Young Pulls Off a Smart Move

At some point during high school, students usually heed the advice of their parents and coaches to start focusing on academics. The problem is, sometimes they wait too long and fall so far behind that they jeopardize their college aspirations.

Nick Young, a junior basketball player at Reseda Cleveland, was one of those teenagers wasting the opportunity of a lifetime.

As a freshman at Dorsey, he was getting bad grades, missing school and going nowhere. The clock was ticking on his future.

He transferred to Cleveland, where Coach Andre Chevalier was convinced Young could improve as a player and student. First, though, Young had to make the decision himself. “I got motivated,” Young said. “I really started thinking I could play basketball. I was kind of off track.”

What a difference two years make. The 6-foot-7 Young has become one of the top juniors in the City Section, averaging 22.1 points. More important, his grades and commitment to studying have undergone a 180-degree turn for the better.

“He comes to school every day. He’s on time,” Chevalier said. “He’s made a major transformation.”

As a basketball player, Young has the athleticism and talent to play at the highest level. He can miss a shot, then grab the rebound before anyone else because of his explosive jumping skills. Reverse dunks are no big deal for him. He has an exceptional medium-range jumper and plays the game so effortlessly that Chevalier must remember to give him a rest.

The fact Young has played only two years of organized basketball is compelling evidence that his best days are ahead.

“His skill level is incredible,” Chevalier said. “Nick is just getting the experience he needs to take over games.”

There are already comparisons between Young and former Cleveland standout Lucious Harris, who plays for the New Jersey Nets.

“He definitely has some of the characteristics and qualities of Lucious, and he’s a little more athletic and shooting better than Lucious was,” Chevalier said.

Whether Young can complete the core classes needed to play college basketball must be determined. But he has made a commitment to try.

“I don’t want to be nothing in life,” he said.