Thanks to an improved attitude and long hours in the gym, Gates tapped into his basketball potential enough as a junior to emerge as one of the better players in Chicago. What helped him blossom further as a senior, however, was his family’s well-timed move last August from violence-riddled Chicago to a safe neighborhood just outside San Antonio.
When Gates showed up at Samuel Clemens High School to begin his senior year last fall, people there treated him like any other new student. Coach Clifton Ellis inquired whether he was comfortable talking about the movie and a few of his new teammates asked about his dad, but unlike in Chicago, many of his classmates were only vaguely familiar with Hoop Dreams.
Free from the burden he had coped with the past few years, Gates fully embraced his father’s advice and finally began playing to be the best version of himself he could be. He showcased his ability to get to the rim and to score from the perimeter, averaging 23.6 points per game and leading previously struggling Clemens to a 25-win season and a berth in the state playoffs.