ICUPLAY BOLG
Josh Gray started his high school basketball career at Washington Marion HS in Lake Charles, LA. This 2012, 6’2 180 combo-guard did well at school and on the court until his mom died two years ago then he moved in with his grandmother. It was around that time that Josh started hanging out with the wrong crowd, staying out late, and not listening to his grandmother who he, said did her best to take care of him and told him to stop staying out late and hanging out with the wrong crowd.
Josh’s, Dad Noah Gray Sr. is in his life and has been attending several of his basketball games. His dad has made several unofficial recruiting visits with him as well. His dad was not around all the time, but he is in his life now. After my mom’s death, I did hang out with the wrong crowd. I wasn’t a bad person, but things went bad for me when I was in my friend’s car sleeping one night. That friend got caught stealing that night. I didn’t have anything to do with it. I was just sleeping in his car. My friends told the police that I didn’t have anything to do with it too. The judge told me that I did not do anything but I was in their company. The judge said this is a lesson you will learn from and he told me to stay away from that crowd.
In order for Josh to do that the judge ordered him to wear an ankle monitor bracelet, so his probation officer could locate wherever he was. He had to do this and be at is grandmother’s house at a specific time at night for a whole year. During his sophomore year Josh continued playing basketball at Washington Marion. He said I owe my former HS basketball Coach at Washington Marion, Coach Hartwell with helping me stay focus with my school work and letting me play basketball. He stayed on me. He knew I wasn’t a bad person. I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
I was lucky the judge let me stay in school and coach let me stay on the basketball team. Whenever, the school had an away basketball game, coach Hartwell would call my probation officer for permission so I could attend the game. During his sophomore year Josh helped lead his team to the Louisiana Top-28 state basketball tournament in Lafayette, Louisiana at the Cajun Dome.
With a host of scouts, travel team coaches, college coaches, and media on hand Josh showed why he is now considered one of the best combo-guards from the southern region and the nation. Josh put on a show. In that semi-finals game he scored 25 points and hit 4 three point shots in a losing cause. That game helped put him on the map as one of the best young players from the state, as college coaches from UL-Lafayette, Tulane, LSU, Baylor, Texas A&M, and Houston, as well as scouts, and media people watched.
As Josh enter his junior year he left the Pelican state and headed an hour and a half west down interstate 10 and north on beltway 8 to Christian Life Academy in Humble, TX. Josh said this was a positive move for him. Moving to North Houston helped me focus better on what I needed to do in my life. It made me grow up fast and it made me more responsible, accountable, and it taught me how to take charge of my life.
This was a positive change for Josh as he helped the Christian Life basketball program reach new heights. Josh played well all season long. Several schools came to his games and some started offering him to come to their school. Josh said Baylor was all over him early during the season. They attended almost every one of his games. Josh made an unofficial visit to the Baylor campus with his dad in February, but he did not commit to them. I like Baylor, the coaching staff, the players, but I wanted to look at more schools. More schools started coming to his games and he started receiving more offers.
As spring entered, Josh started playing on the AAU travel team circuit with several AAU travel teams. He played so well early schools like Georgetown and Mississippi State, and more started showing some interest in him. Josh and his family made an unofficial visit to Georgetown in Washington, DC in June. Josh said he had a very good visit to Georgetown, but the Hoyas offense did not fit his open floor style of play. As he entered the summer Josh played in Vegas and in Phoenix, AZ. With schools like Texas A&M, Oregon, Texas Tech, Virginia, Baylor, Georgetown, and Mississippi State recruiting him, he felt it was a good time for him and his dad to visit Mississippi State. On his way back home to Texas he spoke with his dad about taken an unofficial visit to Mississippi State in early August, and they did.
Josh had so much fun on his visit to Mississippi State that he committed to the Bulldogs. Josh said Mississippi State was a good fit for me. It's close to home, I really like the coaching staff, and the players on the team. Josh is now working out every morning at 5:00 AM and every evening for an hour like he's done all year. I have my own cones, my jump rope and it’s just me in the gym working on my ball handling drills, shooting 500 jump shots and conditioning daily. Last season Josh averaged 20.0 ppg and 4.0 asppg. Josh said I’m looking forward to playing for a new coach at CLA in former NBA player Rayford Austin. Josh said, as you can see the path I started on in Lake Charles had some twist, turns, and bumps in it. After I moved to Texas and away from the environment in Lake Charles, the path started to straighten out. I’m not finish yet. I still have some hills to climb, but where I came from to where I am today is a blessing from up above.
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