Fresno State Athletics
The Realization Of A Dream
1/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2006
When Hector Hernandez arrived at Fresno State in the fall of 2004, he was not the typical college freshman. Having been away from his native Mexico for three years prior while playing high school basketball in Denver, Hernandez was already used to coping with the feeling of homesickness while learning to live in new surroundings.
Hernandez's first experience of living away from home came at age 15. After participating in a high school basketball tournament in Denver, Coach Vince Valdez at Abraham Lincoln High invited him to attend school and play there. The school's strong bilingual program was a major factor in convincing Hernandez to relocate to the new city.
One of the obvious challenges Hernandez had to overcome in his transition to the United States was learning the language. It took him about four months once he was living here to fully learn English.
"The family I was living with didn't speak Spanish," Hernandez said. "They really encouraged me to speak English so we could communicate and understand each other."
With his parents and siblings living more than 750 miles away in Chihuahua, Hernandez stayed with his coach's parents during his time in Denver. The host family readily opened their home to the athlete who sacrificed time with his family for the chance to play basketball.
"My parents loved having Hector stay with them," Valdez said. "They certainly understood what it was like for him with the language barriers and having no direct family nearby. They really took him in as one of their own."
Valdez was impressed with the work ethic Hernandez showed from the time he arrived his sophomore year until he departed for college. He said Hernandez set examples for his teammates, including Bulldog Quinton Hosley who he played with for one year at Lincoln, by never missing drills or time in the weight room. That dedication certainly paid off for the sophomore forward.
"When Hector first came here, he was 6-foot-7 and 170 pounds. By the time he left for Fresno State, he was 6-9 and 225 pounds," Valdez said. "Throughout his entire time, he was dedicated to building a better body, and it has shown. By his senior year, Hector looked to be a man playing among boys."
After a successful career at Lincoln High in which he established himself as one of the nation's top 50 high school players, Hernandez arrived at Fresno State hoping to follow in the footsteps of his idol Eduardo Najera. One of the first Mexican players in the NBA, Najera also hails from Chihuahua, Mexico, and made a name for himself playing college basketball at Oklahoma.
The strong support in the Central Valley for Fresno State athletics as well as the large Hispanic population helped Hernandez decide to come play at Fresno State. The presence of another Mexican on the team during his freshman year, Jose Sanchez, also helped him adjust to a new school and team. Team manager Chris Brazelton said the two could often be heard speaking Spanish to each other. When Hernandez didn't understand something a coach said, Sanchez communicated it to him in Spanish.
"I think Hector has become comfortable living and playing in the United States," said teammate Dwight O'Neil, Hernandez's roommate on the road. "He misses his family a lot, but it really helps him to receive support from the Mexican community."
Some of Hernandez's biggest supporters are the Bulldog fans that call themselves Hector's Homies. The group can be seen at both away and home games holding signs and decked out in clothing displaying their cheers for Hernandez.
"One of the best things about playing here in Fresno is the huge amount of support I receive, especially from the Mexican community," said Hernandez. "It makes playing here a lot of fun."
Hernandez doesn't really concern himself with what the future holds for him in playing basketball. He said he just focuses his energies on a game-by-game basis rather than looking years ahead.
"My options are open for the future," he said. "The big picture of course is playing in the NBA, but I don't know if I really see myself there. For now I just want to concern myself with school and getting my degree, and then we'll see what happens after that."
The road Hernandez has taken to get to this point in his career has not been an easy one, he admits. However, for the realization of his dream - simply to play basketball - it has all been worth it.
"Hector has overcome a lot all in the name of basketball," Valdez said. "He's moved away from family and learned to live on his own at a very young age. He's broken language barriers. As a result, he has come to realize that his dreams have come true."
