Inked on Ahmaad Rorie’s left arm is a daily reminder of the moment he fell in love with the game of basketball. The tattoo also shows where he comes from.
The freshman guard from Tacoma, Washington has a simple yet memorable design of a small child, sitting on a basketball with the number seven highlighting the image. That number contains many different meanings.
“It’s my mom’s favorite number and it’s her birthday (December 7),” Rorie said. “And then it has to do with how God made the earth in six days and then rested on the seventh day. The number on there actually has a lot meaning to it.”
Basketball has taken Rorie to to the University of Oregon for his freshman year. He currently averages 6.1 points per game and, at various times, flashes the unconditional he has for the game.
A memorable Christmas
One of the earliest gifts that Ahmaad received as a kid was a basketball hoop. While that may seem simple, this gift from his mother, Rhonetta, would essentially create a lifelong connection for her and her son.
“She got me a hoop when I was about three or four and ever since then, I haven’t been able to put a basketball down,” Ahmaad said.
Shooting all day and night, Ahmaad progressed his game, no different than it is now. Rhonetta remembers having to call her son in at night when it got too dark.
“He shot hoops so much that his little arm — the muscles — were so defined,” Rhonetta remembers. “It was at that point that I knew that basketball was going to be his passion, his dream, his desire.”
He had that hoop all the way until his sophomore year in high school.
Early bird gets the worm
In the eighth grade, Ahmaad started working out with a trainer named J.R. The two would end up working together all through high school and they remain close today.
Through their time together, Ahmaad separated himself in two ways. First, he gained an edge on the court with extra reps. Second, by learning work ethic. J.R. still remembers having to get up at 5 a.m. to train Ahmaad, not necessarily because he chose to, but because his middle school student wanted to.
“His work ethic was always there,” J.R. said. “For Ahmaad, he didn’t mind getting up before school, and for me, that was always amazing. It’s crazy for a ninth grader to be willing to get up at five in the morning and come to the gym and do a basketball workout.”
Rare breed
As Ahmaad takes the floor for Oregon this season, there is a noticeable aura about him. Not because he’s the flashiest player or the most vocal, but because he always appears to be in control. Like any worthwhile point guard, Ahmaad possesses the rare quality of keeping an even-keel demeanor in any given situation.
“The poise that he plays with as a young man coming in as a freshman, it’s exciting to see,” J.R. said. “That’s something special about this kid because he has compassion for others as well as being a good basketball player.”
Regardless of where he ends up, Ahmaad will always be ready to work hard for what, and who, he loves.
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim