Perspiration pools on the hardwood, a scattered seascape generated from every effort of the court inhabitants. Miles of wind sprints, fingertips worn bare from countless free throws, a near ambidextrousness acquired from on and off hand dribbling drills, and a razor sharpened will to to win ingrained into the spirit of the athlete himself. The work required to take your skills to the next level is not to be taken lightly, this is not a game for the casual participant. A nigh insurmountable workload must be approached with enthusiasm and fortitude, to do otherwise is to shortchange the game. So often we perceive the peak athletic displays of the NBA and neglect to acknowledge or imagine, that the very basketball greatness we lay witness to, once started as raw young men looking to excel at the sport they loved.

The paths leading to basketball’s summit are entirely unique, as are the hurdles to be dispatched along the way, however, there is no bypassing struggle, adversity and unending training as you proceed. The NBA is a league that is becoming increasingly populated with the finest overseas talent, basketball has no bias, if you can ball, you can ball. In the United States the road to the league, though still nebulous, can appear slightly less murky. For decades the tradition has been clearly defined, succeed in high school, then college, then enter the league as a drafted player. Now more than ever there is a side route that, if to be considered a serious prospect, must be undertaken. Enter the world of AAU athletics. To the uninformed, AAU basketball is a tryout league that coexists with high school athletics. Long story short, the best high school players are placed together on a team to travel and play other teams made up of the best of the best in that region. Recently, former and current NBA players have voiced their dislike and also come to the defense of the AAU system. As with most situations, the greatest perspective is often provided by an individual within the confines of the organization itself.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Christopher Noah Weaver, a fourteen year old, 6’4 center who plays varsity at Woodbridge Senior High School in Northern Virginia. Chris is keen on utilizing his hook shot while always maintaining a focus on defensive responsibilities and rebounding, earning him the nickname the “Janitor,” for his penchant for cleaning up the boards. With these attributes, coupled with a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard and carry himself with the maturity of someone far beyond his actual years, its no wonder, after a long suiting by his current team, Chris was invited to play AAU without trying out. Take a look below as Chris steals the ball and finishes in transition.

Chris tells me that this year he is expected to play a primarily interior role and that as the years progress he will move away from the basket and truly find his range, a similar trend to the one we are seeing at the pro level. There is also a great talent increase when Chris transitions to his AAU team, he is now playing with the best players in his age group and at times some of the top prospects in the country, unsurprisingly their skill level is inspiring. As Chris says, “The way they play is just amazing, its like the game seems so easy for them.”

The “Janitor” does say that initially there was some difficulty in finding a balance between his high school and AAU careers, but quality of coaching in both systems has aided him in steadying the ship. Since the seasons do not overlap, Chris is able to entirely divide his attention and properly train for both leagues and receive coaching from multiple sources, a new experience for him, which he assures me is now a benefit. Chris’ all around game should flourish as he develops, he tells me there is a tendency to fill up the stat sheet as young players try to get noticed and potentially earn further playing time. Chris also states that he owes much of his athletic evolution and high value of defense to his high school coach, Coach Porcha. In his own words, “Coach Porcha has taught me so much about basketball and he will get me to be a successful young man on the court and off the court.”

Its not challenging to fathom that one of the hardships placed upon young athletes is the necessity of travel to engage their rivals. Chris gathers great joy from these experiences, he capitalizes on this downtime and uses it as an opportunity to gel as a unit and to create the chemistry that every successful team so desperately requires. As he says, “With the team having each others back we will be unstoppable.” Despite all this, these are young men playing their sport at their highest level, the beckoning of the NBA can be heard at any level. As Chris says, “There is always talk about making it to the big league, but most of it is just talk, people think/want it to just happen overnight but are not willing to  put the work in.” This is where Chris stays grounded. His best critic, he tells me, “I need to be a versatile player, slow the game down to my pace.” Keeping his nose to the grindstone, Chris hits the weights daily, and tirelessly works on his game, ignoring the noise and placing a scholarship as his highest current goal. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have lofty aspirations, and so he should, with a solid game and a solid head on his shoulders remember his words, “My goal is to make it to the NBA and just make people smile, and the biggest thing is to give back to my family, my community,and the people that got me where i need to be.”

