BALTIMORE — After Maryland men’s basketball practice earlier this season, Donta Scott sat inside an empty Xfinity Center and took it all in. Thirty pounds lighter and wiser beyond his years, he leaned against a foldout chair placed behind the basket and reflected on life. He didn’t dwell too much on the future, only on the present and how his past helped him get to where he is now.
Scott is only 22 years old, yet he understands that life is an unpredictable journey with many twists and turns. At age 3, he was rushed to the hospital after getting hit by a car. In elementary and middle school, he struggled academically and was getting in trouble in class until basketball gave him a purpose.
Most recently, Scott learned life is about adapting. Last September, Scott’s longtime family home in Norristown, Pa., was flooded as the remnants of Tropical Depression Ida tore through the Northeast. Three months later, former Terps coach Mark Turgeon unexpectedly stepped down at the beginning of a turbulent 15-17 season.
