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Of course, Leon Powe is a community ambassador for the Boston Celtics. Of course, he is doing charity work for the team and the NBA. Of course, Powe is providing guidance for the Celtics' younger players.
 
With every chapter, Powe continues to write an improbable story of success, inspiration and redemption. The former Cal men's basketball star has beaten back sobering reality at every turn, provoking admiration and respect from everyone who has followed his plight.
 
Powe arrived at Cal in 2003 after navigating an upbringing full of potholes and obstacles. Not only did he have a successful basketball career in Berkeley that helped lead him to the NBA, he brought with him a magnetic spirit that seemed unlikely for anyone who had to negotiate his path.
 
Despite a broken childhood, Powe has always had a captivating personality. He's always done the right thing, inspiring those along the way and becoming a fan favorite wherever he has gone.
 
So it's not surprising that Powe, whose NBA career was cut short by injuries, decided to remain in the game by helping those less fortunate.
 
"Going through everything I went through helped me to be the man that I am," said Powe, who will be inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in October. "I had to overcome a lot of different scenarios in front of me. It taught me to be mentally strong. It taught me how to handle adversity and how you choose to overcome it. I'm a better person because of it."
 
Powe was raised by a single mom who passed away when he was a senior in high school. His family spent time in upwards of 30 homeless shelters and run-down hotels. Growing up in a tough neighborhood in Oakland, Powe was forced to duck gunshots. He saw drug dealers gunned down at his apartment complex.
 
But Powe was able to find some people to look out for him, and when he emerged as one of the nation's top high school recruits, it was important for him to remember those people. That's a main reason he decided to come to Cal.
 
Some of those people will be on hand in October for Powe's induction ceremony.
 
"I can't thank the community back home enough," Powe said. "They showed me so much love and support. That's why I stayed home. I wanted them to see me play, and grow up as well."
 
By his second season in the NBA, Powe was an integral part of Boston's playing rotation and helped the Celtics' win the 2008 championship, including a memorable Game 2 performance in which he scored 21 points in just 15 minutes. But he tore his ACL for the third time the following season and was never able to return to top form before retiring.
 
In addition to working for the Celtics, Powe fancies himself a self-employed businessman. He says he has some technology-based products in the works and his ultimate goal is to own NBA team someday.
 
"I've had a lot of ups and downs," Powe said. "It taught me that life isn't easy. I've always tried to overcome stuff the best possible way. I knew what person I wanted to be. If it weren't for my past experiences, I probably wouldn't know how to overcome something now. Life deals you a lot of cards – you just have to play them the right way."
 
The 2018 Cal Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Friday, Oct. 26 at the Greek Orthodox Church in Oakland. For tickets, visit bigcsociety.org.