Posted on 01/22/2026 8:59:21 PM PST by nickcarraway
Ranked at the top in his age group, a 12-year-old basketball phenom from Oakland is turning heads and is the first in his team’s history to receive an "offer" from a Division 1 college while in middle school.
The 7th grader plays in the junior youth division of Bay Area-based Team Arsenal, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) club.
Last month, he and his team announced that he received an "offer" from the University of San Francisco.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktvu.com ...
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I’m happy for young Kam and his proud family, but I’m concerned that I read nothing about the boy becoming proficient in any of his academic studies. Everyone’s already expecting his athletic ability will be all he needs to succeed after high school.
It’s always best to have a
Plan B. that one can live with in case Plan A. does not work out after X number of years have past by. They will find out.
He may not be an academic. Yes, he could get injured, or may have peaked early, and not wind up in the NBA at all. If he can stay on long enough to get an N-I-L deal he will never starve.
It could well be that without basketball, he isn’t college material, at least not in a “I am going to learn and study for four years” kind of way. If he only wants a paper credential with little behind it, he won’t be alone, only no student loan debt.
If he takes up sales, or a trade, or sports coaching, that’s all good. The student-athlete moniker has been a façade for all too many for a long, long time. Main difference now is that the “students” can be free agents, and they can cash in before graduating.
N.I.L. = Name, Image and Likeness. A policy allowing college and high school athletes to earn money from their personal brand through endorsements, social media, appearances and selling their own merchandise.
I’m not much of a Sports fan. I didn’t know any of that until right now. Interesting. Has it’s Pros and it’s Cons.
But can he say the alphabet or write in cursive?
Starting with Linda Blair.
If you think he’s good at basketball, you should see him at math.
Sadly, the average student doesn’t learn much in school anymore, whether they play basketball or not. They average college student thinks quarter after 1:00 id 1:25.
If there were any videos showing him playing basketball, I haven’t watched them. I wasn’t particularly interested in seeing someone bouncing a ball. I do know if that is what excites him, then he should do it. It will help him learn how to work with other people.
Can he read?
He’s got a Basketball Jones!
He can hire people to do that
Cooper Flagg
18 years old - NBA superstar
Said to be better the LeBron when he was 18
No one asking if he can read.
He is definitely a thoroughbred.
The breeders were developing field hands that ended up being basketball players
7th grade? By the time he gets to Division I, he will be physically overused.
He’s gonna need knee replacement surgery before he’s 30.
Hopefully he won’t be another Todd Marinovich like story. Let the kid have a life outside of sports.
You said you know nothing about basketball and you’re not interested so why do you keep posting as if you do? Here’s a clue. They don’t just “bounce a basketball.”
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