Hobbs Schooled on Fatherhood through Hoops

By Jim McCurdy

IRVING, Texas – Autavius Hobbs was ready to kick basketball to the curb.

That was until the biggest assist in his life brought it back. Now his focus isn't just on himself. Instead, he's using the sport and school to pave a new path for himself and the one affectionately now known as AT3.

Hobbs began his college career at NCAA Division II St. Mary's University in San Antonio on a scholarship. But when he didn't take care of business in the classroom, he was forced to return home after one semester.

"I actually see St. Mary's as a blessing in my life. To that point, my whole life was just straight basketball," Hobbs said. "I do miss it, but at the same time, I'm on to better things. Everything happens for a reason."

What became an even bigger reason or a bigger why in which he elected to stay in the Dallas area for the last two years to play basketball and get an education was his indoctrination into fatherhood.

Hobbs became the father of Autavius Hobbs III on June 16, 2023.

When he first learned he would become a father, he was depressed. He started slipping in some of his classes, was late to practice a couple times at St. Mary's, and his natural uplifting nature took a turn that needed to reverse course.

"It was a big trial," Hobbs confessed.

He thought basketball was over. He believed his next journey was to just find work to provide for his son and girlfriend. He was set to take an interview at Bucee's when the phone rang.

It was Dallas College North Lake men's basketball coach Josh Mills. Initially, Hobbs didn't want to play junior college basketball. But after a good sell by Mills, coupled with some coaxing from those he knew the best, he became a Blazer.

"My parents talked me into it," Hobbs said. "It was a blessing."

Winning a national championship in your freshman year of college basketball has that type of effect. But it didn't come without its challenges. There were bumps along the way as he began his Blazers career.

"It was hard, being a first-time father, going to school and just trying to be there as much as possible for my son," Hobbs said. "Coach Mills was willing to work with me. It was very tough that first year, but that second year, I learned a lot."

That's where he is now – one of the leaders on North Lake's team, which sits in second place in the Dallas Athletic Conference. As a freshman, Hobbs averaged 7.8 points, while shooting 81 percent from the free throw line on last season's national championship team. This year, he leads the Blazers in scoring (14.2), while shooting 85.8 percent from the stripe.

"He's definitely matured," Mills said. "I think I've been one of the toughest coaches on him, as far as holding him accountable on and off the court. Of course, we want to win basketball games, but we want to develop young men. He's seen a lot of improvement with his grades in particular. On the court, he's become a better ballhandler, a better facilitator. He's been streaky as far as shooting, but he's gotten more consistent lately. Last year was similar. He's still got a ways to go, but I think he's going to make a scholarship team very happy next year."

Hobbs scored over 20 points in six games this year, including a career-high 28 at Midland College in late November. Two weeks ago, he singlehandedly authored the culmination of a double-digit comeback in a game North Lake trailed by as many as 15 to Dallas College Brookhaven. Hobbs scored 11 of his 24 points in the final 2:22 of the game to send the contest into overtime. In the extra five-minute session, he buried a knockout three-pointer that put the Blazers up five in a finish they did not squander.

"This year, I started to love the game again," Hobbs said. "Last year, I liked the game, but I really didn't love it. Now – I was telling my teammates today – it's fun. The gym is fun. It's like a therapy session like when you're going through a hard time in life. I'm getting that love again."

While he was at St. Mary's for the fall semester, Hobbs said he didn't really have a coach checking in on him academically. That's different at North Lake, where Mills makes study halls mandatory, and pushes his players to succeed in the classroom.

"That's helped me out a lot," Hobbs said. "I've had some slip-ups, and sometimes I did good. But Coach was there, and my parents were there. Now that I'm older and more mature, I'm taking that next step, and taking care of my grades and taking care of my assignments, making it to class on time. Just doing everything I need to do so I can be eligible for a four-year (school)."

Hobbs has had four-year schools express interest in him, but he's still weighing his options as he looks for an institution that offers kinesiology. He would like to become a trainer or sports chiropractor to stay connected to the game. For the next month, and as far as the Blazers advance in the postseason, his mindset is the same.

Staying level-headed, and trying to get buckets.

"He's turned the corner maturity wise, where he doesn't give up as easily as he used to," Mills said. "He said he wasn't going to play basketball anymore. School wasn't really for him – that type of stuff. But he's doing it for his son, and he's appreciative of everybody that makes it happen."

For the Blazers, in the second half of the season, he's making it happen. Hobbs scored in double figures in all seven games in January and another to start February for an eight-game run after the holiday break. He topped 20 in two of those games – all wins for North Lake. He shot 50 percent or better in five of the first seven games during that stretch, including a 7-for-7 performance in the comeback win over Brookhaven.

In the win over the Bears, he had a 3 and two three-point plays in less than three minutes to send North Lake to overtime. His three in OT beckoned the call:

"AT for 3."

Now he is the father of AT3 – both he and his son named after his dad, Autavius Hobbs I.

In the same way he had to teach himself to lead his family as a young father, Hobbs was pressed into becoming a figurehead on the court.

"That's one thing I had to learn this year – just being a leader," he said. "Putting others in check, and even getting held accountable, too. So that's been a real challenge for me. It's definitely been a growing year. I'm always willing to grow. I do need to give props to Ring (Deng), Randy (Woolf) and Jakob (Zenon) because of what they did last year and what they taught me, and what I'm teaching the team this year."

The Blazers went from a team that was seven games under .500 before Christmas to one that ran off seven straight victories to begin the new year.

"I feel like one of the best things that can make it better is facing adversity," Hobbs said. "We faced a lot of adversity in that (Brookhaven) game. We were just kind of bumping heads and getting into it, but at the same time we were brothers. We express it every day, 'We're family.'"

For AT Hobbs, family has taken on a whole new meaning.