Coming off two successful seasons as a Revere Minutemen basketball player, Nathan “Mina” Anton was ready to take the next step into the varsity line up. Going into his junior year, he spent the entire off-season improving his game so he could fit into the coach’s game plan. 

After training in front of the coaching staff, Anton learned that he did not meet the qualifications to make the team. It was heartbreaking news for him, but this did not stop him from training. Anton planned to come back his senior year to be a big piece for the next season.

At the same time, Anton began to watch anime, which is a japanese style of animation. The television shows began to preach lessons about hard work, selflessness and collaboration to Anton. With these lessons instilled, Anton began to train like the fictional characters in the hit shows. He worked on his three-point shooting like how Naruto Uzumaki would improve his Rasengan. The physicality of his game improved like how Monkey D. Luffy would train his body. Anton then trained his basketball IQ like Shikamaru would arrive on the correct strategy in Shogi.

Anton arrived to try outs this year, ready to put his head down and work. The tryouts were intense, but Anton managed to impress the coaches and make the team. He is the only senior on the roster, and he is prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

In December Anton found himself in a leadership role, as he set a positive example for the younger players. Anton talked about his relationship with his teammates as a leader.

“Being the only senior on the team, it gives me the opportunity to be a role model. I want to be there for my teammates. At the same time, I am playing with guys I have played with over the past three years, so it is just a great experience to play with them one more time,” Anton said.

As a figurehead of the team, Anton lives out the lessons he has learned from certain anime. He stated that Naruto is the most influential one he has watched so far, since it highlights a boy who built his reputation from the ground up. Hard work and cooperation with others are only a few of many lessons the show possesses. Anton discussed how anime has impacted his life.

“Anime has taught me a lot of valuable lessons. Most episodes preach that hard work is so important when it comes to greatness. It also showcases that you need the mindset of working hard, being kind to people around you and accepting challenges. It relates to basketball too, because we need to work as a team in order to be successful,” Anton said.

Most anime have a long list of characters, therefore people can relate to a certain personality in the show. Anton shared his most relatable character in all anime, who starred in the show Naruto.

“My most relatable anime character is Shikamaru Nara from Naruto because he is a collected guy and always has a plan for any situation. He keeps calm and works together with other characters. I try to bring that kind of personality to the team,” Anton said.

Anime does its part to inspire Anton, however, he has another major influence in real life: Kobe Bryant. Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for his whole career, winning five championships. Anton recalled his first insight into Bryant’s greatness.

“The first instance that comes to mind is when my uncle brought me to a [Los Angeles] Lakers game when I was a kid. Watching Kobe Bryant play really inspired me throughout my entire life,” Anton said.

Anton was heartbroken when he heard of Bryant’s death in January of 2020. He stated he could not describe his emotions at the moment, but he kept working because that is what Bryant preached. Anton opened up on what Bryant meant to him.

“I always heard stories about how hard [Bryant] worked and how persistent he was in life. It did not matter if it was basketball or relationships, he would always work hard to try to improve himself and those around him. I take away that from his contributions to life,” Anton said.

Anton continues to work on himself as an athlete and as a person. The tales of the fictional Naruto Uzumaki and the real-life Kobe Bryant inspire Anton and others like him. Both of the two pushed themselves beyond their limits in order to achieve greatness, and Anton plans on doing the same. Anton stated a goal for the team this season was to get the Golden Ball back from Copley.

“As of right now, we do not have the Golden Ball, and we want that back. It would be huge for the program to get it back from that team down south,” Anton said.

The rest of the Minutemen expect great things from Anton this season. 

Junior Jagraj Dhillon plays the same position as Anton on the team and works with Anton every practice. The two met last year during basketball season, and their bond has gotten stronger over the past season.

“[Anton] is such a great guy. He is really smart, and he works his tail off. This year he came out for the football team, and he carried a very important role for us this season as a defensive lineman. From a basketball standpoint, he works really hard and enjoys playing with the team,” Dhillon said.

Head Coach Dean Rahas has worked with the Minutemen for numerous years. He coached the likes of Samson Albert, Larry Nance Jr., Jimmy Salamone Jr. and more phenomenal Revere Basketball alumni. Rahas coached many phenomenal athletes; however, he talked about how Anton is as special as they come.

“Nate [Anton] is a kid that you want your seniors to be like. He comes to practice everyday, works hard and has a great attitude. He sets a great example for the younger kids, and it is important to have kids like that. His role is larger than he realizes. He really represents everything that Revere stands for,” Rahas said.

Anton stated that he is excited for the season ahead and believes that the team possesses great talent. At the same time, he is searching for a new anime to get into. Anton had this to say about the ridicule anime receives.

“Some people may think anime is not for them, and to that, I say give it a try. Anime has so many important lessons that can be learned. You could apply most of it to your life,” Anton said.

As the season begins, all that Revere fans can do is sit back and watch. Anton is in the best position to shine over the past three years. He brings a breath of fresh air to the team. After losing some seniors, Revere basketball is ready to create a new legacy with Anton at the helm.