“Watch Me Shock The World”

Even though he’s only a sophomore, Shelton Brown has been playing an essential role on the West Ashley High School varsity basketball team this season, and he is this week’s Athlete of the Week. “Despite playing a post position at 6-foot-1, Shelton is the team’s leading rebounder and leading scorer,” says head coach Ronnie Dupre. Brown averages 16 points and 9 rebounds a game. “He helped lead the Wildcats to the consolation championship at the Rotary Roundball Classic [in December],” says Dupre.  Brown was even named to the All-Tournament Team.
It’s not just Brown’s stats and performance during games his coach found impressive. “He comes to practice each day with a great attitude, work ethic, and a strong desire to improve,” says Dupre. “He sets an excellent example for the other players on how to play hard.”
According to Brown he always works hard at practice and during games because of the advice his travel Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach gavee him: Be yourself and work hard. Brown doesn’t play any other sports, mainly because he likes basketball so much. He especially enjoys playing on the school team.
“I like playing in front of big crowds and playing for my school,” says Brown. Even in his free time he hangs out with friends and plays games. He also watches Youtube videos of pro athletes training to get ideas of what he can do to improve and to try to learn new moves or skills.
This year Brown wants to help his team make it to (and hopefully win) the state championship. He says he wants to prove that hard work really can pay off in the end, especially to those who don’t believe in the underdog or in those coming from humble means making it to the top. His motto is “Watch me shock the world,” and he may just do that.
When Brown graduates high school, he wants to go to college. More specifically, he hopes to get a scholarship to play basketball in college. Brown’s ultimate goal concerning basketball is to go pro and make it to the NBA. He says it would be awesome if he was drafted by his favorite team, the Cavaliers.  If he isn’t able to play in the NBA, he wants to try to play overseas on a European team. According to Brown, he would like to become a salesman, possibly a real estate agent, if a career in basketball is not in the cards.