I’ve loved basketball my whole life. Growing up in Scarborough, a court and pickup game was never far away, and I’d often carry a ball with me just in case. In my teenage years, I’d go to school early, put on my Sony walkman (youths, starting googling) and shoot for 2-3 hours by myself - every morning, without fail. Looking back, it was my meditation, my happy place.

I was a pretty good player - quick first step, could finish at the rim, lefty advantage, great cardio, and a decent mid range shot. I also developed enough confidence that I would rarely see a game being played where I felt I couldn’t at least be a decent role player. My friend Darnel and I would go challenge people on random public courts and we won our fair share.