Gil Basketball Academy Player Profile Nick Duque When Nick Duque was 6 years old, his family moved to Salinas. Immediately he was the new kid, in a new school, with no one to talk to. Salinas, CA, June 14, 2020 - “I had problems interacting with other kids and was bullied a lot,” he said.
Starting in the fourth grade, Nick would bring his own basketball to school and shoot hoop during recess and lunch — by himself. Eventually he joined a team … and everything changed. “Making friends and interacting with other kids my age became easier and the bullying stopped,” he said. “Going through this kind of stuff helped me become a better person and leader.” Currently in 8th grade at La Paz Middle School in Salinas, the 5-foot-9 point guard is a scoring sensation, averaging 20 points per game last season. He was selected to the Reggie Stephens Foundation Monterey County All Star Team, and has been named scholar athlete the past two years. His goal next year as a freshman is to make the JV or varsity team at Alisal High School. “My immediate plan is to take advantage of this off season and improve my skills,” he said. “I feel that since there is a shelter-in-place order in our area, a lot of players my age are not working that hard to get better.” Nick joined Gil Basketball Academy in the fifth grade, and credits GBA with instilling in him a work ethic. “GBA has taught me to keep working hard to achieve your goals not only in basketball but everyday life,” he said. To achieve his basketball goals, Nick takes at least 500 shots a day, works on his ball handling drills, runs 3 miles per day wearing an elevation mask, and works out in his family’s home gym. “Another goal of mine is to be a good big brother and to support my younger brother with anything he needs,” he said. Nick’s 2-year-old brother was recently diagnosed with autism. “I hope I can make a difference no matter how big or how small,” he said. Nick believes that playing basketball and being part of a team has helped him become a better person.