Kapinga's basketball success story borne out of family's daring escape from First Congo War

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics 

"They took him away to go kill him.

"They said, 'all the women and children in the house. We go clean' – that's the word they used.

"So, I was starting to cry, but you couldn't do anything because they would kill you and continue with what they were doing."

- Apolina Bantumbula, mother of new Griffins men's basketball head coach David Kapinga, watching as a genocidal militia led her husband Laurent Kapinga away in the dark days of the First Congo war 

EDMONTON – Just over the age of 18, Apolina Bantumbula and her one-and-a-half-year-old son David hid as the bombs went off and the noise from the guns firing began to get closer and closer to their home in Kalemie, Zaire.

The Rwandan Genocide spilled across the border when fighting between Hutu and Tutsi extremist militia groups and a long history of ethnic tensions in the region mushroomed into a full-blown civil war that was suddenly on their doorstep.

"To be home with a younger boy, you don't know what you will do next," said Bantumbula from her home in Calgary, recalling the family's daring escape from the 1996-97 conflict and eventual emigration to Canada. "They're coming and I started crying. 'What am I going to do?' This is going to be the end of me and my son because my husband was traveling.

"When the guns came, boom, it's coming. They're checking the houses, and he is screaming to help me 'mom, mom, lay down, lay down.' I'm supposed to protect him, but he was protecting me at the same time … at that age. 

"It makes me cry when I think about it."

Through tears, she transforms to the present.

"In another way, it gives me joy to see the man he's become today. He is everything for me."

•••

David Kapinga is a miracle. 

There is no way to truly take stock in what his family went through to get to this moment, so when he first let his parents know he had been named the new coach of the MacEwan Griffins men's basketball team earlier this month – his first U SPORTS head coaching job – his mom let out a high-pitched ululation in celebration.

"It's amazing," he said. "When I called to FaceTime my mom and dad because I don't live with them – they live in Calgary still – my mom started yelling and started doing this African sound that women make at weddings when they celebrate. 

"She was really happy her son is finding footing into this country. Not only that, but through the sport and what he loves to do. A lot of people have to sacrifice what they love to do to live. I'm in a blessed situation that I'm doing both. I can provide for me and my family while still doing what I love to do, while still pouring into the community and helping other immigrants fulfill their dreams through sports."

His battle-tested perspective on life will no doubt feed into Kapinga's drive and hunger to make the Griffins into a contender.

"People talk about the American dream," he said. "I feel like I'm living the Canadian dream. Being an immigrant coming from a war-torn country to coming here and trying to find better opportunities, but still having some struggles through that. 

"Yeah, you don't have the war anymore, you don't have guns and bombs. But now you have the culture shock, you have a language barrier. Persevering through that with the help of sports, of basketball, of family and of coaches that were there to help me understand you're not there yet, but you can get there. It's going take a lot of work, it's going to take a lot of love from your family and it's going to take a lot of time. You're going to get punched, you're going to fall down, but you've got to get back up and you've got to fight. 

"That's the life of an immigrant coming into a new country. That's the life of a new player, a person starting a new sport, that's the life of someone starting a new career, moving to a new city," he continued.

"For me, my life has just been a series of change, trial and tribulations, but overcoming those tribulations. All those lessons I've learned I'm trying to pour back into the community, pour back into my siblings, pour back into my players to create a legacy."

David Kapinga, seen coaching the Team Alberta U15 boys squad, was named the new head coach of the MacEwan Griffins men's basketball team earlier this week. When he was a toddler, he escaped war-torn Congo for a better life in Canada (Courtesy, Basketball Alberta).

•••

For seven months, Bantumbula and her children David and Benoit – just a baby – were on their own as the terrifying conflict unfolded around them. Laurent Kapinga was trapped on the other side of the war in the Mbuji-Mayi region and couldn't get home.

"After seven months of living, I had nothing to eat, nowhere to go," she said. "We ate one time a day and sometimes we'd just make a porridge.

"(My husband) was put in a very dangerous position because he wasn't fighting, wasn't a rebel."

Then one day, she recalls vividly that it was around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, Laurent just walked in the door.

Unfortunately, their happiness was short-lived.

"After one week, they took him and wanted to kill him," she said of the rebels that had overrun their city. "They took him away to go kill him. They said, 'all the women and children in the house. We go clean, that's the word they used.' 

