- 2023 Spotlight
Personal Statement
Being a Student-Athlete has shaped who I am now. I'd been active in sports since I was a child, but by seventh grade, I knew I wanted to pursue basketball professionally. I realize that kids my age have had the privilege of participating in one sport or another since they were children, which may give them an edge, but that has never stopped me from working hard and establishing little objectives to achieve. Playing basketball taught me that hard work overcomes talent when talent fails to work hard, and little did I realize that my freshman year would result in me making Varsity and starting 12 games of the season. My effort, tenacity, and communication kept me on the floor despite not having the most points or rebounds. My team and I qualified for the State Championship, GMC Division Camps, and Conference Semifinals. I trained and played with my AAU team over the off-season. When I was in AAU, I was always more confident, and a lot more was expected of me as a player. Having said that, my AAU team and I had a really great season.
My sophomore year of high school, I started all 28 games of the season, doing whatever my team required of me at the time. I had to figure out where I fit on the court while playing alongside two powerful upperclassmen. On the go, I learned to adapt and listen to corrections. I learned how to take the initiative, be a leader, and set aside my own emotions regardless of how I was performing. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been a part of such a wonderful and effective program. All of this carried over to my AAU season, when I developed into a great offensive, defensive, and trustworthy player. I still have a lot to learn, and my game is just getting better during the off-season. All of this will hopefully lead to my dream of playing collegiate basketball.
