Sports Spotlight: UTTC’s Famous Lefthand

BISMARCK, ND (KFYR) – He is a quintessentially American basketball player. He has a deadly right hand, but his last name suggests he shoots with the other.

It is his first name that usually catches everyone’s attention because he is famous.

I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard from him. He’s Famous… Famous Lefthand is an All-American guard on the United Tribes men’s basketball team. This season, he’s been everything and more than head coach Pete Conway could ask for.

“A player who set a good example here for two years is famous. Any time you have a first-team player from all regions, first-team player from all conferences, All-American returnee and he shows up to work and works harder than everyone else, it’s a great guy to have to lead by example . said Conway.

After playing a season at Williston State, the sophomore says he’s happy to find a new home in Bismarck, where he plays for the Thunderbirds.

“It just feels like I’m at home. Compared to Williston, it felt like I was an outsider. I was involved, but I got accepted mid-semester, so I had to do extra things to catch up. As soon as I arrived here, I had a fresh start to the new year. It just felt like home,” Lefthand said.

Famous says Coach Conway gets much of that credit.

“I can talk to him. We see eye to eye. It’s basically like we’re friends. It came out of confidence. It also gives me more self-confidence because a coach also believes in me. When you have a coach who doesn’t trust you to hit a big pitch, no matter how much you train, your confidence goes out the door,” Lefthand said.

Lefthand is one of the top 5 scorers in the nation, averaging nearly 25 points per game while shooting nearly 50 percent. Being named an All-American was a great honor for him, but according to Famous, the job isn’t done yet.

“It felt good to win it, you know. It all came from my hard work. And as soon as I got it, ‘Okay, now what’s the next step?’ The next step was to come back and try to go back to back, which has never been done here before. My next step is to try to get it back and take those guys to Nationals as well,” Lefthand said.

Famous is proud of where he comes from. He hopes his hard work in the gym can be a positive example for others to look up to him.

“I grew up on a small-town reservation, and when you have these small-town reservations, you have alcoholics … I grew up around people who did that. Going out and doing it now, being a role model means so much more to me, inspiring other kids and touching other kids’ hearts as well,” Lefthand said.

Lefthand and the Thunderbirds take on his former college Thursday night as they head out to face off against Williston State.

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