Will Sheridan
Encyclopedia
Will Sheridan Jr born on January 12, 1985 in Bear, Delaware
was a college basketball
player playing for Villanova Wildcats
Men's Basketball
program from 2003 to 2007. After graduation he played as an international basketball player in Italy. He is now a singer
, musician and recording artist signed with Royal Advisor Records and an EP released entitled Ngoma. He is also a businessman and manager in a company in the fashion industry. He is also in talks with VH1 for a reality show about gay or bisexual Basketball players.
He was recruited to Villanova University where he majored in Communications. Division I basketball team Villanova Wildcats in the 2003-2004 season and started for all 4 seasons there until graduation at the end of the 2006-2007 season. He is 6'8 and played as forward. He also penned a journal for the Philadelphia Daily News
during Villanova's 2006 NCAA tournament run.
After returning from Italy, where he played briefly in the Italian Basketball League, he returned to New York where he went into music.
, hip hop
and African rhythms. He released his first EP Ngoma (meaning music in Swahili language
). His first music video from the EP was "Welcome to the Jungle," that has a decidedly African rhythm with the refrain of the word "asante," which means thank you in Swahili. His follow-up single is "302", being the area code for Bear, Delaware where he grew up. He is releasing a full album in the winter of 2011.
privately to his teammate and roommate at Villanova Mike Nardi
as being gay
. He also came out to his parents months later, after he ended his freshman year in the university. His teammates at Villanova knew about his homosexuality, but kept a "wall of silence" opting for team unity. On May 16, 2011, and in an interview with Dana O'Neil on ESPN.com
, he came out publicly at the age of 26, after retiring from basketball. After the publication of the article, he also appeared on ESPN's Outside the Lines
.
In an interview with Outsports
, he said many of his songs, most notably "You Know I Got It" and "Set Fire in the Streets" did contain lyrics about homosexuality prior to coming out publicly.
Sheridan is only the second former Division I male basketball player to publicly come out of the closet as gay with the Briton John Amaechi
being the first to come out in February 2007. NCAA Division I Long Beach State 49er basketball center Travon Free came out openly as a bisexual player in January 2011. As of May 2011 Will is in talks with VH1 for a spinoff from 'Basketball Wives' for openly gay or bisexual Basketball players. John Amaechi is rumored to be apart of the cast.
Tracklist:
Bear, Delaware
Bear is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 17,593 at the 2000 census.Originally a small crossroads in a rural area south of Wilmington, the area supported small farms growing mainly corn and cattle...
was a college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
player playing for Villanova Wildcats
Villanova Wildcats
The Villanova Wildcats is the name of the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East for every sport except football, where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association .-Men's basketball:The Villanova Wildcats compete in the Big EAST and are currently coached by Jay...
Men's Basketball
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
program from 2003 to 2007. After graduation he played as an international basketball player in Italy. He is now a singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, musician and recording artist signed with Royal Advisor Records and an EP released entitled Ngoma. He is also a businessman and manager in a company in the fashion industry. He is also in talks with VH1 for a reality show about gay or bisexual Basketball players.
Basketball career
Will Sheridan is the son of Will Sr. Sheridan and Josie Sheridan, both police officers. His siblings are DeVaughn and Chaleoa. His nickname was Bump. He started playing basketball in Sanford High School and ranked very high nationally as among the top 50 prep players in by Basketball Times.He was recruited to Villanova University where he majored in Communications. Division I basketball team Villanova Wildcats in the 2003-2004 season and started for all 4 seasons there until graduation at the end of the 2006-2007 season. He is 6'8 and played as forward. He also penned a journal for the Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
during Villanova's 2006 NCAA tournament run.
After returning from Italy, where he played briefly in the Italian Basketball League, he returned to New York where he went into music.
Musical career
His start was a gig entitled the Will to Win at the Spark Center, a tiny cafe attached to an Italian restaurant in New York. He was also inspired by a visit to Nairobi and the Ruiru Rehabilitation Center. His music is a mix of houseHouse music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and African rhythms. He released his first EP Ngoma (meaning music in Swahili language
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
). His first music video from the EP was "Welcome to the Jungle," that has a decidedly African rhythm with the refrain of the word "asante," which means thank you in Swahili. His follow-up single is "302", being the area code for Bear, Delaware where he grew up. He is releasing a full album in the winter of 2011.
Personal life
At the beginning of his freshman year, Will Sheridan came outComing out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
privately to his teammate and roommate at Villanova Mike Nardi
Mike Nardi
Mike Nardi is a 6'2" 170 lb American basketball player who attended St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey and Villanova University....
as being gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. He also came out to his parents months later, after he ended his freshman year in the university. His teammates at Villanova knew about his homosexuality, but kept a "wall of silence" opting for team unity. On May 16, 2011, and in an interview with Dana O'Neil on ESPN.com
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, he came out publicly at the age of 26, after retiring from basketball. After the publication of the article, he also appeared on ESPN's Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines, or also referred to as OTL, is an American television program on ESPN that looks "outside the lines" and examines critical issues in American sports on and off the field of play....
.
In an interview with Outsports
Outsports
Outsports is a California-based media company whose largest holding is Outsports.com. The company was founded in 1999 by Cyd Zeigler, Jr. and Jim Buzinski. The Web site has served as a media watchdog, sports-entertainment provider and community builder since its founding.The Outsports Revolution ,...
, he said many of his songs, most notably "You Know I Got It" and "Set Fire in the Streets" did contain lyrics about homosexuality prior to coming out publicly.
Sheridan is only the second former Division I male basketball player to publicly come out of the closet as gay with the Briton John Amaechi
John Amaechi
John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi OBE is a retired American-born British basketball player who currently works as a psychologist, educator and political activist in Europe and the United States....
being the first to come out in February 2007. NCAA Division I Long Beach State 49er basketball center Travon Free came out openly as a bisexual player in January 2011. As of May 2011 Will is in talks with VH1 for a spinoff from 'Basketball Wives' for openly gay or bisexual Basketball players. John Amaechi is rumored to be apart of the cast.
EPs
- 2010: Ngoma (EP)
Tracklist:
- Fundamental (Lorant's Royal Pass) (5:20)
- You Know I Got It (W!LL's Original Mix) (3:54)
- Welcome to the Jungle (Morsy's Original Mix) (3:54)
- Welcome to the Jungle (Morsy's Go-Bop Mix) (5:13)
Singles/Videography
- 2011: "Welcome to the Jungle" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBrVDkb_M5Q
- 2011: "302" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RoTyBg_Gpw