The Viral College Hooper With One Arm and Zero Limits

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In today's edition...

He lost his arm in a devastating accident.

“I was thinking: ‘It’s over for me.’”

But he never stopped dreaming. And now he’s considered “the biggest inspiration in college sports.”

Let’s dive in 👇

Hansel Enmanuel: The Viral College Hooper With One Arm and Zero Limits

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“My life fell apart…I felt like it was all over.”

The world of competitive sports is hard enough for people functioning at 100%.

But it is even harder for those who face the challenge of trying to fit in with a physical or mental deficit.

Hansel Enmanuel Donato Dominguez was born in the Dominican Republic in October of 2003.

Growing up the son of professional basketball player Salvador Donato, Hansel dreamed of carving out his own sports career – not on the court like his dad, but on the baseball diamond.

Those aspirations were put on hold when Hansel was just six years old.

He was playing with friends and climbed a wall that suddenly toppled over on him.  The pile of cinder blocks crushed his left arm, pinning him down for nearly two hours.

Once medical help finally arrived, the damage was done, leaving amputation as the only option. 

“When the accident happened, I was thinking like: ‘What am I going to do now?’” he told The Score.

“I was thinking: ‘It’s over for me.’”

Following a complex surgery, Hansel faced a grueling rehabilitation process to help him relearn basic fundamental skills, like tying his shoes.

It severely impacted his balance and coordination.

“He was not born with that condition, and you see your child in that condition, and you can’t do anything, just accept what happened,” his father, Salvador, said.

But instead of letting the loss of his arm define him, Enmanuel used it as motivation.

After six months in the hospital, the youngster swapped his dream of becoming the next MLB star for a basketball.

As devastating as losing a limb would be for anyone, for a child who had dreams of playing sports (or playing in general) like his father, the road ahead seemed next to impossible.

But Hansel took the small victories in stride.

Rather than waiting for his mom to tie his shoes one day, “I was like, never mind, I’m just going to start,” he said.

“I told myself, ‘Let me try.’ I was trying. Then I made it. I tied my shoes. So, I was excited. Excited like crazy.”

His dad was originally against the idea of his son playing basketball for fear he would get hurt.

However, it didn’t take long for him to change his perspective.

“He asked me, ‘Daddy, how do I do this?’ ‘Daddy, what will happen when I grow up and have no arm?’ But he himself found the love for basketball and began to give it his everything.”

Growing up in one of the poorest areas of Santo Domingo, Hansel and his father spent hours and hours at the neighborhood courts, honing his skills.

“My life fell apart when Hansel’s accident happened,” Salvador said.

“I was the one with him, and when they had to amputate his arm, I felt like it was all over. But God grabbed us and led us down this path.”

Hansel struggled to adjust to his new way of life.

He’d often fall to the ground due to his equilibrium being off and his body adjusting to the lost limb.

But with time and natural development, the youngster continued to persevere.

By the time Hansel was twelve years old, he had grown to be 6 feet tall and figured out his coordination enough to travel to the U.S. to participate in various camps and tournaments. 

While he was playing against foreign competition in an unfamiliar environment, he held his own, giving his dreams a shot of hope.

Two years later, life once again changed for Enmanuel thanks to the internet.

In an era where every player seems to have some sort of mixtape, the lanky teen found a social media following after posting clips of his dunking abilities.

At the age of 16, Hansel decided to continue pursuing his basketball dreams in the United States after being offered a scholarship to play for coach Moises Micael at Life Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Florida.

The move to the U.S. was a culture shock, with a new language, faster lifestyle, and higher level of competition.

But Coach Micael, a former teammate of Enmanuel’s father in the Dominican Republic, trusted that after all the teen had gone through at an early age, he would have little problem adapting.

At LCA, Enmanuel quickly made a name for himself with an amazing display of athleticism and skill set that stunned coaches, teammates, opponents, and fans.

Despite his physical limitations – or at least that’s what many felt – Hansel played with a level of confidence and passion that left little doubt that he belonged in conversations with his peers.

From jaw-dropping dunks, highlight-reel crossovers, and big moment plays that captivated anyone watching, his high school games were nothing short of spectacular. 

