Elijah

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

He plays several sports & loves all of them,but most of all he loves playing high-level basketball against other talented kids in his age group and higher. He has a dream to become an NBA player someday and makes sure he works hard daily to stand out from his peers. He loves the sport because it's fun and brings joy, even in rough times basketball is his therapy to calm him down. In his downtime, he enjoys going outside to play basketball with his family, friends and kids in the neighborhood.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

He is mostly inspired by his parents and the people around him, that push him to keep going to improve. When he sees someone more advanced, he takes it upon himself to get better to stand out. He is also inspired by his favorite basketball players Cooper Flagg & Giannis Antetokounmpo. He rewatches their games, studying their gameplay to translate it to his as best as he can, while putting his spin on it. They are AWESOME players in his eyes.

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

Just one?🤔 One of my proudest moments in his athletic journey was when he was selected as one of the top 100 eighth grade basketball players in the country and invited to the inaugural (1st ever) Jr.EYBL NIKE Academy for a week at the University of Houston from all his hard work. The experience was AWESOME and he was beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity. My humble 14yr old, 6ft 8in gentle giant, Honor Roll Athlete!