Ballers: How a self-advocate mom expanded her son’s world through basketball
According to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), over 450 million people play basketball around the world.
Make that 450 million plus one. Count in Jude, nine-year-old rising hoop star and son of Autism Speaks director of social media and self-advocate, Eileen Lamb.
Diagnosed with autism at five, Jude struggled with physical tasks which put playing sports seemingly out of reach. Instead, he gravitated towards math, trading cards, Pokémon, chess and video games.
But Eileen wanted to encourage movement and help him with coordination. Basketball seemed a sport that could help with both. So she got the idea to put a small basketball and hoop inside her house, hoping that with easy access, Jude would develop an interest.
“I've learned that we can't force him to do anything—it has to come from him,” said Eileen. “Setting up a basketball hoop inside the house was a subtle suggestion. It worked!”
Eileen is being humble. Her trick more than worked. It took practice but once Jude got the hang of it, he was hooked. He was bouncing the basketball all over the house. Then came his Wilson Evo NXT basketball, marked with Love the Moment, part of the sporting good company’s “Play for the Cause” initiative with Autism Speaks.
“The first things he noticed were the vibrant spectrum colors and the little puzzle piece design, which perfectly matched an Autism Speaks pin he has,” mom said when Jude first saw the ball. Nothing could keep him from wanting to take it to the playground, not even the sweltering Texas heat.
Soon enough, he wanted to trade the blacktop for the hardwood and Eileen found herself chauffeuring him to tryouts to find a team. After checking out several programs, he settled in with a recreational program. It was a perfect fit – he had made a friend at tryouts, the coach was gentle in his teaching approach and it was appropriately competitive. Jude’s confidence soared and so did his interest in other sports. He’s traded dribbling a basketball for a soccer ball.
“It was like the moment in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Harry successfully casts the Patronus charm because he knows he’s done it before,” said Eileen. “Similarly, after learning basketball, Jude realized that sports were well within his reach.”
Read more: Tips to create inclusive sports and recreation activities: Suggestions for autistic adults, parents, organizers and communities
The added bonus of introducing basketball to Jude: bonding time with older brother, Charlie, also autistic but with higher support needs. Previously, Eileen only ever observed them parallel playing – doing the same activity at the same time but without engaging with each other. But something about Jude playing – maybe the bouncing, maybe the repetition, the ball, the joy – inspired Charlie to also pick up the basketball and soon the boys were passing it back and forth to one another.
“They both love it,” said Eileen, “It is the only activity where they can interact this way and play cooperatively together.”
Up next for Jude: Olympic 3x3 Basketball, a cross-over between his playground and gym game, on the world stage. The competition is making its sophomore debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Eileen’s home country of France and will be played with an official Wilson basketball.
No, Jude’s not competing at the Games, not this year anyway. Instead, he’ll be competing at home, for bragging rights. Mom, Eileen, is rooting for France. He is rooting for the United States.
What neither may realize is that they both won: they’re both ballers now.
Chapeau, Eileen.
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Wilson has partnered with Autism Speaks to offer a limited edition “Love the Moment™” collection of Wilson® and Louisville Slugger® baseball products, to raise awareness of autism and funds to support Autism Speaks resources and programs.
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