In honor of Arab American Heritage Month, we are taking time to recognize the economic, cultural, political, and social contributions of notable immigrants and refugees who’ve helped shape America’s vibrant tapestry. Today, we spotlight Lebanese American basketball player Rony Seikaly.
One of the first internationally-born players to significantly impact the NBA, Rony Seikaly averaged close to a double-double throughout his 12-year career.
Ronald Fred Seikaly was born in 1965 in Beirut, Lebanon. He immigrated to attend boarding school in Massachusetts when he was 10. At 14, he moved to Greece, where he attended the American School and excelled in multiple sports, including basketball, football, and track. In 1981, Greek professional basketball player Takis Koroneos linked 16-year-old Seikaly with his local pro team, Panathinaikos. Although he started playing games with the team a year later, he could not participate in the national league due to his not having a Greek passport.
In 1983, Seikaly returned to the U.S. to play for the Syracuse University basketball team. Playing the Center position, the six-foot-eleven behemoth averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds while leading the team to the 1987 Championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers. The campaign earned him consensus All-American honors while catapulting him into a top NBA prospect. His number 4 jersey has since been retired by the University.
In 1988, The Miami Heat, a then brand-new NBA expansion franchise, took Seikaly with its first-ever draft pick at number nine overall in the first round. He was the league’s first-ever Lebanese-born player. His well-rounded game immediately solidified the middle of the Heat’s young roster and, by 1991, led the franchise to its first-ever playoff appearance. Seikaly played 12 seasons in the NBA for the Heat, Warriors, Magic, and Nets. Following his NBA career, he played one year in Barcelona, Spain. Additionally, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen to represent the United States in the 1986 FIBA World Cup and Goodwill Games – winning gold in both. He also won a Silver Medal playing for Lebanon in the 1999 West Asian Championship.
After he retired from basketball, Seikaly transitioned into a successful real estate developer, electronic music producer, DJ, and radio host. He remains active in several philanthropic causes, including the Miami Heat’s Corporate Education program and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Seikaly has also donated sales from his music to fight pediatric cancer.