Good luck Janitor. Off Court Issues will be sure to keep you updated on Chris Weaver’s progress.

A chill in the air, pumpkins on steps and candy sales at CVS, it’s Halloween time. Whether a youthful embarkment through neighborhood streets on foot, in search of sugar laden reward, a costumed night of pre true-adulthood debauchery, or an evening at home doling out desired treats, it’s hard not to get into the spirit. NBA players have been known to take part in the pageantry that is all hallow’s eve, donning a wide variety of assumed personas. This year, let’s do them a favor and assign them well known horror movie roles, perhaps ones that an outside observer perceives most accurate.

Chris Paul as Chucky from “Child’s Play”
CP3’s toughness and accomplishments belie his size, just like his horror comparison Chucky. For Chucky’s size and strength he has no business doing as much damage as he does and controlling so many of those around him. Chucky and CP3 both inject themselves into the most disastrous situations and continuously emerge as the dominant force, directing the mayhem around them. This nightmarish vision may strike a little too close to home for Deandre.

Kawhi Leonard as Freddy Krueger from “A Nightmare on Elm Street”
This one seems fitting just on hand focus alone. Kawhi Leonard has absolutely massive hands, the ball seems like a tennis ball when in his grasp. Freddy has a glove with long sharp blades, thus extending his reach and evil radius. Mr. Krueger is known to first make his presence known by way of nocturnal visitation, meaning he enters your dreams and kills you there. The very fact that Kawhi Leonard has not reached his peak yet, is still only 24 and missed time due to injury, means he’s only going to get better. Clearly a nightmare proposition for opponents. Also, think back to the first Nightmare on Elm St. movie, remember that really creepy scene where Freddy had the cartoonishly long arms in the alley way? Let’s not forget about the inhuman wingspan possessed by the San Antonio small forward. Regardless of position, handle the rock in his vicinity at your peril.

I’m sure if there were a poll of perimeter players and ball handlers in the NBA, the above image wouldn’t be regarded as that far from the truth.

Tim Duncan as Michael Myers from “Halloween”
Can’t you just hear the Halloween theme song in your head? That must be the soundtrack to the game for whomever sets foot on the court with arguably the best power forward to play the game. Surely it is a frightening experience to be they prey of a relentless, obsessed, lethal force as it drives to a goal (your defeat) with no remorse or hesitation. The surgical silence with which your end is carried out could offer the notion that there is no emotion behind the stoic visage, instead there is but one emotion. The need to win. Age can’t stop him, injury can’t stop him, superstar opponent can’t stop him. Tim Duncan and Michael Myers keep coming no matter what.

Kendrick Perkins as Jason Voorhees from “Friday the 13th”
Jason strikes with a machete, Kendrick strikes with an elbow and forearm, both yield the same result. Destruction. There is no elegance to the way the two undertake there tasks, however, there is a consistency. Brutality. Both Kendrick and Jason are workhorses in their own respective fields, be it teenage murders or flagrant fouls, there’s no arguing with their volumes of work. It ain’t pretty, but they do their job, and when you see them, you know exactly what to expect.

Brook Lopez as Frankenstein’s Monster from “Frankenstein“
Neither one has really ever done anything to you, and they seem kind and misunderstood in general. That is until they’re killing you. Be it inhuman strength in the form of life ending strangulation or deadly post play, both reach their accomplishments the old fashioned way. They’re both large and lumbering, a little bit clumsy, but also have a gregarious twinkle in their melancholic eyes. There’s also a distinct similarity in the way move on their feet, hopefully that wont be a continuing trait of Brook’s.

Happy Halloween.