MISSION — Sharyland Pioneer alum Jordan Wilson helped the Diamondbacks boys basketball team make program history by leading them to the playoffs for the first time as a junior in 2016.
He was also a state qualifier in the long jump, finishing fourth at the state meet as a senior.
Now a redshirt senior and two-sport athlete with the Texas A&M-Kingsville men’s basketball and track and field teams, Wilson’s alma mater is set to welcome the Javelinas as they host a Satellite Camp for middle school and high school hoopers Friday at Sharyland Pioneer High School.
“It’s a great feeling to come back and give back to the people that supported me and believed in me. In my career, I had times where I doubted myself or didn’t feel I belonged, and now to see all the hard work finally pay off and see the reason people believed in me, it’s great to come back and see them,” Wilson said. “It’s great to talk to the kids coming up and give them some words of wisdom and motivation and help them see that things aren’t always going to go as planned, so don’t stress much when things don’t go your way. Just keep going and eventually you’ll see why things didn’t work out.”
The satellite camp is open to boys entering grades 6-12 at $50 per camper. The action starts with those entering grades 6-8 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., with those entering grades 9-12 from 2-5 p.m. The day will be spent working on skills such as ball handling, shooting, rebounding, passing and defense. Each camper will receive a free T-shirt, bag and lanyard, according to a TAMUK news release.
Wilson reached new heights on the court and in the long jump for the Javelinas in 2021.
The Javelinas men’s basketball team reached the Lone Star Conference and finished the year with a 15-3 overall mark. Wilson, who started at forward, was named to the All-LSC Third Team, after averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on the year. His points ranked second on the team, while he also shot .483 from the field and .423 from 3-point territory. He played alongside fellow Pioneer alum Derek Luna, who started 18 of 18 games this past season as a freshman for the Javelinas.
During the outdoor track season, Wilson earned All-American Second Team honors after landing a 24-foot, 1-3/4 inches long jump during the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in May.
It’s safe to say Wilson successfully juggled being a full-time student, a starter on the basketball team and a standout in the long jump.
“I just tried to keep my mindset not worrying about what’s going on, just control what I can control and do everything I need to do every day to make sure I’m prepared in those types of moments. I feel like just having that type of mindset really helped me out a lot on the court and off the court,” Wilson said. “It really prepared me to be ready in any situation I need to be.”
After learning from TAMUK coaches Johnny Estelle and Omar Gonzalez, Wilson said the satellite camp is an opportunity for young basketball players seeking to take their game to the next level.
“They’ll learn the ways of how we approach every day, of how we approach every practice. We approach every day like it’s your last day, like it’s your last practice, your last opportunity to be on the court,” he said. “I feel like they’ll see what it takes and learn different ways to approach things to be prepared for everything.”
Registration for Friday’s TAMUK Men’s Basketball Satellite Camp at Sharyland Pioneer High School is available at javelinaathleticcamps.com.
