12 Dec From Professional Basketball to The Classroom: The Story of Filipe Silva
While playing professionally for one of the best basketball teams in Portugal, FC Porto, Filipe Silva was living his dream, but he had to make a difficult decision to ensure a better future.
Filipe Silva put his professional basketball career on hold to study at London South Bank University at the age of 19, and pursue a career in international relations in order to have a good job in the future.
While speaking to Filipe in his tidy student accommodation flat, he is confident, and sitting up straight. He is tall with short brown hair and a beard, and he seemed comfortable answering the questions that were asked.
Filipe Silva grew up in the city of Porto, in Gondomar. He started playing basketball at eight years-old. When he was 16, he began playing on the youth team at FC Porto. He said, “I felt proud every time I stepped on the court.”
At the age of 18, Filipe went pro for FC Porto. He said “everything I worked for I could see there… It was one of my dreams to play for the FC Porto Senior Team.” Filipe was happy playing for FC Porto, one of the most famous teams in Portugal, but basketball was not sustainable for a job. He said “being a pro in Portugal, you can hardly live. You need another job.” Filipe had to do just that. He said, “I had almost everything there, but I knew there was something different… I needed to study something that in the future could help me.” Filipe made the difficult decision to leave FC Porto, and to come to London to study at university.
Filipe chose London because “I have more job opportunities in London associated with my studies, like working with an international organisation.” Also, Filipe said of the course, “When I was in Portugal thinking about what it could be, this is exactly what I was thinking.”
Even though he left Portugal, Filipe can still play basketball for LSBU’s basketball team while studying at the same time.
Filipe Silva warming up.
I accompanied Filipe to one of his matches and while commuting to the home team’s court Filipe and the rest of the team were laughing and joking, but once we reached the court Filipe was in game mode. During this game he scored four three point shots in the first quarter, and scored many more points throughout. LSBU won 83 to 68.
Filipe is described by his assistant coach at LSBU, Casian Todorov, as “a committed player that works hard at training sessions, as well as in his free time.” Todorov also said “He is very unselfish and would do anything that he is required to do on the court, in order to help his teammates.”
His teammate Nadir said, “Having Filipe on the team is reassuring, knowing that I can count on him to play the role he needs to effectively on both ends of the floor.”
Though he is studying at university, Filipe Silva still has a passion for basketball. About the future, he said, “I still believe that I can do something big with basketball, but after basketball I really want to continue with international relations.”
