Le'Roy Patterson, Jr. Chicago area’s Homewood-Flossmoor High School has turned out some of the greatest graduates to walk across a stage. In its 57-year history, this multicultural and multiracial center for educational excellence has produced highly successful students who blossom in many major arenas. The school’s all-star alumni are as diverse as 2007 first round NBA Draft pick Julian Wright, Super Bowl XLIX champion New England Patriots defensive end Michael Buchanan, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jack Fuller and Maybach Music Group/Atlantic Records recording artist Rockie Fresh. Be it sports, media, politics or music, their seeds for prominence were planted in the classrooms of Homewood-Flossmoor. Up next to add his name to the elite list of former Vikings is 16-year-old sophomore Le'Roy Patterson, Jr. Blazing basketball courts from the forward position with the same tenacity that has maintained a 3.5 grade point average since grammar school, young LP has his hands on the torch that will set this world on fire. “Where I come from, you want to be successful in life—whether it’s sports or going to school and getting a good job. It was more about being successful than just sports.” Without question, Patterson adequately balances both the books and athletics. And his 50-plus plaques, trophies and medals can attest to his ball-playing abilities. “I’m really known for the heart that I play with and the way I come with the intensity,” he explains. “Coming on the court, I’m not scared of anything. I dive on the court, go for the rebounds and do what I have to do in order to win…I make good plays so my team can be successful, not for an ESPN play.” Playing the round ball since he was only eight years old, the youngster was a natural in the sport since the first time he grabbed the round ball. Ironically, though, basketball was not his first sport; it was football. He fell in love with the game playing pop warner at age seven. At the end of football season, his coach was passing out flyers for basketball players and suggested Le’Roy sign up and play. The eager athlete immediately told his dad that he was interested in playing basketball. The rest, as they say, is history in the making. “Everything came together after my first practice. I liked it and it made me stop liking football as much,” he admits. “The game just came to me.” Now some eight years later, Le’Roy stands at a towering six feet five inches tall. He has won more games, tournaments and championships than he can count. “I play hustle ball,” he explains. “I like to make a lot of charges. I like to make defensive stops to keep the other team from scoring. If I could play defense all night, I would. I love defense” Not only is he a beast on the court but a wiz in the books as well. And he owes it all to a solid upbringing. “My father showed me more of the game and my mother gives me the talks to help me prepare for the future,” he says. “It’s the way my parents prepped me to become better a player and a better person.” #basketballplayer #leroypattersonjr #leroypatterson
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