Aylsworth Plays the Best to Get Better : Westlake Sophomore Seeks Top Competition to Accelerate Growth

Steve Aylsworth takes a deep breath, grabs the handle of the door and pulls slowly, hoping that what awaits him in the summer of 1988 is not as bad as he has feared.

Actually, it’s worse.

Aylsworth, then 12, cautiously enters the Compton High gymnasium, looks at the competition and sighs: “Oh, no.” Aylsworth’s father, John, has brought him to face better players than he has found on the serene seaside basketball courts near the family’s home in Malibu.

John and his son often search for good games--but never against guys this good. The players are all bigger, faster and stronger than the self-described “little white guy from the suburbs.” He cannot understand what his father is thinking.

To his surprise, Aylsworth does not embarrass himself. He even earns a few congratulatory high-fives from teammates and opponents after making several long jump shots and pinpoint passes.

Seems that his father was on target too.

“I used to think my dad was crazy to put me up against those guys, but he was trying to make me as good as I could be,” said Aylsworth, 17. “I wouldn’t be the player I am now unless my dad pushed me.”

Today, Aylsworth (5-foot-11, 145 pounds) is a flashy guard for the Westlake High basketball team and one of the top sophomores in the state. He plays pickup games with an NBA legend and is an all-star in his own right who never cowers on the hardwood--just ask him.

“I know I’m good and I know I can back it up,” Aylsworth said. “I’ve worked real hard and I have a lot of confidence.

“I guess I’m a little cocky, but you have to be or guys will start to get inside your head and intimidate you.”

Aylsworth knows about intimidation.

In addition to the pickup games against superior talent, Aylsworth was routinely pummeled by his older brothers in games at home. He learned quickly that he did not like losing.

“It was a humbling experience,” Aylsworth said. “My dad would take me all over to play in tough atmospheres, and I was also losing at home.

“It made me real competitive. It made me work harder.”

That was John’s plan all along.

“Personalities (in athletics) are formed when kids are really young,” John said. “You can’t take a kid when he’s 16 or 17 and say: ‘Now I want you to get tough.’

“I wanted Steve to get used to the toughness that it was going to take to make it.”

The results are tough to ignore.

After averaging a team-high 19.5 points on the junior varsity last season, Aylsworth, who also started at quarterback on the Warriors’ junior varsity football team, entered the season listed as one of the top sophomores in the state by Cal-Hi Sports. He has done nothing to tarnish the rating.

Aylsworth, who is comfortable at either backcourt position, is tied for second on the team in scoring with an average of 14.3. He also has averages of 3.5 assists and 4.5 steals.

“He breaks the press by himself and then he comes down the lane and makes these great passes,” Westlake junior forward Billy Miller said. “His ballhandling is unbelievable.”

Aylsworth has had lots of practice.

When the right-handed Aylsworth was 4, his father began tying his right hand behind his back when he played with basketballs. Aylsworth now dribbles equally well with either hand.

Thousands of hours practicing his jump shot also has helped.

Aylsworth scored 18 points Friday in leading the Warriors (4-1) to a third-place finish in the Thousand Oaks tournament with a 74-51 victory over Washington. The previous evening, he had 15 points in Westlake’s 111-65 loss to defending state Division I champion Crenshaw in the semifinals.

While some players might have been intimidated by the Cougars--ranked No. 2 in the nation by USA Today--Aylsworth was not. During the summer, Aylsworth played against some of Crenshaw’s players in a tournament at Las Vegas for all-stars from summer developmental leagues throughout the nation.

The only time Aylsworth admits being nervous is when he plays with Magic Johnson. John Aylsworth is an executive at a Los Angeles sports club of which the former Laker star is a member.

John introduced Steve to Magic last year and they became friends. They often play together at the club and Magic gives Steve pointers.

Once, Aylsworth brought Miller to play with him and Magic.

Miller was guarding Magic and he slapped the ball away from him. Magic called a foul and took the ball.

“Magic winked at Billy because he knew Billy got all ball,” Aylsworth said. “But what are you going to do--if Magic calls a foul, it’s a foul.”

The things a player learns playing the toughest competition.