Charleston basketball's Spencer Legg using platform to bring Type 1 diabetes awareness
Spencer Legg was 11 years old when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
In those moments, he recalls uncertainty about what the future held. Would the chronic disease hold him back from reaching his basketball aspirations was a common question he thought. More than seven years after his diagnosis, he’s accomplished nearly everything he had dreamed of as a kid.
Now a sophomore at the College of Charleston, he will join his teammates Sunday night to hear their name called for an NCAA Tournament bid. The Cougars captured the Coastal Athletic Association conference tournament crown to earn an automatic berth.
Still dealing with Type 1 diabetes daily, he’s playing Division I basketball while using his platform to bring awareness. Legg created the Collegiate Champion Diabetes Educators (CCDE) collective this past fall, aimed at helping educate the youth about how they overcome Type 1 diabetes.
“It has shown me there’s more to basketball and that basketball can lead to different things,” he told On3. “When I was younger, and when I was first diagnosed, I didn’t think I would be doing this well. On top of that, being able to give back to others and teach them the tips and tricks that I had to manage my diabetes, means the world. It’s broadened my horizons in a lot of aspects.”
Charleston team backing CCDE
While NIL collectives across the college sports landscape are dedicated to raising dollars to retain and recruit top talent, CCDE operates differently. The registered nonprofit has worked hand-in-hand with the JDRF Diabetes Foundation throughout the process. Along with providing educational resources, CCDE’s mission is also to equip college athletes with skills to be an advocate for Type 1. Dollars raised go powering the foundation and paying athletes to carry be advocates.
Legg told On3 the idea was something he had tossed around with his father, which has since been backed by the College of Charleston. This season served as a launching point.
The 6-foot-7 forward invited five local kids and their families to a Charleston game earlier this month who are also fighting Type I diabetes. The group was recognized on the court during a first-quarter timeout, went in the locker room after the game and received a tour of the facility, Legg told On3.
The foundation held a 5K run in November to bring awareness, with his Charleston teammates participating, too. Christian Addison, who serves as Legg’s NIL agent and works with the CCDE collective, told On3 the foundation has raised over $55,000 to this point. Fans can make a one-time donation online.
“This initiative exemplifies the true essence of using your NIL for a greater purpose beyond personal gain,” Addison said. “It underscores Spencer and the College of Charleston’s commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of others and highlights the potential for athletes to be catalysts for meaningful change throughout society.”
Along with serving as a role model for kids also battling Type 1 diabetes, Legg is a contributor to a Charleston team that will enter the NCAA Tournament with a 27-7 record. Headed back to the Big Dance for the second consecutive year, the forward will have a chance to share his Collegiate Champion Diabetes Educators collective nationwide.
Playing in the Big Dance will just provide a larger platform for Spencer Legg’s passion project.
“On top of everything, I feel privileged to do it,” he said. “It’s added another responsibility, there’s a lot of work that goes into starting a foundation. A lot of people see the event and walk, but I don’t think they see all the work that goes on behind the scenes. But it’s really paid off.”