Nicholas Courtney '22 Recruiting Profile

An organization that I was part of when I was in elementary and middle schools displayed a large banner with the words “We Are Only As Good As Our Discipline”. That has become my personal motto that I apply to all parts of my life, and especially basketball.

Because of my family situation, I could not participate in group-based basketball activities for nearly nine months when the COVID pandemic began. I took that time to work on my explosiveness, getting my first dunk and much more.  Since I have been able to work out inside gyms, I have added to my schedule group workouts, games, and more. This summer, I have been training 3 times a day, almost everyday. I am currently growing taller and increasing my athleticism daily, along with improving my skills at a rapid rate.

I have been taking AP and honors classes in all subjects because I enjoy the higher level of challenge and rigor in the material and also in class discussions. I will be taking 4 AP classes in my senior year. In college, I am planning to pursue a course of study that combines my interests and knowledge in science and sports. I am looking for a program that expands my game and that prepares me for life when the ball stops bouncing

Physically, I was a late bloomer. I was small coming in to high school. In the last two years, I have grown nearly a foot and added over 60 pounds. I am familiar with stories of late bloomers in the NBA such as CJ McCollum and Stephen Curry. But my favorite story of a late bloomer is that of my grandfather, Tom Courtney. Like me, he did not start growing until his sophomore year in high school and did not join his school’s track team until then. But with hard work and perseverance, he went on to win two Gold Olympic medals in track.