Noah Welcome '21 Recruiting Profile

I didn’t start playing basketball until 7^th grade, when I grew from 5 to 6 feet over the summer.  The Travel Basketball coach came calling. I started off as a Center and learned all about defense.  The physicality, the strategy, the thrill of stopping someone’s play.  It made me love playing basketball, and even today I judge my own game performance on how infrequently my man scores.

Shooting didn’t come naturally for me.  But I have learned a lot about myself in the pursuit of being a great all-around payer.  When I want something, I put in the work.  I’ve spent hours shooting in the driveway, walk to the gym to lift, get into any pickup game I can find.  I push myself to beat my own Personal Best.  Every game.

I was always a decent student, mostly getting B’s in Middle School.  Once I fell in love with Basketball, I knew I needed to keep my grades up in order to continue playing.  My mother made it clear that if my grades slipped, basketball was over.  I became an A student and moved into Honors classes in 9^th grade.  I really attribute the change to the structure basketball provided.  I planned my studies around when I had practice, tournaments, and pickup games.  My priorities became clear.  Get good grades, so I could keep playing ball.  Heading into my Junior year, I will be taking 3 Advanced Placement courses, and am maintaining a 3.76 GPA.  I plan to study Biology, with a focus on Genetics in college. 

I want to be a great basketball player.  I’ve worked hard, and continue to work hard, focusing on, and improving specific areas of my game.   I have taught myself to shoot 3's,  have a nice jump shot, am typically 80% at the line, and am very physical on the defensive end.  I have an ability to size up my opponents and disrupt them defensively.  Its something I really enjoy.  I am unselfish on the court, like to push my teammates to be their best, and love to win.

I am looking for a school where I can pursue both my academic and athletic goals.   For me, I know achieving one means achieving them both.