There were some ideas, a goal, and maybe even a purpose for the underlooked basketball player who cares for the game with dedication and with a winning look. That guy is Hanzo Moua. Over the years of grinding and training,  Hanzo Moua is a great former JV player at SPASH who’s a great visioner for those who he saw was underestimated.  Yet, It is important to lead your team to victory with great leadership.

 Danny Lee, a friend of Hanzo, who plays with him at the YMCA, answered my question; Would you recall Hanzo as a leader in basketball? He said, “Definitely a leader, he loves sharing the basketball when they’re in the right spot.” Whenever Danny would watch Hanzo play, Danny would compare and vision Hanzo to an NBA star guard Chris Paul. He mentions Hanzo’s shades of Chris Paul’s playmaking ability and his efficient scoring. To sum up the name for these attributes, the name would be called a ‘playmaking shot-creator.

Even during a game, he still keeps his mamba mentality. Mamba mentality was a nickname given to Kobe Bryant. The way he got his nickname was how deadly he was when it came to the last final minutes of the game. Carsen Metz, a former teammate of Hanzo, believed that if anyone else were to play alongside him, they would love him as a teammate. He shares the ball and he makes his shots. And as the elite playmaking guard, you have to be a master at something in the game of basketball.

 When I first asked Hanzo what his main focus and what he masters, he said, “When it’s game time, my mindset in the game is to play effectively and show my intangibles so my team can win.” In this case scenario, his dedication and focus is the best part of the game of basketball. Even a great passing guard can’t be by himself, a playmaker needs and knows who’s worthy of his teammate. Hanzo is a great team player because he sees the potential in others. Last year, he felt like a potential teammate was snubbed last year. He said, “I wasn’t at tryouts but based on how I saw Leo Yang play from pickup games last year, he’s a knockdown spot-up shooter. I feel like he could have gotten his chance and I could have had a great teammate. He also could have taken some spots that were deserving for him but were sadly already taken.” It seemed like from Hanzo’s eyes, Leo Yang would have been an impactful player on the team. Unfortunately, the coaches didn’t see the potential in him as Hanzo did. After the interview, Carsen Metz had his thoughts on Hanzo’s hot take on Leo Yang. Carsen then reacts and replies with, “Yeah I can agree with that. Leo could have been a game changer for us.” Could Leo Yang really have been a game changer to the team and for Hanzo’s game? It’s only a what-if now when the days already went by. 

Regardless of that, Hanzo Moua is underappreciated. His hidden talent of team chemistry is on the next level oh his basketball skills. Despite all the events and the work to get there, he shows that he is worth the true meaning of a baller.