Okay, so I got into basketball because of this guy, Lajae Jones. I saw some highlights and was like, “Man, I gotta learn how to do that!” So, I started watching a bunch of his games and really focused on how he moved.
First, I noticed this dude was the main scorer for Barton Community College. He was dropping, like, 15 points a game! That’s crazy! I grabbed a basketball and just started dribbling around my driveway, trying to copy his moves. It wasn’t pretty, but hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?
Watching and Practicing
- I spent hours watching videos of Lajae Jones. I mean, any video I could find.
- Then I’d go outside and try to imitate what I saw.
- I worked on my dribbling, my shooting, everything.
After a while, I started to get a little better. I could dribble between my legs without tripping over myself, which was a huge win. Then I moved on to shooting. I set up a makeshift hoop in my backyard and practiced shooting from different spots, just like Lajae.
I also found out he played for St. Bonaventure Bonnies. That became my new obsession. I started following all their games, just to watch him play. It was like, I was learning from the master or something. Every game, I’d pick up something new.
It’s been a while now, and I’m still not as good as Lajae, obviously. But I’m way better than when I started. I even joined a local basketball league, and I’m holding my own. It’s all thanks to this guy and just putting in the time to practice.
It is a long way I have been through, and I really enjoy it. You know, sometimes you just gotta find someone who inspires you and then put in the work. That’s what I learned from watching and trying to play like Lajae Jones. He may not even know who I am but his playing really makes me a better basketball player!
