Demetris Nichols
“If defense wins championships was a person” it would be Demetris Nichols.
Establishing his commanding presence as early as high school, Demetris’ wingspan, team mentality, and skillset solidified him as an on-court threat at St. Andrew's High School, where he helped his club to a 28-8 record and win the New England Prep School Athletic Conference title. In fact, Demetris' accolades have been piling up since 2003. As a three-time Street & Smith's Magazine Honorable Mention All-American, third-team Parade All-American, the 2003 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year, and the EA Sports Roundball Game All-American, he was nationally known as a power forward to be reckoned with. Nichols was rated 50th overall and 14th among small forwards by ESPN.com and was successfully recruited by Syracuse University.
Demetris’ momentum only picked up speed once he became an Orangeman. Nichols started in 15 games for the Orange during his freshman year. Notably, he scored ten points against BYU and nine points against Maryland in the NCAA Tournament, in which Syracuse advanced to the Sweet 16.
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Nichols posted the sixth-best scoring average improvement in Syracuse history, going from 3.9 points per game as a sophomore to 13.3 pg in his junior year. He ranked second on the team in scoring and third in rebounding. Nichols scored a season-high 28 points against Connecticut and averaged 13.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in the Big East Tournament. Nichols' senior season proved to be his best, as he was a unanimous selection for the All-Big East First Team as well as an NABC and USBWA All-District First Team selection.
He also set a Syracuse record in Big East games with a career-high 37 points, including seven three-pointers, and ten rebounds against St. John's. Nichols finished his Syracuse career tied for 28th in career scoring (1,344), 3rd in three-point goals, 4th in three-point field goals attempted (573), and 10th in three-point field goal percentage.
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He also set a Syracuse record in Big East games with a career-high 37 points, including seven three-pointers, and ten rebounds against St. John's. Nichols finished his Syracuse career tied for 28th in career scoring (1,344), 3rd in three-point goals, 4th in three-point field goals attempted (573), and 10th in three-point field goal percentage.
Nichols was the 53rd overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2007 NBA draft.
Nichols was immediately traded to the Knicks and participated in the July 2007 Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 15.6 points on 53% shooting. On October 1, 2007, Nichols was signed to the Knicks roster, and on October 29th, he was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers to fill the 15th spot on their opening day roster. His journey continued, and on December 5, 2007, Nichols was claimed by the Chicago Bulls and assigned to the Iowa Energy of the D-League where he averaging 19.3 points per game but was then recalled to Chicago. He played his first game with the Bulls on January 23, 2008. In 2009, Nichols took his talents abroad, playing with the French team BCM Gravelines. The following season, Demetris joined JA Vichy, also in France. His outstanding performances with Gravelines and JA Vichy, in addition to his 2013-2014 season in Russia with Krasnye Krylia, led to a contract with one of Europe’s most elite organizations, CSKA Moscow. In 2015, CSKA finished the season by winning the VTB United League, after eliminating Khimki with a 3–0 series sweep in the league's final playoff series. On July 24, 2015, he re-signed with CSKA for one more season. Nichols signed with Greek club, Panathinaikos, for the 2016–17 season, Cedevita Zagreb (Croatia) for the 2017–18 season, and Sidigas Avellino (Italy) for the 2018-2019 season.
Stacey Nichols
Stacey Nichols graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in marketing and business administration and a Master of Arts in magazine, newspaper, and online journalism from the prestigious Newhouse School of Public Communication. She is an avid writer, focusing her energy on health and wellness as well as philanthropy and program development that speaks to the needs of underserved communities throughout Syracuse and Boston. Stacey strongly believes that exercise is not only good for the body but drastically improves one’s mental health, too.
“I created an ongoing health and wellness group for women who need extra assistance with accountability with their fitness goals,” Stacey shares as she elaborates on her wellness passion. “I also participate in online health challenges to create and maintain healthy habits.”
As Vice-President of the Nichols Movement, Stacey is committed to bringing awareness to issues that affect underserved communities and finding ways to address those issues. Currently, she and other members of the Nichols Movement are creating a program to help children in these neighborhoods who struggle with speech impediments.
“Children commonly grow up with challenges that could have been avoided by early intervention, and this is often overlooked in our communities,” Stacey explains, highlighting the importance of facilitating resources for the community.
Additionally, Stacey is gearing her talents toward creating small groups for parents to talk about taboo issues, encouraging open communication and dialogue to improve the lives of posterity.
“Young girls are a demographic often overlooked, too, and my goal is to create mentorship programs and creative writing after-school workshops that encourage self-expression and confidence,” Stacey expands, providing insight into her future plans and goals.
Stacey has a heart for community and a passion for change, and she especially enjoys engaging with people from underserved communities because she is a product of an environment similar to those serviced by The Nichols Movement. Originally from Bronx, New York, Stacey resides upstate New York with her husband, Demetris, and two beautiful daughters, Sydney and Gabrielle. In every decision, idea, and community outreach initiative, Stacey remains true to her motto, “Your dream is for you. Your purpose is for others. Your life is full when you’re living both at the same time.”