Photo by Erin Nelson.
Thomas Graham, 12, of Mountain Brook, on the Samford University campus before a basketball shooting lesson. This past summer, Graham was chosen to represent the U.S. in the Nike Youth Basketball Camp in Spain.
Spain is known for its picturesque countryside, but for Thomas Graham it will be remembered as a place where he honed his craft of basketball.
Thomas is a 12-year-old at Mountain Brook Junior High, where he is currently in the seventh grade. He was given the opportunity of a lifetime this past summer when he was chosen to represent the U.S. in the Nike Youth Basketball Camp in Madrid and Valencia.
Thomas was the only Alabama player who participated in the invite-only camp. He said it was interesting to see how the Spanish teams compared to his team.
“They are always smaller, but quicker,” Thomas said. “We had to be quick with the ball and shoot really well.”
The U.S. team played teams from Madrid and Valencia during the trip. The Nike Youth Basketball Camp had four teams, and Graham played on the only 12U team.
Christi Graham, Thomas’ mom, said it was amazing to go to Spain and see her son play with his teammates.
“It was really amazing, and I’m so proud of Thomas and his teammates,” she said. “They didn’t know each other before, and they only had 25 minutes of practice before the first game.”
Christi Graham said team members had to learn one another’s tendencies and build chemistry throughout the games because of the limited practice time. She also said the team consisted of players from Wyoming, Arkansas, Texas and other states.
This was the Nike Youth Basketball Camp’s inaugural trip overseas to play. Christi Graham said this trip was a test to see if the idea would work, and the camp has already received interest in a trip for next summer.
Thomas will try out for the MBJH basketball team this school year, with the hope of making the team and continuing to play the game he loves. He developed his passion for the game by watching his older brother, William, play.
Thomas said after watching him play it was evident he wanted to pursue basketball as well. Thomas said playing overseas against different competition will help him with skills he needs moving forward.
“It makes me have to play quicker and focus on my lateral quickness,” he said.
Christi Graham said coaches recognized Thomas on the last day of camp for his aggressive defense and rebounding ability.
While the trip centered around basketball, Thomas did more than that. He said staying in Madrid and Valencia was fun, as was being able to see the Spanish countryside and Holy Grail.
According to a press release, the team practiced in the morning and played games in the evening, allowing for sightseeing in the middle of the day. Players and their families were able to go on city bus tours, enjoy local cuisine and spend a day at the beach.
Thomas said his favorite part of the trip was being able to face different competition and learn how the Spanish teams play.
“My favorite part was getting to play the Spanish teams,” Thomas said. “It’s a different style of basketball.”
