ORLANDO, Fla.---
Willie Mays Park is named after a baseball legend, but it tells a basketball player’s story.
“I’ve been going up here since I was about 9 years old, born and raised right here at this park,” Niven Glover says as he walks the familiar steps from his Richmond Heights House. “They changed the goals around a little bit, but same walk, same court, different steps.”
Wherever Niven goes, his Dad, Jon Hart isn’t far behind him.
“When he was younger he’d come out here and shoot free throws,” Jon says.
Jon rebounds for Niven as he warms up. Once he gets loose Niven can put on quite the show.
“It’s a God given ability I don’t see people that can do the things I do in game because it’s not normal.”
Niven just finished his senior year at Oak Ridge High School. He is one of the most dynamic high school basketball players in the country. One of his dunks even made the Sportscenter Top 10 on ESPN.
“It’s showing me that I’m doing something right so just keep doing what I’m doing,” Niven says.
His dream is the NBA. His Dad has made it his mission to help make it happen.
“As a father I’m extremely proud of him to have courage to chase his dreams.”
“Me and my dad have a crazy relationship,” Niven says when asked about his Dad. “It’s probably one of the best relationships any child could have with their parent.”
Watching them play basketball together now, it’s hard to imagine their relationship almost never happened.
Niven grew up living with his Mom, Nicole Glover in Orlando. Conditions weren’t always easy.
“Growing up as a kid sometimes my mom didn’t have enough money for bills and stuff like that,” Niven remembers. “So being homeless, not having a place to sleep. Sleeping in like a car, Uhaul, stuff like that.”
Niven didn’t know his dad. Jon didn’t even know he had a son.
“I met my dad when I was like 8 going on 9, he didn’t know it’s not like he wasn’t in my life he just didn’t know that I was born, because my mom had kept it a secret,” Niven says. “So he found out who I was and ever since that day he’s been taking care of me being a father stepping up.”
Jon stepped up after getting a call from a social worker. Niven’s mom had been shot.
“It was actually her husband, her husband that did it. I guess he was mad they had an argument and he pulled a gun on her. He shot her like twice,” Niven wasn’t there at the time of the shooting. But he recalls the details.
“He tried to kill her, but she pushed the gun,” He says.
Nicole survived the shooting, but lost custody of Niven. He was going to be placed in foster care unless he had another parent that could claim him. That’s how Jon entered the picture and met a son he never knew he had.
“So we went down to the court, they brought him out you know, he hated me when he first met me because he didn’t know me,” Jon remembers. “It was like I got to go stay with this guy?”
“Of course it made me mad,” Niven says. “My mom just got shot two times I’m trying to figure out what’s going on is she okay is she going to live stuff like that we didn’t really know. It pissed me off, but then I ran into that guy right there, my dad.”
Since that day Jon has dedicated everything he has to give Niven a better life. At their house you’ll find a variety of work out equipment all designed to keep Niven at his best.
Niven straps some bands around his feet. He’s about to do a footwork drill that helps him with his vertical leap.
“I’m the hulk,” he says as he stands up.
You could say they are building a super hero together.
“We’ve become extremely close over the years,” Jon says. “I change jobs I move. Whatever he needs done with this I help him do it because when I was a kid I never chased any of my dreams and I don’t want to see any of my kids do that.”
Now Niven is lucky to have both of his parents in his life. He’s a high school graduate, soon to be college basketball player and hopefully a pro.
“God blessed me with this talent and I know it’s only going to get better just doing the little things first to chase my bigger dream which is the NBA.”
It’s Willie Mays Park for now. Someday they might name it after him.