As most of the county knows, Rotimi Esiso has been an incredible influence on North’s advance to the championship this year. As the season comes to a close, we wanted to see what Esiso’s next moves are and how he reached this incredible position as such a talented athlete.

Rotimi started playing basketball around second grade. He got into it not only because he was interested, but also because coaches would always comment on how tall he was, saying he HAD to play basketball. Esiso doesn’t have one specific position—he moves wherever he’s needed on the court and can easily adapt, whether it’s point guard, shooting guard, or center.

This season was historic, marking the farthest North has gone since 1981. Esiso expressed that the season “didn’t end the way he wanted,” but he is very proud of his team for how far they made it. His most memorable moments were imposter games on bus rides home and celebrations in the locker room after wins. Apparently, some really fun things happened during those celebrations, but Esiso says they’re “confidential.”

The biggest question is: what has the team got so far this year? What changed after 40 years? Esiso explains how close the team became and how they made a conscious effort to share the ball more. They grew, bonded, and supported each other throughout the entire season. He also gave a shoutout to the team’s overall athleticism and the time and effort everyone put into the game. Esiso and his other star teammate, Kyle Kirkland, and their coach, Mr. Amparo, would practice before school a few times a week, continuously showing their dedication. He also mentioned that Coach Amparo called this year’s team “the most united team he’s ever had,” which says a lot about their chemistry and how teamwork leads to success.

So what will Rotimi miss most about high school basketball? The most recognizable factor is the team—the guys playing together and the idea that the sport was always serious but “not a business.” They played the game as hard as they could, but still had time to enjoy it, especially during their final season together.

So what’s next for the star player? Esiso plans to play basketball in college, although he’s not exactly sure where yet. He’d also, hopefully, one day, play in the NCAA tournament. He does know he’d like to stay in the Northeast. As for his major, he plans to study electrical engineering. Rotimi Esiso is an extremely talented player, and the entire North basketball team played an incredible year. Esiso also would like to shout out every teammate, including those who didn’t get as much playing time, emphasizing that they were all extremely talented and essential to the team’s success.

Congratulations again to our astounding basketball team, and to Rotimi Esiso for being such a strong leader both on and off the court.