Juiced to the Peel - Part 2

Part 2 - Life and Basketball

Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple. Despite the great success he was achieving in Bay City, there wasn’t anyone who could mold him into a truly great player. Furthermore, grades were hindering his chance to qualify for a Division 1 school. He was forced to give up the adulation and star power of home, to go play at Oak Hill Academy. It was there where he was able to achieve eligibility for college, as well as ensure his place as an elite recruit. But it was also there that he made the tough decision to renege on a previous commitment to Michigan State, and instead play for the highly ranked Syracuse Orange.

Though seen by many as a cocky and arrogant youth with anger issues, he enjoyed great success at Syracuse, despite the struggles both on and off the court. That is, until his junior year. It was then that 2 of his good friends left the team after fallouts with Coach Boeheim. Still, it was to be a promising year for him and the Orange. Unfortunately in early November he had some off-court issues himself. It was shortly after the second game of the year that he found out that his girlfriend was pregnant. After taking a few days off from practice to sort out his issues, he returned with a vengeance. He led the team in scoring until the 10^th game, when tragically he went down, writhing in pain. ACL… torn.

A very tough road lay ahead. Though rehab for his torn ACL, and an off-court altercation in which his temper got the best of him were turning points in his life, he points to June 20, 2008 as the truly life-changing day. That was the day in which Madelyn, his daughter, was born.

ZSJ