Small school \u2014 big hops. That\u2019s what some college basketball fans were saying after Statesman senior LaQuavius Cotton brought down the house at the 2015 State Farm College Dunk Championship April 2.<\/p>\n
In front of a rocking crowd at Hinkle Fieldhouse \u2014 home court for Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind. \u2014 and broadcasted for millions to see on ESPN, the 6-foot-6 Cotton showed the world that some of the nation\u2019s best athletes perform right here in \u201csmall-town\u201d Cleveland, Miss.<\/p>\n
Cotton, born and raised in Cleveland, is a 2010 East Side High School graduate and senior transfer from Mississippi College. The talented player with humble roots overcame the nerves of the big stage and shined bright in front of a national audience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWalking into that gym was crazy,\u201d said Cotton, \u201cI didn\u2019t know it was that big, and being in that atmosphere with some of the guys I saw playing on TV a couple weeks ago \u2014 it was shocking. To be in the dunk contest period was a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through a combination of scores from three highly competitive rounds, Cotton\u2019s performance reigned supreme, and he was handed the 2015 championship belt.<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing into it, I was just happy to be there,\u201d he said. \u201cI told myself I\u2019d be happy just to make it out of the first round. Once I got to the second round, I thought man, I\u2019ve got a chance at winning this, so I\u2019m going to try and take it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinning it all was truly something special. Words can\u2019t explain how it felt to take the championship, but it was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Delta State men\u2019s basketball coach Jim Boone was thrilled to see his player dominate the competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all so excited for LaQuavius, and to win it all, wow,\u201d said Boone.\u00a0 \u201cI am so proud of how he represented our basketball program, his family and all of our Delta State family. He is a tremendous young man who has worked very hard to develop his game.\u201d<\/p>\n
His invite to the big show, which included competitors from all three NCAA divisions, came after HoopMixTape.com caught wind of a YouTube video Cotton posted of his dunking ability.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy video really picked up some buzz when Hoop Mix Tape shouted me out on Twitter and Instagram. They got in contact with some people in charge of the dunk contest, and that\u2019s what got me the invite.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cotton said one of the highlights of the experience was having his parents in the crowd. His father, Leroy, is the athletic director, assistant principal and basketball coach for East Side.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad was my high school coach and he\u2019s worked with me on fundamentals and dunking,\u201d said Cotton. \u201cHe prepped me for the contest. I actually called him during the contest after a couple dunks to see what I should do next.\u201d<\/p>\n
The victory has brought the champion a swarm of unexpected attention, from calls from a few agents and contacts from multiple oversees teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis opportunity means a lot to me, and I hope it opens some doors for my future in basketball. It\u2019s definitely helped with exposure for me. Probably the coolest thing that\u2019s happened since I won was another shout out from Hoop Mix Tape and a bio page they created for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the instant fame, Cotton is remaining true to his roots.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just want to say thanks to Delta State,\u201d he said. \u201cTo the whole university really \u2014 faculty, staff, coaches, the compliance office \u2013 everyone really helped me out with this and throughout the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s next for the high flyer?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard that my senior year is done. It came to an end really fast, but I\u2019ve really enjoyed playing at Delta State with all my teammates,\u201d said Cotton. \u201cNow it\u2019s time to work on my overall game, find an agent and get ready to play professionally.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the dunking is a little behind me for now \u2014 until next time, hopefully.\u201d<\/p>\n