomas Walkup
Texas Christian University – Michael Williams
Texas Tech University – Toddrick Gotcher
University of Alabama – Retin Obasohan
University of Arizona – Kaleb Tarczewski
University of Arkansas at Little Rock – Mareik Isom
University of California Berkeley – Stephen Domingo
University of California, Davis – Josh Fox
University of California, Irvine – Mamadou Ndiaye
University of California, Los Angeles – Bryce Alford
University of Detroit Mercy – Anton Wilson
University of Florida – Dorian Finney-Smith
University of Georgia – Yante Maten
University of Iowa – Mike Gesell
University of Kansas – Hunter Mickelson
University of Kentucky – Marcus Lee
University of Louisiana at Lafayette – Kasey Shepherd
University of Louisville – Trey Lewis
University of Maryland – Varun Ram
University of Maryland Eastern Shore – Derrico Peck
University of Massachusetts – Tyler Bergantino
University of Memphis – Shaq Goodwin
University of Michigan – Spike Albrecht
University of Nebraska – Shavon Shields
University of Nebraska Omaha – Kyler Erickson
University of New Mexico – Cullen Neal
University of North Carolina – Joel James
University of North Carolina at Greensboro – Jordy Kuiper
University of North Carolina at Wilmington – Craig Ponder
University of North Florida – Beau Beech
University of Oklahoma – Buddy Hield
University of Pittsburgh – James Robinson
University of South Carolina – Mindaugas Kacinas
University of Southern California – Samer Dhillon
University of Tennessee – Armani Moore
University of Texas at Arlington – Drew Charles
University of Texas – Demarcus Holland
University of Tulsa – Shaquille Harrison
University of Vermont – Trae Bell-Haynes
University of Virginia – Anthony Gill
University of Wisconsin – Nigel Hayes
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Justin Jordan
Utah State University – David Collette
Valparaiso University – Alec Peters
Vanderbilt University – Luke Kornet
Villanova University – Ryan Arcidiacono
Washington State University – Junior Longrus
West Virginia University – Devin Williams
Western Illinois University – Garret Covington
Western Kentucky University – Nigel Snipes
 
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