What happened to Hansel Enmanuel, the viral 1-armed hooper?
It's not every day you see people with one arm shoot and dunk the basketball the way Hansel Enmanuel does . But then again, Enmanuel is a special breed. Born in the Dominican Republic, Enmanuel had a life-altering experience at just six years old. A concrete wall collapsed on him , trapping his left arm for two hours. By the time he was rescued and taken to the hospital, it was too late, leaving doctors no choice but to amputate it.
He spent six months in the hospital and took a while to adjust to his new reality. However, instead of making excuses for his limitations, he continued to pursue the sport he loved and found a lot of success with it.
How Hansel Enmanuel first went viral
At 14, Enmanuel began posting highlights of his electrifying dunks on social media. It didn't take long for his popularity to make rounds online. After attending a few basketball camps and tournaments in the United States, he caught the attention of several scouts. At just 17 years old and little to no knowledge of the English language, Enmanuel moved to the United States to play on a scholarship for Life Christian Academy in Florida.
When he made the move, many were skeptical about whether he could compete at such a high level. But Enmanuel was quick to silence his doubters. During his senior year, he averaged close to a triple-double boasting averages of 25.9 points, 11 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 3.4 blocks. His efforts even helped his team win a state title. Ranked as a 3-star recruit, Enmanuel received offers from Division I schools such as Memphis, Tennessee State, and Northwestern State.
Enmanuel chooses Northwestern State
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 165 pounds, Enmanuel went viral again well before he played a minute into his freshman season in college. He became one of the highest-paid NIL athletes in his class, landing lucrative deals with brands like Gatorade and T-Mobile. Unfortunately, the transition to another level of basketball turned out to be too much for him to handle.
During his freshman season, Enmanuel struggled to find any playing time. He appeared in only 20 games averaging 1.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, and .1 assists in eight minutes a game.
Once his coach at Northwestern State (Corey Gipson) accepted the role as head coach of Austin Peay, Enmanuel decided to transfer as well. Playing for a new team on a familiar system, Enmanuel saw more playing time, but his production stayed limited.
What does Hansel Enmanuel do now?
While he's yet to experience the same on court success in college compared to his high school career, Enmanuel's story is far from over. As he enters his final few seasons with the Governors, whether or not he has enough talent to make it to the NBA, his journey has already broken barriers and inspired countless athletes around the world. Enmanuel is living proof that in the world of sports, anything can truly happen.
