niles: don't count out the underdog

Niles is a filmmaker, content creator, and basketball player out of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

He was one of my two roommates from freshman year at Wheaton, and I am proud to call him one of my best friends. Right now, Niles is filming a vlog named “The Sixth Man Series”. 

dedication

Before I met Niles, I thought I was a dedicated student-athlete; his work ethic is truly unreal. When Niles wasn’t sleeping in the dorms, you would either find him at the basketball courts or working on a film project. Since graduating, Niles hasn’t stopped. In addition to filming, editing, and promoting “The Sixth Man Series”, he is a part-owner and works at his family's restaurant Rhythm N’ Wraps, and continues to challenge himself with basketball workouts.

creativity

What makes me appreciate Niles even more is how he approaches the challenges in his life. You may be thinking that, as a basketball player, he must be at least 6’1” - he is a 5’9” point guard. Despite this “disadvantage”, Niles found a way to own his size by developing a fast-paced, efficient style of play that relies on deep 3’s and quick, effective moves. Not even the constant rejection and challenges he faced on the Wheaton Men’s Basketball Team could hold him back; during his Junior Year, he held the league’s highest 3-pt conversion percentage for the majority of the season, a whopping 48% accuracy - higher than an NBA player. 

Even more incredible is Niles’ ability to combine his passions for filmmaking and basketball to create a platform to showcase overlooked ballers like himself, giving them the attention they deserve. Aptly named “The Sixth Man Series”, Niles tells the stories of local underdog hoopers in the form of a vlog. In each episode, he interviews each player and has a joint training session with them to showcase their skills. Check it out when you get the chance!