Kofi Hamilton, a Sint. Maarten native is now living his dream as a professional basketball player in Austria, competing for the Dornbirn Lions. But his road to the pros began thousands of miles away at a small community college in Nebraska and even earlier as a table tennis player, since basketball was never his first love. His father often kept him inside and did not want him to touch a basketball.
Hamilton officially started playing at age 12, not long after his mother passed away. He spent countless hours on the court doing everything he could to cope with his loss. He attended Milton Peters College, a high school in Sint. Maarten, where he joined his district team and met Coach Khalil, who molded his game and turned him into a two-way defensive menace.
He kept working hard and made the Sint. Maarten’s national team at 17, helping them qualify for the LIBA tournament. He averaged 20 points, the fourth highest in the tournament, and five rebounds to lead his team to the LIBA championship. Soon after, college programs began noticing him. Although many schools showed interest, he chose Southeast Community College to start his collegiate career. His dream of playing professionally and making his mother proud was beginning to look real.
Hamilton first made his mark at Southeast, where his work ethic earned him First Team All-Conference honors. He later transferred to Rogers State University, where he averaged 11.7 points (third-most on the team), 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1 assist per game. He also led his conference in field-goal percentage, shooting 57 percent, while studying sports management.
“The biggest challenge transitioning from college basketball to professional basketball would be the style of play,” Hamilton said. “In Europe, you can be more physical, and the shot clock is different. In college, the shot clock was 30 seconds, and in Europe it’s 24.”
Hamilton said the faster pace did not take long to adjust to, thanks to his college experience.
Still, he admits the path has not always been easy.
“I definitely thought about giving up numerous times, but I remembered what my calling was,” he said. “I came to America to play basketball and help my parents.”
Now, as he represents both his team and his island abroad, Hamilton stays grounded by focusing on balance and perspective.
“I tend to not put too much pressure on myself, and I do my best to remember I am a human being when I am off the court,” he said.
From Sint. Maarten to Austria, Hamilton’s story is one of perseverance, faith and purpose, a reminder that hard work and heart can take you anywhere.
