WASHINGTON — These magical March dreams are for parents as well, especially for mothers and fathers who have moved from one school to the next to be near their son, especially for a father who has watched his son grow from a 3-year-old playing Nerf basketball to transfer portal gold to trying Friday night to help take Rick Pitino and St. John’s past No. 1 seed Duke to the Elite 8.
“It’s just been a surreal moment, it’s like a dream come true,” Clyde Hopkins said. “Bryce’s journey has been different than others. But I never doubted the kid, he never doubted himself, and like I always tell him, ‘No matter what you go through, just continue to have faith in the Lord and trust in Him, and at the end of the day, cream will rise to the top.’ ”
Bryce Hopkins’ journey began in a home 30 minutes outside Chicago.
“I started Bryce at a very early age, like 3-years-old, I used to have him shooting hoops before he’d go to bed on a Nerf hoop downstairs,” Clyde said. “He loved football, but his mom never allowed him to play football. We just grinded every single day. I had him playing with always older kids.”
