Kyle Owens, a former college basketball standout at UC Riverside, received devastating news mere hours before his final home game in March. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the 24-year-old now faces an urgent need for a bone marrow transplant to save his life.
Owens had enjoyed a successful senior campaign with the UC Riverside Highlanders, averaging 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. However, as the season neared its end, he couldn’t shake a mysterious lack of energy. “We couldn’t figure out what it was,” his mother, Tonya Owens, told ESPN. “I was like, ‘I’m sure you have Covid, I’m sure you have the flu.'”
A Shocking Diagnosis and Senior Night Courage
Just hours before tip-off on senior night, Owens received the heartbreaking news from an oncologist via Zoom. Tests revealed he had ALL, a type of cancer in which the bone marrow produces too many white blood cells. Determined to play for his teammates one last time, Owens took the court despite the diagnosis and additional ailments of flu and RSV.
The type of person I am, I decided to just play the game as much as I could.
Kyle Owens
Though he could only manage a few minutes before his body gave out, Owens’ courage and dedication left an indelible mark on all who witnessed it. “I don’t know how I did it, and people to this day tell me that, ‘I don’t how you did that.’ But that’s just kind of who I am,” he reflected.
The Fight of His Life
In the months following his diagnosis, Owens endured grueling chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments, even completing his master’s degree from his hospital bed at UCLA. A brief respite in September was cut short by the discovery of a tumor near his spine, causing him to lose feeling in his legs.
Now, Owens’ best hope for long-term survival lies in a bone marrow transplant. However, finding a suitable donor match presents a significant challenge, particularly for African Americans like Owens. “It’s hard for African Americans to find the perfect match because the numbers are low in terms of the donor supply that’s on hand,” his father, Keith Owens, explained to ESPN.
A Community Rallies
In an effort to support Owens and raise awareness about the need for more diverse bone marrow donors, parts of the Southern California basketball community are coming together. In conjunction with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), donor drives are being organized at Cal Lutheran University and UC Riverside.
Obviously I want to find a match for myself, but it’s important to just get more people to register who look like me for other people out there as well.
Kyle Owens
Volunteers between the ages of 18 and 40 are encouraged to take a simple cheek swab test to determine their genetic type and be added to the NMDP registry. Owens’ high school coach, Russell White, who now coaches at Cal Lutheran, is spearheading the drive. “Let’s try to save this kid’s life, man,” White implored.
A Family’s Hope and a Young Man’s Resilience
As the search for a donor match continues, Owens and his family remain hopeful. His father, a former UCLA Bruin who played briefly for the Los Angeles Lakers, sees in his son the same resolve Magic Johnson displayed when he defied expectations after contracting HIV. “He’s kind of a grinder by nature, so, when given a task to work at, that’s how he operates best,” Keith Owens said of his son. “His disposition’s been great fighting through it all.”
For Kyle Owens, the journey ahead may be daunting, but he faces it with the same determination and courage that defined his basketball career. As the Southern California community rallies around him, his story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of hope, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds forged through sports.
