Schea Cotton, once a basketball prodigy, did not make it to the NBA due to a combination of injuries, academic issues, and possibly politics within the sport. He played college basketball and later pursued a professional career overseas.
Schea Cotton was a high school basketball sensation in the 1990s, often compared to LeBron James in terms of his early impact on the sport. He was a dominant player at Mater Dei and St. John Bosco High Schools in California, earning the nickname “Manchild” for his advanced physical and athletic prowess. Cotton was widely considered one of the top prospects in the nation and was expected to have a successful NBA career.
However, his path to the NBA was derailed by several factors. After high school, Cotton faced academic eligibility issues that prevented him from playing at the collegiate level for some time. He eventually enrolled at Long Beach State and later transferred to the University of Alabama, but his college career was not as illustrious as many had anticipated.
Injuries also played a role in hindering Cotton’s progress. He suffered from knee problems, which affected his performance and limited his ability to showcase his full potential to NBA scouts.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Cotton went undrafted. He did not let this setback end his basketball career; instead, he went on to play professionally in various countries, including Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Japan, among others.
Cotton’s story is a cautionary tale of the pressures and unpredictability of high-stakes youth sports. His journey has been documented in a film titled “Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story,” which highlights the challenges he faced and his perseverance through adversity. After his playing career, Cotton has been involved in mentoring young athletes and running a youth basketball program, aiming to guide the next generation with the lessons he learned from his own experiences.