At the age of three Maximo, Max, Ortega would pick up a basketball for the first time, just barely being able to dribble the ball, in his backyard with his father by his side. He didn’t know then that the orange sphere that he could barely hold as a kid would go on to shape the next fifteen years of his life.
Now at the age of eighteen Max has signed a contract solidifying his commitment to Wofford College to play Division 1 basketball. During this process, his main supporter, his dad, was right there by his side supporting him from the sidelines.
Max’s journey started the same as many other athletes; his parents put him in a rec basketball league and from there it was history. As he grew older, basketball became a part of his everyday life, and there wasn’t a day he could remember where he hadn’t picked one up.
He would then go on to play AAU (Ametuer Athletic Union) basketball for teams such as Miami Tropics, Team Loaded, and Florida Pro.
Following his season with the Tropics, Max would go to Doral Academy High School for his freshman and sophomore year, where over those two years he would average 4.6 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game; however, going into his junior year everything would change.
This change was marked by the decision to to transfer to our very own Pines Charter and from there, it was history. Max would be the starting point guard for the Jags; his junior year averaging 9.0 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds pergame.
This would be a monumental season for him as he would help lead the team to a winning 25-4 record and a state championship. From that point on, the sky was the limit and nothing could hold him back.
During the offseason, he would go play AAU basketball for Team Loaded and Florida Pro where his outstanding performances were getting him recognition from multiple media outlets praising him for his skill and ability to control the floor.
The more he improved, the more he was publicized and this led to Max having five official college offers going into his senior year; Max, humbly, still remembers the feeling of getting that first phone call from a coach offering him to play for their school.
“It was amazing, I just remember my dad couldn’t stop hugging me and I was so proud of myself, but I knew that the work was put in to get here. I put my trust in God allowing him to guide my basketball journey, and I tried not to let that moment define me as a player and get to my head.”
And one after another Max would go on to pick up four more college scholarships from notable schools such as Coastal Carolina, and FIU, but there was only one school that felt like home to him.
In early October, Max would travel to South Carolina on an official visit to Wofford College, where he would meet the coaches, tour the facility, and fall in love with the school that he would call home in the fall.
“When I went on the visit it didn’t feel like a visit, it felt as if I was already a part of what they had; like I was already a part of their family and community.”
On October 9, he announced his official commitment to Wofford College via Instagram with smiles all around.
Max’s journey has had its ups and downs, but it is the people and beliefs that he holds close to his heart that have shaped his character and the player he is today. One of those people is his dad, “He never lets a moment go without pushing me to get better, and I just wanna repay everything he’s invested in me.”
Being thankful to have a loving and supportive person who takes the mental stress of basketball off of his mind, “They keep me human.”
Most importantly he credits his success and this achievement to his lord and Savior: Jesus Christ. Max not only isn’t afraid to express his belief but embraces it in his lifestyle.
“Putting the Christ in Christian and applying that to my life has taken me where I need to be and where I’m going. I don’t know, but I know God does and I trust in his plan.”
It’s this blind faith that he recognizes is the key to his life, and it is God who he thanks every day for this opportunity to play at the next level.
This year, Max has been key to the Jaguars success, averaging 15 points, 2.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds a game.
Through the comparison between his freshman and senior year stats, the growth in his ability to positively impact the court is evident. He feels, however, that he is nowhere near the ceiling; he strives to have basketball be a part of his life for as long as possible whether that be in the NBA or playing overseas, while growing as a player and a person.
On paper, Wofford is getting a 6 ‘2 gritty guard who averages fifteen a game, but little do they know they’re getting a player with heart, hustle, and a natural, unwavering, love for the game.
