Zander Desentz '21 Recruiting Profile

Basketball has been a part of my life since the very beginning. Ever since I started holding a basketball, I have had dreams of becoming one of the greats. The hard work that people do to achieve their goals is something you can't teach and I know I have what it takes.  Setting goals throughout life has taught me the hard work mentality that gets me through what needs to be done every day. I love being the first and last person in the gym making sure I get that extra advantage when it comes to game time. Every recruit obviously wants to be in the NBA as their overall goal, but compared to the other recruits, I am focused on more short term goals that end up helping me reach my long term goals more. Most players will idolize an NBA superstar and almost take after them as their own because they can relate to them. I, on the other hand, am trying to be something different. I want to be the one that is looked upon as one of the best. Not just as a player on the court, but also off. It is just as important for me to get a 3.5 GPA or higher because I know that no matter how much skill you have as an athlete, no offer will come to you if your grades aren't at a certain standard.  The reason I believe in working so hard is because my dad is the best example of it. Not only did he grow up without a lot of money, but he constantly had to move leaving him without a lot of friends. No one deserves to be in the position that my dad was in so I have always wanted to make him proud by showing him what his hard work mentality has done to his son. With the training and skill I have had for my whole life, I am now a starter on my varsity team as a sophomore. In addition to me playing up with the best in my region, I have learned the game so much more so when my senior year comes, I won't be stopped.  I have fully committed to pursue my NBA career and help people realize that you don't have to be the tallest or the biggest, you just have to be willing to give it all.