BEAUMONT, Texas — The 409 is home to top rated athletes every single year. One of those will be playing for his third-straight state championship this weekend, Beaumont United's Wesley Yates, III.
Coach David Green says Yates is special on and off the court.
"For one he's an awesome kid. He leads by example. All these accolades he gets, you'll never notice cause he's the same kid on the campus. I mean he gets along with everybody. His teammates love him, coaching staff loves him. He's just a great kid that represents united extremely well."
Yates has come along way since his freshman year, developing into one of the best players in the nation.
"I definitely changed a lot. I got way better on the defensive end. More active. It really taught me the game a lot more. Really just being more of a leader and more vocal. And just get my teammates more involved knowing that I can score at any given time that I believe. A lot of teams are going to play me different, so allow my teammates to thrive, and it's just allowed me to play more of a facilitating role."
Coach Green took a tough love approach with Yates like all of his young players.
"When he first arrived on campus I was tough on him as a freshman, and I'm pretty tough on all freshmen cause I want them to know that hey you have to put in time. You haven't arrived yet. So I was tough on him and sometimes people didn't understand it. But look at him now. I mean now he leads by example. He tells these other kids when I chew them out, he's only trying to make you better."
The University of Washington signee has some unfinished business in San Antonio, but is already starting to reflect on his time at BU.
"Just playing around in the locker room, the hotel rooms. Just everything. Just being around them, just feels amazing. Just being around the coaches, them teaching us all these things and us just learning. It's probably the most I'll just miss. And just really everybody around school, like around the whole community. Just acknowledging us and what we've done. That's pretty much what I'm going to miss the most."