The Yum Center crowd roars when the PA announcer says David Levitch’s name before checking into a game. The Louisville fan base has welcomed this young man to the Cardinal Nation this year and he has become an instant fan favorite. He plays with a lot of passion taking full advantage of his minutes on the court in the closing minutes of games. But it wasn’t David Levitch the player getting that roar from the crowd on Friday night; it was “The David Levitch Play”.
North Oldham high school made the official announcement on Tuesday that Tee Salinas a senior manager for the basketball team would suit up for the first time with the Mustangs on Friday night.
Tee has been rebounding basketballs, getting water, passing out towels and supporting his Mustang basketball team since he was in the 6th grade, but on Friday night he would get his moment. He would be in the starting line-up and have his teammates cheering his name. And when Tee found out that he would have a play created for him to score he decided that he was going to call it “The David Levitch” his favorite Mustang player. David was a star at North Oldham high school where he still holds the three point record.
You often hear about how kids these days don’t get it, and they have been given the name “The Me Generation”. This year has been full of moments like the one that happened at North Oldham high school Friday night and there is nothing “me” about it. Some of the most inspirational things I have seen this past year have been on high school basketball courts across the country in gestures made by high school kids. I don’t know about you but that really has restored my faith in the next generation.
The player David Levitch left his mark on the basketball court at North Oldham high school, but it is the “David Levitch Play” on Friday night that left a mark on Tee Salinas’s life that he will never forget. Kudos to those kids on both of those teams and to those fans for inspiring us all. You have made us all very proud. Congrats to Tee on his big moment. May his life be blessed with many more.
David Levitch sent out his special message to Tee on his Instagram Account.