Isaiah Wong reaches milestone, wants to give back to community
Isaiah Wong will leave Miami as one of the best players the program has ever seen. The fourth-year junior guard is now in the top five on Miami's all-time scoring list.
He currently leads the 13th-ranked Hurricanes in scoring (16.2 points per game) and assists (3.4 per game). Wong's play has Miami in a prime position to win its first regular-season conference title since 2013.
But Wong is looking to make a difference off the court as well.
"He's talked about giving back to women's shelter once he goes back to Piscataway," his mother LaChelle Wong said. "We've interacted with people who had to stay there. Some of our close friends have been involved in it. It is something we will make sure we give back to as well."
The Wong family separated when Isaiah was about four years old and checking into a women's shelter was something the family considered.
"There was a time that we had to look at that as a possibility for us," LaChelle said. "It's a place we could have been long term. Trying to keep our family together during the time of separation. It's something we had to consider for ourselves. Just knowing that it was a resource available to us. The people that are there are sometimes the people you play alongside on the court. You don't know what people have to go home to."
The Wong's familiarity with family separation has inspired them to give back to families that have gone through similar situations. Wong also has the desire to talk to the youth to share his experiences and help inspire and support their goals.
"He does a lot in talking to the youth. He went to schools and give speeches. He even went back to his own middle school and talked to the kids there as well. These are all things that he's talked about that we've marked down. He wants to be able to not only give back to Jersey but to the Miami community as well."
Wong continues his stellar season Saturday versus Florida State. The tip is set for 4:00 PM eastern at the Watsco Center and will be televised on ESPN2.
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