By: Theresa Christine Etim
An active basketball life, a famous cousin and a southern but cultural upbringing are not only the elements that make Sam Martin who he is; it’s also what propels him forward.
For Martin, introduction to the basketball world all started as a child. He had a father who not only also had a passion for basketball, but was also a coach. According to Martin, it all started on that fateful day he was born, September 13, 1999 in Tyler, Texas.
“My dad has been a basketball coach my entire life, so I was pretty much born into the game. I knew it was my passion by the time I was five years old,” he said. “When I was only four years old, my dad let/made me warm up with the varsity basketball team in layup lines at games. I was thrown into the fire right away, so nearly no moment on the court is too big for me, because I was molded into this lifestyle.”
While Martin was born in Tyler, Texas, he was raised in Spring, Texas, an outskirt town on the northside of Houston, Texas. While he has lived all over, he considers himself a Texas kid who not only is proud of where he comes from, but has played for basketball leagues throughout the city.
“I have played for many teams and organizations growing up, some of the more notable ones were in Houston,” Martin said. “I have played in little leagues such as the WCBL (Woodlands/Kline Basketball City League) in the Woodlands and many AAU (Armature Athletic Union) programs as well, such as Gibson Hoops, Houston Hoops, Martin Brothers (my dad’s team), Texas Elite, Basketball University, TJ Ford Elite, KDC Elite, Team Hyperfuse, and Young Game Changers (YGC). Through these programs and individual teams, I met tons of players and parents that I have stayed in contact with to this day. I love Houston, it’s a great mixture of a cultural melting pot with a bunch of southern hospitality.”
In addition to his basketball experience, Martin has also been to 11 schools. While it has moved him around a bit, he believes it gave him the opportunity to meet lots of different people.
Hildebrandt Middle School, Hoffman Middle School, and Schindewolf Intermediate School served as his middle school basketball teams. In high school, he played for Klein Collins, Westfield, and his alma mater, Burleson High School. He mostly played point guard for each team and while winning many games and championships, he credits each team with teaching him how to be a leader.
“I learned a lot from all of these teams,” he said. “I learned how to be a leader and to lead by example, most importantly. I think this trait has carried on with me and forever will.”
Martin also has a lot of hobbies such as fishing, hunting, landscaping and collecting aquariums and fish tanks. He also enjoys swimming recreationally at beaches and lakes on family trips, but the other dominant sport he plays is football, which also runs in the family.
The proof of his football genes is NFL Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is his first cousin.
Not only are they four years apart, but they also grew up about four hours apart for most of their lives. Martin says he has a lot of early childhood memories of his famous cousin, despite their lives taking different directions.
“Me and Pat are first cousins,” Martin said. “I lived in East Texas near him up until I was five. We have a ton of childhood pictures and memories together, but the rest of our lives aren’t as close as I would’ve liked them to be. Yes, we were always close and cool, but we didn’t get to spend much time together growing up [other than] the holidays.”
But he did-and still does-have enough memories with Mahomes to not just share childhood memories with, but to have that leave an imprint on his life as his younger cousin.
“There are tons of pros [to] having someone like him as a cousin, role model and mentor growing up,” Martin said. “He is a great guy and extremely humble. He has helped me to acquire and maintain those good traits for myself.”
It might seem hard and pressuring to have such a famous cousin, but for Martin, it’s such a plus that it seems too good to be true to most.
“It’s not too hard dealing with him being my cousin,” Martin said. “Honestly, 90% of the time, people don’t believe me when I tell them. So I just quit telling people!”
What’s even crazier is that Martin spent most of his undergraduate career studying Business Marketing at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the same city as his Chiefs Quarterback cousin Mahomes.
But it seems that Mahomes’ influence is already rubbing off on Martin. University of Missouri-Kansas City Roo News Sports Editor Cristian Martinez says he is a great leader, much like Mahomes, which is what he’ll miss about him the most upon his transfer.
“He is a great leader. Sam will give it his all wherever he goes,” Martinez said. “That is what I will miss about him the most. He wants to prove he can play no matter where he goes.”
This transfer in particular is to Valdosta State University in Georgia to play for the Blazers, while finishing his undergraduate program to obtain a master’s degree. Martin said he feels quite blessed about this move, considering that his education will still be funded through basketball.
“My goals with going to Valdosta are to continue to get my education paid for and to leave college with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees fully funded and debtless,” he said. “I am blessed to be in this position and I can’t complain at all! My goals are to complete my MBA, play basketball and enjoy the game that I grew up playing that got me this far in life, and win championships all while staying healthy.”
Martin is a senior with two years of eligibility left and he’s considering pursuing a professional career overseas after college, something he’s a bit unsure of. He also plans to get a high-paying job and start a career in marketing or fitness.
But for now, Martin can enjoy his move to Valdosta State in Georgia, a southern adventure he seems to be excited for.
“I am from the deep south,” he said. “So I have a good feeling that I’m going to love South Georgia.”
It’s safe to say, it seems like Martin will feel right at home.
