10-year-old basketball sensation wants to be like Jordan

Victor Bormini, a 10-year-old basketball sensation, said on Thursday in Abuja that his aim in the game was to play like Michael Jordan, an ex-American basketball star.
Bormini, a student of Christ Academy College, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, told the News Agency of Nigeria that his choice of Jordan as role model was because of his achievements.
He spoke to NAN on his selection for the scholarship award and a US visa by the Ejike Ugboaja Basketball Foundation.
Bormini, who took to basketball at the age of eight, was selected for the foundation’s scholarship following his excellent performance at the 2013 Nestle Milo Basketball Zonal competition in Enugu.
He said that he was looking forward to a blossoming career in basketball in the US.
“The scholarship came about after I was selected in a basketball summer camp I attended in Uyo in June 2013, which was organised by Ejike Ugboaja Foundation,” the player said.
The summer camp is usually organised by the foundation for players who excelled at the Nestle Milo championships.
Bormini said: “Right now, I have a scholarship and a visa ready to travel to the US.
“I hope to use the opportunity to further my education because my coach told me that I am going there to start primary six or Junior Secondary One.”
The young basketball player said that the attitude of most basketball players in his state, Bayelsa, attracted him to the game at the expense of football.
He added: “I learnt to play the game through hard work.
“I usually go to my school’s basketball court to practice on my own after school.
“I train everyday for five hours.
“I don’t miss training.
“I love playing football but I always love going to the basketball court at the stadium in Yenagoa to watch people play.
“Sometimes, I pick the ball for them.
“And one day, one of the senior players saw me and asked me the sport I do and I told him football but he convinced me to play basketball.”
He added that he asked the player to allow him to speak to his parents first, adding: “I got my parents backing and I went back the next day and started training with them.”