"So, I was starting to cry, but you couldn't do anything because they would kill you and continue with what they were doing."

Fortunately, a military commander stepped in to save her husband, but not before many of their neighbours alongside him had been shot and killed.

They obviously needed to get out. The only problem was the rebels were shooting people on sight.

"They wouldn't let people get out because they didn't want people to let others know what had happened," said Bantumbula. "You'd see things you'd never see in your life, but they'd keep you there."

So, they designed a ruse, a derring-do to escape.

Apolina had the baby while Laurent grabbed David as they joined her sister's family on a walk "to get food."

"We found people dying and we passed people dead," she said. "You don't look because you don't know. At any moment there could be an ambush. You think you're by yourself, but they could be hiding in the bush. So, we kept going and going and going."

Eventually, they reached Lake Tanganyika, and paid a fisherman to take them on his boat. In the middle of the lake, they met a fisherman from Tanzania and paid him to take them to safety on the other side.

"If you don't do that, you never knew what would happen," said Bantumbula. "Twice they wanted to kill my husband, and I had young kids. So, my husband made a decision (to leave). There is no life here for us."

It meant living in the Nyarugusu refugee camp for two years until eventually they were approved to emigrate to Canada. They first arrived in Gatineau, Que.

They were safe. They could at least breathe again. They had challenges ahead, but they were safe.

••• 

Basketball was his saving grace.

When he didn't speak the language, David Kapinga found solace on the court. 

The dribbling, the juking, the sweet sound of the swish.

All were the same out here.

These are David's earliest memories, not the war.

"For me, basketball was an outlet," he said of acclimating to Canada. "It was an outlet that really connected me to the culture here, to the kids here. And that's kind of where I made my first friends was through basketball in the park."

His parents, meanwhile, were understandably protective, given what they had been through.

"I remember not being able to go to friends' houses," he explained. "I went to ask my mom, and she said 'no, can Johnny come here.' 

"It was that protective immigrant mentality – we don't know where we're at, we don't know the people here, so we've got to protect our kids."

David Kapinga first started playing basketball when the family immigrated to Gatineau, Que. He later starred for the Calgary Dinos (David Moll photo).

With extended family arriving in Canada, his love of basketball grew even more.

"My uncle didn't introduce me to basketball, but he really made basketball a big deal for me," explained David. "He would always have open runs with his friends, and I would go watch. He would rebound for me, and he would teach me a couple moves, and my shot. That's really where I fell in love with the sport. 

"It was not only a connection to this culture in Canada, but it was also because in basketball gratification's very quick. You score, you hear it; you turn the ball over, you hear it. It's very, very fast. 

"So, for someone who was shy and not very confident, that sport really allowed me to get feedback from my actions very quickly. That allowed me to just understand good and bad not only on the court but off the court."

French, which is the first language in the Democratic of the Congo, became too much a painful reminder of the horrifying conflict, so Apolina was eager to move out of Quebec, eventually convincing the growing family – which now featured six children – to uproot to Calgary.

It was there that David's hoops dreams really took flight. He joined CYDC basketball club and met the coach that would not only take him to the next level but become his mentor.

••• 

The obituary for Ivor Fitzherbert Lewis ahead of his April 10, 2023 funeral service talks of his larger-than-life personality, being a master of the one-liner and how much passion he had for coaching, pouring himself into the lives of his players.

For David Kapinga, Lewis was the first one he thought of when offered the head coach job with the MacEwan Griffins men's basketball team.

"That was one of the saddest days of my life because he literally was my second father," said Kapinga. "In a world where my dad was busy providing for my family, he was the one picking me up, dropping me off, teaching me about people, money. He was able to be very strict with me and without him, who knows where I would be?

"When I got the news that I got the head coaching job at MacEwan, he's the first person I thought of because he said 'you're going to make it big in this basketball thing if you stay true to yourself and you still have the same hunger you had when you played for me. Don't let that fire die out.' "

David Kapinga, right, poses with mentor Ivor Lewis as they promote a documentary released in 2021 about his story. Lewis passed away in 2023.

He left Kapinga with two key lessons that has formed the bedrock of his coaching philosophy.

