Colombian Teenager’s 15-Year Plan to Reach the NBA Is Nine Years In

Colombia's basketball players are scarce, and the country's professional league is modest in size. Historically, the nation's fame lies in alternative sports like cycling, weightlifting, skating, and track. The story of a Colombian teenager, JJ (17), who has been dedicated to the NBA since he began drafting a 15-year plan in 2017, has taken a turn.

Now nine years into this plan, JJ wakes up before dawn to train at St. John’s Northwestern, a boarding school in Wisconsin. His day begins with running drills before dawn, followed by homeroom, classes, skills work, weight training, and time spent with the varsity team. This intense schedule equates to approximately 30 hours of basketball training each week.

Despite his rigorous training, JJ's journey began in Colombia, where he found basketball on television and was inspired by Michael Jordan's "Space Jam." At the age of 6, JJ struggled so much that his teammates stopped passing him the ball. However, Pedro Ocoro, a well-known Colombian player from the late 1990s, intervened and taught JJ the fundamentals.

Ocoro, now back in Colombia coaching children, encouraged others to pass JJ the ball, which ultimately led to JJ being the youngest player ever to debut in Colombia's professional league.

JJ's plan, a comprehensive 15-year document, includes objectives such as maintaining a 4.0 GPA, scoring at least 1,250 on the SAT, and transforming his recruiting pipeline into genuine scholarship opportunities. His father, a project manager, created the plan's structure, while his mother, a former player for her hometown team and Colombia's junior national pool, provided insights into the game.

The financial aspect of JJ's journey was not supported by wealth. The family sold their car to pay for his initial year of tuition. JJ's resourcefulness led him to sell desserts from a cooler near the courts where he trained, instilling in him the lesson that everything comes at a cost. JJ left Colombia in search of better coaching, settling at St. John's Northwestern and partnering with DME Academy, a training program that has produced more than 30 Division I signees.

JJ's goal is to play point guard, whose primary role is to pass the ball and facilitate the team's offense. He aspires to emulate Chris Paul, a point guard renowned for his exceptional passing skills rather than his scoring abilities. JJ's plan extends until 2032, leaving six years remaining. While a solid plan is crucial, JJ's on-court performance and passion for the game ultimately define his success. JJ shares his journey through updates on his Instagram account, @jjrealdreams.