Nathan Mugisha ran the right wing of the basketball court and Charlie Houghton dribbled up the left side. The whole crowd anticipated what would happen next, as both Houghton and Mugisha made eye contact. In a blur Houghton threw the basketball to the far side of the rim. Mugisha jumped, caught the ball  and slammed it through  the hoop. The building rumbled as the crowd reacted to the moment. 

19-year-old, Nathan Mugisha a current SMCC basketball player has made a name for himself since arriving from Rwanda in October of 2024. Mugisha and his brother Roman joined the team halfway during the Seawolves’s season. Nate immediately found himself getting important minutes. His impressive 6’6” frame and skill set ignited a flame in the struggling Seawolves allowing them to finish with a positive record in the second semester.

“The thing I can say about my basketball game is that it is growing as I keep working on it,” says Mugisha.” Before coming to SMCC, I was more confident inside the 3-point line like midranges, layups and dunks. But as I got here, I started getting confident in my 3-point game too.”

Mugisha first started playing basketball in his local high school gym in Rwanda at the age of 15. At the time Nate wasn’t even in high school yet. Over the next couple of years he worked on his craft and found himself on the high school team. He continued to develop, and the following year he joined the Azomco Global, a division 2 team in the Rwandan Professional Basketball League (RBL). For more context the RBL is a Professional Basketball League in Rwanda that has two divisions.  With a slender frame, Nate found it tough going. “For me, the level of competition was too physical for me because they used to play me as a power forward, where I met guys that weighed as much as 220lbs, ” Nate said. “It was too hard for me because I was too skinny for them.” 

According to Mughisha “fans in Rwanda are loud and highly involved in a basketball game compared to the fans here in the United States. For the level of play, the USA is far better than Rwanda, but the basketball in Rwanda is growing as team’s are bringing in D1 athletes, G League players and some NBA players which makes it more competitive.”

Although he remembers his childhood fondly, Rwanda was a complex place to grow up, according to Mugisha. “[It has] passed through many losses and crises” he says, but he “found inspiration from seeing the unity and love from people who witnessed and passed through those hard times.”

During his childhood Mugisha loved playing soccer and hide n’ seek with friends from 11 am to 6pm, even knowing that he would be punished for leaving without permission and returning late. 

Mugisha grew up in a family of four kids who were raised by a single mother. “I never knew my father, which did not leave a hole in me because my mother gave me all the love I could ask for,”Nate said. By the time Nate and his older brother Roman were born their sisters were old enough to provide relief to their mother. 

Around 2010 Mugisha oldest sister came to the US. 5 years later in 2015, his second oldest sister arrived on a green card and later applied for citizenship. Finally, his mom moved here in 2020 prior to covid, as a parent looking after her kids. Nate and his Roman stayed in Rwanda for four years while waiting for their immigrant visas. 

Upon arriving in The U.S. Nate experienced culture shock. “The air was different, the buildings, the roads, everything was different for me,” he said.  “As a kid who grew up in Africa, I grew up in black community and coming here shocked my brain because I was used to black people more than white people.” 

A big worry of Nates was finding friends here in the states. Fortunately, Mugisha’s agent reached out to college basketball teams across the state of Maine. Central Maine Community and College and SMCC began to recruit him and his brother Roman. The brothers decided to go to SMCC believing it was the best fit. Mughisha was extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the team, because it proved to be a helpful tool for him during his transition. “It brought some kind of peace and appreciation to me, because those were the things I thought I would be struggling with now.” Mugisha put. 

Here in the US, his favorite player is Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I like his playing style, spirit, and the way he enjoys every game either a loss or a win,” said Mugisha

Mugisha still misses relatives and some of his favorite food back In Rwanda, such as isombe (cassava leaves) and Isosi y Ubunyobwa (Peanut Sauce.) However, since being in the United States and joining the team, Nate has had many positive moments. He loves the daily practices and thoroughly enjoyed the statement win against SMCC rival, Central Maine Community College (CM). The energy of the CMCC game closely resembled the crowd energy and enthusiasm he would feel back In Rwanda. 

Coming from Rwanda and understanding its history Mughisa knows what it takes to persevere, and push forward. This knowledge will guide him through his endeavors both on the court and in the classroom as he pursues a degree in nursing.