"Two of the most important things to succeed in this world are self-awareness – knowing who you are – and social awareness – knowing what's needed around you and how you fit into that world," he said.

"That's what I always tell my players – if you're not a shooter, don't shoot the ball. Don't give me a reason to take you out. Do what you do really well. If you feel like the team needs shooters – that's the social awareness part – then we'll work on your game and add that to your game and become more valuable for the team. 

"Those two rules that he gave me – and he actually gave it to me in a different way: know who you are, learn the rules of the game and use the rules to your advantage. 

"That's the centre that he gave me and that's the centre I'll never forget. I've lived by that, and it's obviously been working for me and the players who've been under me."

It's helped him accomplish a ton already before the age of 30 that includes being a national champion and tournament MVP as a player, representing Team Canada at the Commonwealth Games, playing pro in Lithuania and successful head coaching jobs at Olds College and the Team Alberta U15s prior to coming to MacEwan.

•••

As they wrapped up the 2014-15 season, the Calgary Dinos were an average Canada West team, finishing 12-8 before bowing out in the conference quarter-finals, losing in two-straight games to the UFV Cascades.

Still, as they convened for their first practice of 2015-16, they hit the gym with the swagger that comes from being a storied program with four Canada West championships under their belts. So, it's no surprise that Kapinga, who was trying to make the team as a walk-on, was told he would have to redshirt as the fourth point guard on the depth chart.

That was his fate, even though he had gone to Kentucky for high school, had played a season in the NAIA for Union Commonwealth University, and was being recruited to play NCAA Div. 1 basketball at Utah Valley through a connection he made at a club tournament. 

When the 2014-15 season wrapped up for the Bulldogs, Kapinga headed for his exit meeting with the coach and had his exit plan in his back pocket.

"I told him I wasn't really happy with the situation I was in, that I would like to transfer," he said. "What I didn't know is I had the power in the situation, but he made me feel like he had the power. 

"I was an 18-year-old kid, and he said, 'the only way I let you go is if you go back home to Canada.' So, me being the young kid, when your coach says something like that you just accept it. So, I accepted it and returned back home to Canada. Now that I'm older, I found out I could have fought that."

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, though.

He was back with his family, the mentor as the oldest of six to siblings Mimi, Benoit, Elysee, Esther and Freddy. So, when his only recruiting visit that materialized was ironically at MacEwan under then-head coach Eric Magdanz, he felt he didn't want to leave home again. After everything they'd been through, he was going to be there for them. He would stay in Calgary instead.

"I started working for Pepsi Co. and my friends were like, 'why you not hooping? Why don't you go to MRU?' I was like, 'you're probably right, I probably should try to.' So, I went to MRU to start," he said. "The coach said they didn't have any more scholarships. I went to U of C, and the coach told me there were three point guards in front of me and there wasn't room for me to play, but (he said) 'just come in and redshirt and just walk on. Practise with us and we'll see how it goes.' 

"That's the path I chose. In my mind, being an immigrant, I'll go get what I want. Playing is what I wanted even though there were three people in front of me."

One of the players in front of him quit because he wasn't getting enough playing time. Then another hurt his ankle in a preseason game. Suddenly, Kapinga was No. 2.

"Then, we went on a trip to Cape Breton and there I still wasn't really playing, but I knew as (the backup) if the guy gets tired in front of you, you'll probably play a little bit," he said. "So, I was prepared. The person in front of me that started wasn't having a good game. Coach (Dan Vanhooren) was kind of freaking out and said, 'we've just got to try David.' 

"So, he put me in and what he said to me, 'the moment you came in and started playing, David, my heart rate dropped, and I was able to sit down.' He said when you have that feeling as a coach from your point guard, you know that's the one.

"From that moment, we won that game, and as we were walking to locker-room, he put his arm around my shoulders and said, 'David, we'll find a way to make it work for you.' "

David Kapinga cuts down the net after leading the Calgary Dinos to the 2018 U SPORTS national championship, where he was also named tournament MVP (Trevor MacMillan photo).

Ultimately, it worked for both the team and player. Kapinga started 13 games for the Dinos that season, helping lead them to a Canada West championship and a silver medal at nationals.

"That's where the story really started," he said. "I gained my confidence and found a home."

He put his name in the program record books with 185 career steals – second in Dinos men's basketball history – and is ninth all-time in Canada West history in career steals/game (2.403). 

