'Josiah is very competitive': Kentucky teen without legs makes it into school basketball team
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: A 13-year-old boy who was born without legs got selected for his school's basketball team. According to his friends, he excels at snatching the ball away from rivals as they dribble it around the court. Josiah Johnson, 13, who was born without legs, made the cut into the basketball team at Moore Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky. Although Johnson could have played while in a wheelchair, he claimed "it was too easy."
"He started taking the ball from people," one of his teammates told CBS News. "He took the ball from me. I was mad. You would have thought Steph Curry was in the gym." The coach said, "He made the team - we didn't put him on the team for no sympathy reasons or anything like that." Adding further, he said that Johnson "showed up to every trial, he gave it his all. He put himself on the team by making the squad." Johnson said he participated in gymnastics as a youngster, but basketball was his passion. Whitney, his mother, described him as confident and stubborn. "Josiah is very competitive, and if he feels like something is too easy, he's not going to do it," she said.
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Johnson was aware that his chances of making the team were slim. Fortunately, he proved rather adept at long shots. He earned a spot on the team and has developed into a significant player over the past few months. He received offensive rebounds, assists, and has created several turnovers due to his special position on the court. "People feel bad for me playing basketball. I want to show them that you ain't got to feel bad for me. I want to play on an equal level with you," he said in an interview with Jefferson County Public Schools.
During the last minutes of a tense game that happened a few weeks ago, he demonstrated his worth. Johnson received the ball outside the three-point line with 0.1 seconds left in the game and scored. His teammates piled over Johnson in a jubilant embrace that was captured on video because they were overjoyed. "It was just a moment that I'm going to remember forever," a teammate said. Johnson expressed his desire for his unwavering determination to serve as an example for others. Asked what others should learn from him, he replied: "To do something that they thought they couldn't do."