David Vik was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after helping Team USA win gold in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour 50+ tournament in Athens, Greece.
When David Vik steps into his classroom at Heritage High School, he brings more than 30 years of basketball experience with him.
The longtime special education teacher spent 15 years playing professional basketball around the world before becoming a teacher. This summer, he added another achievement to his career by helping Team USA win the gold medal in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour 50+ division in Athens, Greece, where he was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Vik grew up in Washington State and played basketball at Washington State University under current University of Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson. Although he wasn’t selected in the NBA Draft, he continued pursuing basketball professionally. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business, he began a professional career that took him around the world.
Vik played professionally in Australia, Japan, Finland, Colombia, Lebanon, Uruguay, Spain and Portugal, where he spent nine seasons and earned Portuguese citizenship. Along the way, he also had a tryout with the Dallas Mavericks in 2000, working out alongside players including Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Shawn Bradley.
“Being able to do what I love, basketball, and being able to see all these different places, meet new people and learn about different cultures, it just kind of helped make me the person I am today,” Vik said.
As his basketball career wound down, Vik began substitute teaching in the Perris Union High School District while earning his master’s degree and teaching credential in special education. He was eventually hired at Heritage High School, where he is beginning his 16th year of teaching.
Vik said his passion for basketball and teaching goes hand in hand. At Heritage, Vik teaches a self-contained special education classroom serving students with behavioral and emotional needs. He said respect is the foundation of his classroom.
“They have a blank slate when they come into me,” Vik said. “I respect them. I have good rapport with my kids. Generally, I have no problem with them because I understand a lot of times where these kids have come from.”
Vik said many of his students have experienced significant trauma, something he can relate to from his own experiences. Losing a close friend and navigating his own mental health struggles gave him a deeper understanding of what some students may be facing.
“A lot of my kids have had severe trauma that they’ve dealt with in their lifetimes, and I dealt with some of the same things,” Vik said. “I think this is perfectly suited for me, what I’m doing.”
While teaching is now his full-time career, basketball remains a big part of his life.
At 54, Vik still competes in a 50-and-over league in Los Angeles, plays in Masters tournaments and regularly trains with his teenage son, who will be a sophomore at Heritage High School this fall. Even after decades in the game, Vik said he has no plans to stop playing anytime soon.
“Basketball has been one of the biggest joys of my life,” Vik said. “It supported me and gave me a lot of opportunities that a lot of other people wouldn’t have had. As long as I can run up and down, I’m going to play.”
