When people see 6’8, 230 pound Charlie Wilson walking around on the campus of Union University to get to his business management classes, they probably think of him in one way. After all, he can be pretty hard to miss. He also has a stunning afro along with several tattoos on his arms and shoulders. Everything about his appearance just screams basketball player.
However, there is much more to him than meets the eye. And it’s something that absolutely defines the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Charlie Wilson is unashamedly a nerd.
“Oh my gosh, you have a Gamecube?!” he yells excitedly as he sits down on my couch. It was like watching a kid open presents on Christmas morning. “Man, there’s only a few people on campus who have one. And oh my gosh, you also have Super Smash Bros?! That was one of my favorite games growing up. Link was by far my favorite character in the game. I never could get enough of it as a kid.”
“Did you play any other video games growing up?” I ask.
“Man, I had ’em all! I’m a really hard video gamer; it’s part of what makes me kinda a geek. Really, I feel like I’m one of the only people who has a Gamecube, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in their room,” he says with a joyful grin. “If there was a popular video game, chances are I played it. I loved Mario and all of those types of games. I never did play much NBA 2K though, which I know is strange since I’m a basketball player.”
As we talked about our love of basketball, video games and humor, it quickly became clear that Charlie was not at all what many people might expect. In the place of a hardened senior basketball player, who has as Charlie himself described a “resting you know what face,” was a simple, goofy guy who likes anime and different aspects of nerd culture.
“I know it’s easy to look at me and think that I’m just a basketball player,” he says thoughtfully. “But I’m not just a basketball player, not just a jock. Like I said, I’m a huge geek. I like to watch Dragonball Z, and I’m into a lot of different comic book type things. Like I think I’ve seen every single Marvel movie that has ever come out.”
He then stresses to me that I absolutely have to see Black Panther as it’s one of the best Marvel movies.
He continues, “I also really like my relaxation time. The workouts for basketball are hard, so I just really like to kick back and relax in my dorm. I try to get my homework out of the way early so that I can just chill.”
Even the more risqué aspects of Charlie’s appearance paint a beautiful picture of not only himself, but most importantly, his faith. As sad as it is to admit, there are many people who would easily dismiss a tall black man who has tattoos as “thuggish” or something equally demeaning. On the contrary, Charlie’s tattoos exemplify his love for his family and his faith in Jesus Christ.
“I always told myself that if I did one day get tattoos, I would want them to be meaningful,” he says as he proudly shows me his arms. “My mother Dalia and my grandmother Rose are tattooed on my shoulders, because they are always with me. I have “sacrifice” tattooed on my left arm to remind myself of not only the sacrifices that I’ve made to get to this point, but also the sacrifice that Christ made for me. And I also have ‘conviction’ tattooed on my right arm to remind myself that without my belief in God, I would be nothing.”
Charlie Wilson is definitely an incredible basketball player, perhaps the best at Union (we’ll be playing each other one-on-one soon to see who gets to hold that title). This is the same guy who attracted the attention of the likes of Arkansas and Morehead State when he had 25 points and 18 rebounds to help his team win the regional championship during his senior year of high school. This is also the same guy who currently leads the men’s team in scoring. He also has aspirations of playing professionally in Europe, hopefully in Spain where the weather is beautiful year round.
So basketball definitely is a very big piece of the puzzle that is Charlie, but he still doesn’t allow it to define him as a person. Instead, he uses basketball to refine his own character and help him grow as a person.
“Coach [David] Niven and basketball have helped me grow as a leader both on and off the court, and since I’m one of the oldest guys, I also try to lead the team on and off the court. Even two years ago, I was super quiet and never wanted to say anything. I’m quiet, and it’s just not my nature to be vocal. In our huddles, you’d rarely hear me talk. But now I’ve become a much more vocal leader. Even outside of basketball, I’m now more willing to speak up and be vocal.”
Senior guard Nick Velasquez, one of three seniors on the team along with Charlie and KC Goodwin, understands just how much Charlie means to the team.
“He’s just always talking while he’s on the court,” Velasquez said. “He’s always keeping us together and just helps keep a positive vibe off the court as well. I’ll never stop being grateful for having him here to help lead this team.”
All of these aspects of his life beg the question: Who exactly is Charlie Wilson? The answer is, as it is for most people, complicated. You can’t put him, or anyone else for that matter, in a confined box. All people are complex individuals who have different talents and quirks that many may never get to see. And that is what makes us human.
“How would you want people to answer the question ‘Who is Charlie Wilson?'” I ask him as he starts to walk out the door.
He remains silent as he becomes consumed in thought. He then just simply shrugs and grins.
“Man, I wouldn’t even care if they said anything about basketball. I’d just want them to know that I’m a normal person, a really cool and friendly person who really likes being around other people. And really goofy.”
