Zach Hodskins is a 16-year-old Georgia high school junior and a pretty good basketball player. He shoots over 60 percent from three-point range, and his shooting ability is helping him draw college interest. What makes his story so special is that he does it all despite being born with just one hand.
Hodskins was the subject of a recent feature by USA Today’s Jason Jordan, who says that the youngster averages 12 points per game for Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga. In a recent game, Hodskins went 7-for-10 on threes.
Hodskins has played on top-level AAU teams, and he says he’s received interest from UAB to play college ball.
Though one would think that having one hand would serve as a disadvantage on the court, Hodskins says it might be why he has such a good shot.
“They say that my shot is more fundamental than kids with two hands because they use their left hand too much to guide their shot,” Hodskins told the Brentwood Home Page last year.
Hodskins comes from an athletic family. His father played college baseball, and his older sister played basketball in high school. He has played sports since a young age and always found a way to excel despite only having one hand. In baseball, Hodskins played first base and hit left-handed, using his right arm to generate bat speed. He also began pitching once he started throwing hard. He played soccer when he was younger, surfed, and he even won his age group in the decathlon.
He also has a fantastic attitude about his arm.
