Hansel Enmanuel paused for a moment and then reached for his left leg.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 going to show you something I haven害羞草研究所檛 shown nobody,害羞草研究所� he said, slowly lifting the leg of his sweatpants until the leg is exposed to the thigh. 害羞草研究所淟ook.害羞草研究所�
He pointed to scar after scar after scar down the length of the leg of an for Northwestern State who stands 6-foot-6. It is the physical evidence of a grim time etched deep, a lifelong reminder of a journey that has brought him to Division I basketball.
害羞草研究所淵ou see all this right here?害羞草研究所� he asked during a recent interview at a Houston hotel. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 because every time I fall害羞草研究所� (that) happened.害羞草研究所�
He shook his head before continuing.
害羞草研究所淭hat time was too hard for me,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat was crazy because I didn害羞草研究所檛 think it was going to happen.害羞草研究所�
The 19-year-old Enmanuel has drawn attention for several years now after videos went viral showing him dunking with ease in high school. Dribbling past opponents intent on shutting him down. Draining 3-pointers. Sinking turnaround fadeaways.
All with just his right arm.
It looks almost effortless when he plays. It害羞草研究所檚 not. It never has been.
Enmanuel was 6 and living in the Dominican Republic when he playing with friends, climbing a wall. It wasn害羞草研究所檛 stable and it fell over him, pinning his left arm. He was rushed to the hospital, but doctors couldn害羞草研究所檛 save his arm and it was amputated several inches below the shoulder.
He was hospitalized for about six months. It was a dark time for Enmanuel and his family.
害羞草研究所淲hen the accident happened, I was thinking like: 害羞草研究所榃hat am I going to do now?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he said. 害羞草研究所淚 was thinking: 害羞草研究所業t害羞草研究所檚 over for me.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
By the end of his hospitalization, Enmanuel said his mental approach had improved thanks to his relationship with God. Slowly, things got better.
Small things became huge victories. He vividly remembers the first time he tied his shoes. Months after the accident, Enmanuel tried basketball, too.
His missing arm left him lacking balance. With his equilibrium off, every time he tried to run, he害羞草研究所檇 crash to the ground, falling on debris strewn across the makeshift courts he played on. The scars piled up. So did his confidence as he gained experience.
By 13, he started attending camps and tournaments in the United States and he began to realize just how good he could be. He first dunked at 14 and it wasn害羞草研究所檛 long before his internet celebrity started to grow along with
He played high school ball in Kissimmee, Florida, and was considered a top prospect as a senior, when he averaged 25.9 points, 11 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 3.4 blocks per game.
It wasn害羞草研究所檛 the highlight-reel plays that piqued Northwestern State coach Corey Gipson害羞草研究所檚 interest. He liked his attitude and the way he carried himself on the court.
害羞草研究所淗ansel is a very resilient person, which makes him a very resilient player,害羞草研究所� Gipson said. 害羞草研究所淭hat mindset translates to the game. When you see him on the floor, you just see a formidable force that doesn害羞草研究所檛 take anything for granted.害羞草研究所�
, Enmanuel has seen limited minutes. But he has shown flashes of the skills that made him famous before he stepped on campus.
On Dec. 10 against Louisiana-Monroe, Enmanuel scored the first points of his collegiate career, finishing with five points. A layup, a free throw. But he capped the performance in stunning fashion when he missed a free throw,
Gipson and Enmanuel害羞草研究所檚 teammates understand the interest in him is amplified because he害羞草研究所檚 missing an arm. To them, he害羞草研究所檚 just one of the guys.
Gipson, who is also in his first year at Northwestern State, shared a story from early in camp that perfectly illustrated that point. When a player makes a mistake in practice, Gipson makes them do fingertip pushups. He ordered Enmanuel to do it after a miscue, then immediately felt bad and said he could do sit ups instead.
Enmanuel refused: 害羞草研究所淣o, coach.害羞草研究所�
As he struggled to complete the task, teammate Cedric Garrett sprang into action, grabbing his midsection to help.
害羞草研究所淎nd when they grabbed him by the waist, he got down and he did it. He dug down and he did it,害羞草研究所� Gipson said. 害羞草研究所淎nd from that moment on, the team, the staff and everybody (said): 害羞草研究所楬ey, we are all on the same page. Nobody害羞草研究所檚害羞草研究所� asking for entitled treatment, but, dadgum, if Hansel is not asking for any favors, nobody else better害羞草研究所� ask for any.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Northwestern State President Marcus Jones was instrumental in Enmanuel signing with the school in Natchitoches, Louisiana, because he害羞草研究所檚 fluent in Spanish and helped assuage the concerns his Spanish-speaking parents had about his transition to college.
害羞草研究所淲e had an opportunity to talk about the university and what they wanted to see happen to their to their son,害羞草研究所� Jones said. 害羞草研究所淭hey didn害羞草研究所檛 want him to be treated as a number and just as a showpiece.害羞草研究所�
The reaction people have had to Enmanuel playing college basketball has overwhelmed Jones.
害羞草研究所淗aving a Hansel at Northwestern, you cannot imagine the number of calls and emails and messages that I害羞草研究所檝e gotten from individuals who have children who have disabilities and saying how great it is to see Hansel essentially overcome that and be able to play at this level,害羞草研究所� he said.
Enmanuel害羞草研究所檚 celebrity has also led to endorsement deals with adidas and Gatorade, among others. He has high goals, too, including the NBA.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the big goal,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淣obody is going to stop me. Only God.害羞草研究所�
Another aspiration is to one day become a motivational speaker so he can share his story.
害羞草研究所淚 think that害羞草研究所檚 my perfect 害羞草研究所� destiny God gave to me,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭o be that person so I can inspire some people and motivate a lot of people. Yeah, I can be a positive.害羞草研究所�
___
More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press
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