The 190 pound 6-4 guard out of Georgia, Zach Hodskins, might seem to be just another high school senior with dreams of playing basketball on the NCAA’s highest level; except, Zach was born with a genetic birth defect and does not have a left arm below the elbow. Now comes word from Yahoo’s Prep Rally blog that Florida’s Billy Donovan has offered Hodskins preferred walk-on status.
The birth defect might have limited other people, but Hodskins never made excuses for himself, and he quickly rose through the amateur ranks of high school basketball. Possessing excellent range from beyond the arc, he helped lead Georgia high school powerhouse, Alpharetta Milton School. After an admirable AAU summer tour with the Tennessee Playmakers, Hodskins showed enough skills that he appears headed for Division I roster soon.
Hodskin former high school coach in Georgia, David Boyd, has confirmed that he’ll have a chance to play in the SEC next season with the Florida Gators.
@scoutsfocus I spoke to Coach John Pelfrey of U of F, and he confirmed that Zach has been offered the preferred walk-on status. #awesome
— David Boyd (@DavidBoydhoops) August 7, 2013
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The preferred walk on offer means he’s guaranteed a roster spot without a scholarship offer. It’s not clear whether Hodskins will accept the offer, but for a one-handed player to receive the opportunity at SEC powerhouse, Florida, is beyond inspiring.
It seems that Hodskin’s play at the ScoutsFocus All American camp this summer helped his cause, with Get Me Recruited calling him the most impressive player they saw. Check out his deadly shooting, controlled dribbling and exceptional passing abilities in the video below.
The Prep Rally blog adds that while Hodskins hasn’t received a full Division I scholarship offer yet, the University of Alabama—Birmingham and Birmingham Southern have been mulling extending an offer to the remarkable guard.
Even ESPN did a piece on him:
[Prep Rally; ESPN]
What do you think of Hodskins?
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