Ethan Andre Ilunga '19 Recruiting Profile

 I am a 6'2"", PG, SG, I am attending CORE 4 Post Grad Basketball Prep School in Atlanta, Georgia. I am blessed to have  been selected among many good athletes to receive a scholarship and  to have this opportunity  to play  for  Core 4 and receive top training from people who work with pro's and well known NBA players. I am committed, courageous, resilient, and disciplined. I am never satisfied and this drives me to work to perfect my craft. My work ethic is most related to the Kobe Bryant quote,"Work until you Black Out", meaning, until you can't get any better at your craft, and for me that is continual, because no matter how good you may be, you always have to push yourself to the next level, and there is always the next level.  As a team captain I lead my team by example.  Academically, I wanted to pursue medicine or engineering, so my major was in the sciences.  However, I like business and Marketing as well. I am an athlete with a high motor that drives me to reach my goals. I am also an athlete who likes high levels of competition. I enjoy challenges and working hard to meet and overcome those challenges. I am a highly competitive person who is looking for a college that offers both a high academic and athletic program.  It's hard to find an Athlete who  strives to achieve excellence in both. I am that Athlete. When it comes to practice I am the first to arrive and the last to leave.  I have always believed that talent can only take you so far, working on your craft daily is what gets you to the next level. that is why I maintain a very high Work Ethic. 

For  the gifts I have, I give thanks to god 

If you want, you can read the essay below. It gives you a little more insight into me

WORK UNTIL YOU BLACKOUT

"Work until you blackout.” Have you ever heard that phrase before? If you don't follow the game of basketball or maybe you just don't know who Kobe Bryant is, chances are, you have never heard this statement. At this point, you're probably thinking, “Wow, that's just crazy, why would anybody do that?” If that’s what you're thinking, then you have no idea what Kobe Bryant, actually meant. Before I go any deeper into this subject, I'd first like to introduce myself. My name is Ethan Andre Ilunga, born of both African and European descent, to two loving parents named, Debra and Emmanuel Ilunga.

Growing up, I loved to play the game of basketball. The game has introduced many challenges into my life. One of the challenges that I had to overcome, was changing schools. When I moved from Utah to New Mexico, I was just beginning the 7th grade. The new middle school which I attended was Jefferson Middle School. When basketball tryouts came around, I was positive I would make the team. But after tryouts, the posted list of all of the kids who had made the team didn’t include my name. In my heart, I knew the coach had overlooked me. This motivated me to work my hardest to make the higher level A team at the next tryout. After all of my hard work, perseverance, and dedication, I had made the team! I went on to Play for Albuquerque High 6A division, and by my sophomore year, I was moved to Varsity. My last Game in the spring of 2016, I scored 33 pts and had a Double Double. I moved again to a new school in Utah for my Junior year and made the Varsity BB Team. These experiences taught me how to work vigorously through hard times, to keep believing in yourself, and never give up even when all odds seem to be against you.

When times are tough, I turn to playing Basketball to free my mind. Starting at the age of 6, I enjoyed playing the game of basketball. At age 12, basketball, which used to be a source of enjoyment, became a passion, and I love playing basketball to this day. My favorite basketball player, if you didn't know this already, is Kobe Bryant, because of his mentality and hard work ethics.

Because I look up to Kobe Bryant, I apply his hard work ethics and philosophies into my game and academics. I have always pushed myself to continue to excel in basketball and to get good grades. The reason I have always worked so hard is that I want to be successful in life, I want to be able to give back and I know that in order to be successful, hard work is essential.  Part of my dream is playing College Basketball, leading me one step closer to my ultimate dream getting Drafted to the NBA!



Now, you're probably asking, "Ethan, what about that whole thing you said about working until you black out?" Well, I'm glad you asked. Because hard work has been an important factor in my life, I was drawn to this quote made by Kobe Bryant. This quote may sound totally insane but in reality, it's not. This quote doesn't actually mean to work to the point of exhaustion where you pass out or lose consciousness. What this quote is actually saying, is to work until you have perfected what you are working on. Work until you feel like you can't get any better at your craft. I strongly believe in this philosophy, which is why I stand by Mr. Bryant’s quote, “Work until you black out.”




Ethan Andre Ilunga