Will He Be “The Greatest”?

This time of year is always crucial for sports fans and more so for student-athletes. Major decisions are made regarding where soon-to-be high school graduates will spend their collegiate careers. National Letters of Intent are signed, items are finalized, and fans either rejoice or sulk as the nation’s top talents make their final decisions.

ESPN makes a living off of student-athletes’ potential, regardless of sport. But, occasionally, a talent breaks the mold. A perfect example is LeBron James, who graced multiple magazine covers (such as SLAM and Sports Illustrated) and created airwaves while attending St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio; he even received national television time as his alma mater’s basketball team competed against Oak Hill Academy. Time Warner Cable offered viewers access to his games on a pay-per-view basis.

People can spot pure talent. And now, a young man in Encino, California, is looking to make similar waves. Cassius Stanley, aptly named after legendary boxer Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali), has one plan: He wants to be the greatest. And he won’t settle for anything less.

Standing 6-foot-5 and playing shooting guard for the Harvard-Westlake Wolverines (Studio City, California), Stanley is already touted by numerous outlets as the best freshman basketball player in the country. His jumper, his passing ability, his basketball IQ – all areas are regarded as impeccable in the eyes of scouts, fans, teammates, and opponents. Although only nearing the end of his first year of high school, he has already garnered college offers from Alabama, USC, and UCLA.

The son of Tonya (a former UCLA athlete) and Jerome (a sports agent), Stanley is a dual athlete for the Wolverines – he currently pitches for the baseball team, too – but his true love remains the hardwood. He plans to not only reach the National Basketball Association, but he also wants to be its commissioner after his playing days are done.

Is the name a foreshadowing of things to come? Are we witnessing the upcoming of “the greatest”? Time will only provide more questions, but Cassius Stanley is doing everything in his power to create his own answers.