The Athlete

I'm from Vegas, and my roots are Vegas Elite. That program taught me everything I know about the game. COVID took my last two AAU seasons and most of my recruiting window, but I still earned a Division I offer from Western Michigan.

My freshman year was the biggest stage I'd ever been on, and it's where I learned the game is a business. Our coach got fired, the new staff told me to hit the portal, and my confidence went to the floor. For a long time I thought the problem was me. It wasn't.

So I bet on myself and went to junior college. Small town, no shortcuts. That's where I learned how to work. Then I transferred to Adams State, where my first season wasn't my year because I focused on everything I couldn't control. By summer I didn't even want to touch a ball.

Going into my senior year I made one decision: control the controllables and stop worrying about everything else. No more focusing on playing time or the coaches, just striving to be the best version of myself every day. I got in the gym every day, rep after rep, and the confidence came back because I earned it. I had the best season of my career and graduated.

Then I worked all summer for a professional contract that didn't come quickly. I kept working and kept the faith that it would happen, because it's God's plan, not mine. It happened. I signed my first pro contract and played in Arequipa, Peru.