“We don’t change anything in our offensive plays or defense because of him,” Micael said.

“I don’t see him as a one-armed basketball player. In fact, it seems like he has four arms.”

In a game where players are ridiculed for not being able to use their weak hand, Enmanuel did not even have that privilege.

With an incredibly strong and quick right hand, the lanky teen developed a unique ability to control the ball, weave through defenders, and finish at the rim better than some who have both limbs.

Standout performances became the norm.

First, he won the Edison Bank Slam Dunk Contest at the City Of Palms Classic.

Then, in his senior season, he averaged 25.9 points, 11 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 3.4 blocks, helping LCA capture a state championship.

While some play the narrative that schools were only interested in Enmanuel as a headline-grabbing, feel-good story, various NCAA schools legitimately wanted the high-scoring 6’6” guard to join their program.

In addition to Tennessee State (his first NCAA offer), Memphis, Bethune-Cookman, and Northwestern State University, the Overtime Elite program was also hoping to add Hansel to their roster, with the Demons ultimately inking the three-star recruit.

It didn’t take long for the freshman to make an impact on his team.

In an 18-point victory over Louisiana-Monroe, Enmanuel put an exclamation mark on the night by punching in a late-game dunk after a missed free throw.

“I had to keep going after the layup [made earlier in the game] – that was my first bucket,” Hansel said then.

“I know my family was proud. I had to keep working. You can’t give up.”

At the end of his first college season, Enmanuel had appeared in 20 games for the Demons, coming off the bench for an average of 8 minutes a night.

He finished the season with 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds.

Although the Demons had a successful season, finishing with a 22-11 overall record, first-year head coach Corey Gipson left for a job with his former alma mater, Austin Peay University. 

Entering the transfer portal, Enmanuel followed Gipson to suit up for the Governors.

“He’s the biggest inspiration in college sports,” Gipson said.

“He has developed me. I don’t know how any person on Earth can watch him play and not cry. The only way you wouldn’t get emotional is that you don’t have a relative or friend with a handicap.”

While still coming off the bench, Enmanuel saw a significant increase in his playing time, role, and impact on the game.

He averaged 14.8 minutes in each of his sophomore and junior seasons and saw a bump in his scoring, rebounding, assists, and shooting percentages.

While Enmanuel isn't on any of the major NBA mock draft sites, he’s already created a massive following for himself.

He's grown to over 4 million social media followers and locked up NIL deals with Adidas, Gatorade, and Oakley.

With ties to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – who signed Enmanuel to be an ambassador for ZOA Energy – the 21-year-old has already earned over $1 million in endorsements.

For those facing a challenge in life, Hansel says “not to limit yourself. If something happens on the way, it was because God wanted it that way. Further forward will be much better.”

As for what the future entails for Hansel professionally, both he and the basketball will have to wait.

With a fourth and final NCAA season in the mix, as well as what could potentially be several overseas offers, Enmanuel has already amounted to far more than anyone envisioned when his life changed in 2009.

For anyone still questioning his limits, rapper J. Cole breaks it down in 41 seconds:

🐶 

Today’s story was written by our friend up north, Steve Lee!

If you enjoyed this one, you’ll love my book: The Underdog Mentality. It’s full of the best sports stories you’ve never heard, plus book-only exclusives you won’t find anywhere else 👇

Here are two more stories you might also like:

• How a 5’2″ High School Freshman Became an NBA Star Through “Unrealistic” Self-Belief

• This Viral Sensation Inspired Millions With His Innovative Pursuit of a Near-Impossible Dream

Thanks for reading!

If you haven’t already, go tell a pal about The Underdog Newsletter. I appreciate your support 🤝 

Til next time,
Tyler

Extra Innings…

😮 Despite an NIL budget of $0.00, this tiny school in a tiny Pennsylvania town of 1,168 people just pulled off a stunning upset to reach the NCAA Tournament.

📕 A 5-star book review: “This is the perfect gift for the sports enthusiast or for Father’s Day or Mother’s Day…This is a MUST GET book!!”

🌟 Trivia Answer: C) Paul Westhead. Go check out his 30 for 30 episode, “Guru of Go”.