One of Utah’s best high school basketball players is named Stockton Malone Shorts.
This is not a joke.
His unusual name has given him somewhat of an internet celebrity status.
“I came out of practice, looked at my phone and I had 100 notification from all the tweets and everything,” Shorts recalled.
The world had learned about Stockton Malone Shorts.
“When people find out about my name, they’re like ‘that’s a great name,” he said.
The 18-year-old has had a great senior season, averaging more than 24 points for Copper Hills High School.
“I try to look for my teammates a lot but I also try and create for myself a little more than John did,” Shorts said.
Stockton led his school to a first round playoff win in February. After earning headlines around the world, he turned heads again in the second round.
“I scored 32 points and had 12 rebounds the next game,” he said.
His dad could not have been more proud. Rylan Shorts has been a John Stockton fan since he was 11 – and Stockton was a rookie for the Utah Jazz.
“I tried to play my game like him, wore number 12, yeah, he was always number one,” Rylan Shorts said.
John Stockton, a Spokane native and Gonzaga star, became one of the greatest point guards of all time, and Rylan became one of many dedicated fans in Salt Lake City.
“It’s hard to find someone that had a bigger legacy in the sports world,” Rylan said.
And it is hard to imagine a bigger fan of number 12 than Rylan, as seen in his overflowing collection of memorabilia and his son who bears his favorite basketball player’s name.
“He’s still a legend here, he’s a figure everyone looks up to,” Rylan Shorts said.
“I couldn’t think of anyone better to be named after,” Stockton Shorts said.
You know your Dad is a big John Stockton fan when you bear the name. @stockton_shorts' Dad Rylan has an amazing collection. pic.twitter.com/EL1ydUScyk
— Darnay Tripp (@DarnayTripp) March 14, 2017