Kapinga's biggest accomplishment, though, is leading the Dinos to their first and only U SPORTS national championship in 2017-18 with a performance for the ages, as he was named tournament MVP.

David Kapinga with the 2018 U SPORTS national championship trophy and MVP honours (Trevor MacMillan photo).

"The big thing for me during that run was how much fighting, how much competing happened that people didn't see," he said. "When people look at your team when you win, they see the camaraderie, they see the laughs, but they don't see the sweat, the work that was done in the gym in the dark hours. 

"That's why I believe we can do that here with the Griffins. I believe that I know what it takes. I've seen it, I've done it. 

"Not only that, I know we won the one year, but we were in the national finals three times out of my four years. That's what people don't see also. We lost twice and won once, but people only remember the one time. However, I know all the scars that it took to get to that point."

•••

Few can really comprehend all the scars it's taken Kapinga to get to where he is today. Just 25 years ago, he was a young child leaving a refugee camp in Tanzania after his family escaped with just the clothes off their backs.

All of that fight just to survive has led to everything he has now, everything he has already done and everything he can give to the Griffins men's basketball program.

He can't wait to get started with the players – an underdog group coming off a 2-18 season, who are about to be led by an underdog of underdogs, who became a champion out of war-torn Africa.

"You have to compete for it," said Kapinga of what it takes to succeed. "That's the real life. That's society. Nothing is given. You have to realize that you have to go take whatever you want, and it doesn't happen by sitting on the couch watching TV or being on your phone. You have to go and work and work, and figure things out. It might not pay off, but you've got to keep doing it because the only way to improve is to keep doing it. That's the only thing. The only promise is if you don't try, you won't get it done.

"That's the mentality that I'm trying to bring to the Griffins next year – for them to understand whatever happened in the past, is that. Now it's new. It's a new program, it's a new coach, it's a new system. We're not there yet, but we're going to get there. And I need everyone that's here in the gym to believe that and know that we're going to have to put in the work to get there."

David Kapinga brings a strong basketball IQ and a philosophy borne out of hard work to his first U SPORTS head coaching position at the helm of the Griffins.

•••

Nearly three decades have passed since the First Congo War. Around 250,000 people were killed, while thousands more were displaced or repatriated – including Kapinga's family. Eventually the war would result in Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko being deposed, and the country being renamed Democratic Republic of Congo.

A second Congo War happened from 1998-2003, resulting in 5.4 million deaths, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II.

Conflict in the region continues to this day with significant violence and instability related to a fight over minerals. Congolese security forces have clashed recently with militants led by M23 – a controversial rebel paramilitary group that has been accused of mass killings and human rights violations.

Violence, atrocities, mining expansion and extreme poverty have led to the displacement of millions of Congolese. According to the Centre for Preventive Action, 23.4 million people in that country suffer from food insecurity and 1.1 million Congolese nationals are currently seeking refuge beyond Congo's borders. 

•••

The Kapinga family know they are among the lucky ones who were able to get out and build a new life. That's given them a constant perspective as they build a life in Canada.

"Honestly, to look back on it, it has given me a lot of strength in life," said Bantumbula, who is a nurse's aide in Calgary. "I'm not complaining about anything I get. I'm just always saying 'thank you, God.' To look at where I am today, I'm so happy. That's why we celebrated my son getting (the MacEwan job). And all my children's (success). 

"I'm proud of them because they have things I never had. They have a choice. They know what they want. I needed to do whatever brings bread to my kids.

"I'm glad for what I have. I teach my kids 'be patient, listen where you're going, learn from people and your life one day will be better.' "

David Kapinga, right, and his family celebrating his younger brother Ben's high school graduation. The blessings that have come from their life in Canada have been plentiful.

David Kapinga is living proof of that. And he's making the most of the opportunity.

As he gets started in his first U SPORTS head coaching job with a bright future ahead of him, he has a special date circled on his calendar.

"My first game with MacEwan will be against my little brother," he said. "He plays for Sask."

The game plan has already started for how to stop Huskies' second-year guard Freddy Kapinga. 

"Definitely," grinned David. "We already have a bet. Whoever loses has to buy ice cream for the other one."

If history is any indication, neither will be stopped. 

The ice cream will be a shared victory.