It’s hard to miss junior Albert Dosunmu making his confident strides through the hallways of Niles West High School. Standing at 6’6″, his size is an attribute making him quite the force to be reckoned with — not only on the basketball court but in his own community.

“I met Albert just this year, and now, it feels like we’re brothers,” senior Jerome Reginold said. “He has that kind of indistinguishable personality that attracts a lot of people.”

Dosunmu can be seen socializing with many different students of all shapes, sizes, and ages at our school at almost any given point in time throughout the day when he is not studying or playing basketball; however, as soon as his fresh pair of kicks touch the gym floor, everyone knows it’s game time. He had quite a late start to the game of basketball, first picking up a ball in 7th grade, but that hasn’t hampered his development in the slightest.

“I was first inspired to play basketball while watching legends such as Lebron James, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson play,” Dosunmu said. “But it wasn’t just that. A lot of factors played into my decision to begin a basketball career. My family life was not always the best, and basketball offered me an escape. Before long, I was the best on my block.”

Now, he has become one of the best on our own block as well. Dosunmu played on the varsity basketball team just last season and expects to continue on into his senior year, with his primary goal of receiving a college scholarship, or maybe even an NBA draft pick eventually, giving him the opportunity to finally sit among the greats he has admired for so long. At Niles West, he already sits in this seat, eyes being drawn to his performances from all over.

“Albert is a great, prosperous athlete at our school,” senior Luke Chapman said. “He’s also a goofball. But as soon as he gets his head on straighter, he’ll for sure have an amazing athletic career set up for himself. He just needs to put the bag in his locker, you know what I mean?”

Dosunmu is a standout athlete and student in the Niles West community, but his dreams go far beyond our humble high school.

“I want to be able to help the poor and neglected children in less fortunate countries who never had the economic chance to even pick up a basketball,” he says. “That’s why I need to get to the top. As soon as I do, I will pave the way for many others much less fortunate than me to do the same.”

Look out for Dosunmu on the varsity basketball team next year, as it is truly is a beautiful sight to witness.