ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Keymari Coates

West Orange High rising sophomore Keymari Coates — who also plays for Global Not Local — transferred recently from Ocoee High, where he played on the freshman boys basketball team. Coates is looking forward to starting in the upcoming season with the Warriors. 

Tell us about your years as a basketball player.
I started at 5 years old, and I’ve been playing ever since. Last year, I played for Ocoee High School; this year I’m going to West Orange. I am going to be on varsity this year. I played for my dad at Global Not Local. My dad left, so since he’s going there, I’m going there, too. It’s home there. 

Why basketball? 
I just fell in love with basketball. 

What is your earliest memory playing basketball? 
Probably when I was in third grade and I used to play with all my friends. 

What do you love most about basketball as a sport?
Probably meeting new people and how we can all connect through one thing. 

What do you believe basketball has taught you on and off the court? 
Probably that no matter how hard it gets, to keep going.

Do you have a favorite drill to do at practice?
Probably one-on-ones. It just creates a lot of scene and some competition at practice, with yourself and with your teammates. 

What do you think makes you a unique player on the basketball court? 
I think just doing the things that nobody will do, diving for the ball and just having heart. 

How do you believe you instill leadership in your team?
Just encouraging my teammates when they mess up badly and telling them to keep going, because everybody makes mistakes.  

Do you have a favorite NBA team or player?
Kevin Durant, or KD, (who plays for the Phoenix Suns). 

What would you like to study in college?
Probably entrepreneurship. 

Where would you like to go to college? 
University of North Carolina. 

What is your favorite hobby? 
I like going out with my friends. Most of the times, we go out and take pictures and stuff like that. 

What do you like to do on the weekends? 
I like to play basketball. 

What are three things you would take with you to a deserted island? 
Probably my Playstation, a basketball and a camera. 

What’s your favorite movie? 
“Home Alone.”I It’s just funny how he’s messing around (at home) all by himself. 

What TV series are you watching right now? 
“Flash.” It’s interesting how he goes missing every now and then. 

What is your favorite type of music? 
Probably rap. I like to listen to Rylo Rodriguez. 

Who is your favorite superhero? Why? 
Flash, because he is fast. 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? 
Either telekinesis or to read people’s minds. With telekinesis, you could pick something up without moving, and to read people’s minds, because I always wonder what people may be thinking. 

What are three places you’d like to visit? Why? 
Paris, because everybody goes there, and it looks cool in movies. Brazil, because they have animals I’ve never seen before. Canada, because I hear a lot about Canada.

Which one would you choose: Instagram, BeReal or TikTok? 
Instagram. I’m on Instagram the most.

If you could go back in time to a specific period of history, which one would it be and why?
World War II, because we learned about it a lot, we were on that topic (at school) for a minute. There were so many jobs that people had that were so hard. 

What color would you say represents your personality? 
My favorite color is black, but it doesn’t represent my personality. I would think that probably yellow, an in-the-middle yellow, because it’s a chill color. 

If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be and why? 
A black panther, because of the color black and because it is a chill and cool animal.