Bigger Than Basketball: The Journey of Coach Chris Haslam and Graham Eikenberry

Photo by Ian Cunningham

This past weekend, I had the chance to fly out to Portland, Oregon, to watch a special matchup that brought everything full circle. On one side was my friend, Oregon State assistant coach and big man specialist Chris Haslam. On the other was Graham Eikenberry, a 6’10 forward and former participant at our IC Change Free Basketball Showcase in Ohio.

What made the trip even more meaningful was the incredible hospitality from Graham’s parents, Doug and Dawn Eikenberry, who welcomed me with open arms. It reminded me why we always say our showcase is bigger than basketball. It’s about relationships, staying connected, and supporting our players long after the lights turn off.

Graham’s path has been anything but easy. After high school, he chose the prep route, attending St. Andrew’s Prep in Rhode Island—where he had a strong year and earned multiple Division I offers. He eventually signed with The Citadel, but his freshman year brought an unexpected challenge: he caught mono, a virus that forced him to red shirt.

After the season, Graham faced a tough decision—stay and battle it out or return home to the Pacific Northwest, closer to his roots. He chose home, signing with Western Oregon University, just south of Portland, where his friends and family can cheer him on.

That brings us back to Coach Haslam. A native of the United Kingdom, Haslam played Division I basketball at Wyoming in the 1990s before a long professional career overseas. He later became a highly respected coach, spending a decade at Montana State, where he helped lead the Bobcats to back-to-back Big Sky Tournament Championships (2022 & 2023).

After Montana State, Haslam joined Utah State, where he helped the Aggies win the 2023–24 Mountain West title. Today, he’s an assistant coach at Oregon State, widely regarded as one of the top big man coaches in college basketball.

Years ago, after Graham attended our Ohio showcase, Coach Haslam was one of the first coaches I reached out to. He told me he’d keep an eye on Graham’s development. I promised him that if his team ever faced Graham, I’d be there to support them both—and that’s exactly what happened this weekend.

Watching Coach Haslam on one bench and Graham Eikenberry battling on the other was a full-circle moment. You never know where the game will take you, but moments like this remind me why we do what we do.

Because at the end of the day, #ICChange is always bigger than basketball. 

Chris Haslam on X @cjhaz14 

Graham Eikenberry on X @EIKENKID 

Ian Cunningham on X @iancle1