13-year-old El Pasoan competing in Jr. NBA Skills Challenge
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A 13-year-old El Paso boy will be doing something only most kids his age dream of - competing in the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge National Competition in New York on June 20th.
Jacob Rodriguez is currently a student athlete at Jane A. Hamric Middle School in east El Paso.
He also plays for EP Flight of the Jr. NBA Middle School League. His family told ABC-7 Thursday that he made the National Skills Competition after competing in the challenge for only the first time.
He and his family are receiving an all-paid trip to the national finals in New York, which is coincidentally during the 2023 NBA draft.
“We’re always on him, taking him always to practices, games, out of town tournaments, and its an adventure," said Alex Rodriguez, Jacob's father.
Jacob says his dad's love for the game got him into it as well.
Rodriguez tells us he has high hopes for himself in the competition.
“I didn’t think I was going to win, but hey, I made it, and now I’m gonna beat the other ones in New York," he said.
According to the Jr. NBA, the challenge "provides boys and girls, ages 13 and younger, the opportunity to improve upon and showcase their fitness through five fundamental basketball skills: shooting, lay-ups, dribbling, passing, and defense and a bonus free throw."
