Carlos Dotson – Western Carolina Basketball

“Basketball has meant the world to me. It has brought me so much joy and so many great friendships, I’m glad I choose to play this sport. The connections I have gained from basketball have been life changing.  In 9th grade I was cut by my basketball team. The next year I made JV but I played a total of 10 minutes the whole season. That changed my life and it woke me up. I worked so hard after that just to prove to everyone that I could be a great basketball player. It made me just have that attitude of never giving up no matter what people say.”

“My junior year of college we played at Furman and  I had 0 points in the first half and I ended up finishing with 27 points. I think that showed everyone who I was and how mentally strong I was by not being down on myself for having a bad half.”

“The advice that I would give to a younger version of myself is to just keep working no matter what someone says you can’t do. Also to have that one person that can be a mentor to you. Mine is Leonard Ellerbe, one of the coolest dudes I’ve ever met. I call him just to talk about life. The talks are always helpful and productive.”

“I want people to know that my journey as a Black man was tough, but life is tough and it will make you so strong that nothing will break you. I hope that everyone gets treated equally. I’m tired of seeing Blacks treated the way they are, but for now, I’m just hoping they arrest the officers who killed Breonna Taylor.”