Image created by Aaron

Today I will be talking about my Basketball Journey.

This story begins with my brother. He had just been born, and we had to move me into the guest bedroom. He slept in the small bedroom that I used to sleep in for one year, that was until we moved. I remember that small house vividly, but I still come to see the outside part of it every once in a while. Along with us moving, me and Jacob, my little brother, had to switch schools. I went to two other children’s campuses before my kindergarten year. My first children’s campus before we moved was a nice preschool with plenty of outdoor activities and space. That was where I met my best friends Will and Evan. They play a huge part in this story, but more on that later. The second one I went to was a small, cold place with a terrible playground. I had no friends, was the oldest in my class, and it just wasn’t fun. But tied for the worst one is the newest, biggest of them all. It wasn’t the classroom or the size that was the problem. It was the fact that they expected 4 year-olds to have fun on a flat turf with nothing. The playground was just bad. Now for the fun part. I was a rising kindergartener, and was about to pick my school. I was going to pick Duke school, because the visit to the school was the most fun. That was what was going on in my head. 4 year-olds are very simple. But then I saw a video of some Durham academy graduates walking in the school with some graduation gowns. So I picked D.A. That was the best decision of my life.

Once I got to kindergarten, my parents would consistently have me go to Extended Day. This would be the first time I actually shot a basketball. I made a new friend named Noah, and we would spend most of our time together during Extended Day. Noah would usually have to leave around 4:15, while I had to leave at 5:30. I spent all the time I didn’t have with Noah with a basketball just shooting around on an eight foot hoop.

One day, I decided to reach out to this other kid. He was about three inches shorter than me, and was a grade below. His name was Kai, and we still share a rivalry to this day. This kid would always be there to one vs one me, and I would start doing that once I was halfway through kindergarten.

I should also note that Noah will also play a pretty significant role in this story. Later. I promise.

I kept shooting a basketball for one hour and fifteen minutes, five days a week for two and a half years. And playing Kai, of course. Then, during spring break, it happened. Covid 19 happened. I was without a ball at my side for 2 years. Until fourth grade. That’s when I could play the sport that I loved most again.

When fourth grade started, I began playing i9 sports basketball. That was the league that I played in for 5 seasons, totaling 3 championships. But in my 3rd season, I started playing with Will and Evan. The last 3 seasons were spent with the boys that I still play with to this day. One time, me and my 10 year old best friends went off, and so did the rest of our team. We played a 36 minute game, and our team scored a total of 81 points. The most in i9 history. And the other team scored a historic 6 points. We beat them by 75 points. That would be an NBA record. When we were 2 thirds of the way through fifth grade, I began doing Woodcroft. I had my best game ever with 17 points. This was also when I started playing with Noah, and Owen. I told you that he would come in at some point. No championships, though.

Once Woodcroft ended, I started playing AAU. I still currently play AAU with my friends Jonah, Silas, Noah, Will, Evan, Other Noah, Big Josh, Steven, and Jack. We’ve won one tournament, in which I wasn’t present. But that’s the league that I play in today. This was also the league that I set my new career high. 23 points. Most of anyone in my grade. In AAU, because, this kid, that’s also named Aaron, has dropped 30 in Woodcroft. 

Thank you for listening to my story. It took about a week to write this, but 6 years and counting to get the story part. Bye!