Kevin Laue Ready to Play Division I Basketball…With Only One Hand

If you are like me, then you gotta be sick and tired of hearing about douchebags like Terrell Owens, Milton Bradley, Brett Favre and the rest.

But for everyone one of those guys, there’s Kevin Laue.

My initial reaction was probably like most of yours…who the f–k is Kevin Laue?  But after doing a ton of research (ie. a Google search that took 2 minutes), I read up on the young man and came away quite impressed.

And while a feel good story like this one is strays from the normal semi-humorous, crap-infested tripe I usually post on this site, this story was both amazing and inspirational, and I felt compelled to post it.

Hopefully your powers of the obvious helped you realize that Kevin only has one hand.  He was born without a left hand, lost after it had become trapped between his neck and the umbilical cord that had become wrapped around Kevin in the womb.  As unfortunate as that was, it probably prevented him from a) being born with brain damage, or b) dying.

Kevin, like any person who has lost a limb, learned to adapt.  So well that he began playing basketball.  Now he uses his left arm to stabilize the ball in his right for passes, and conversely would use the left arm to support the ball as he gripped it in his right hand for catches.

Which brings us to the present, where Kevin is beginning his freshman season at Division I Manhattan.  The school was the only one to offer Laue a scholarship to come play basketball.  According to Gary Johnson, the NCAA’s historian, this is the first time he’s ever heard of a one-handed basketball player.

Not bad for a one-handed kid who only started playing basketball in the seventh grade.

Kevin Laue and the Manhattan Jaspers open the season on November 14th.  The 6-foot-11 center knows he can play the game, the only question know is, will his opponents underestimate the kid with one-hand?

“It’s to my advantage,” said Laue, explaining what it’s like to come onto the floor during a game and face his two-handed opponents. “They think they’re going to have an easy game and just whip on some one-handed kid. But I think I’ve surprised a couple people out there.”

No matter what the outcome of Manhattan’s season opener, just having Kevin Laue out on the court will serve as an inspiration to anyone who’s ever been doubted because of their physical limitations. [Seattle Times]