Jackson Free Press

Basketball talent runs deep in Velma Jackson High School guard Nick Weatherspoon's family. His older brother, Quinndary, has finished his first season at Mississippi State University, and his younger brother, Brandon, is an up-and-coming star at the Madison County school.

While Quinndary is making a name for himself at MSU, and Brandon hasn't yet become the star his older brothers are, all eyes are on Nick Weatherspoon, 18, as he begins his final season of high-school basketball. He filled up the stat sheet last season with 22. 8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

After winning two-straight state titles with Quinndary in 2013 and 2014, Weatherspoon led the Falcons to the semifinals last season before falling 43-41 to Kemper County High School. The senior guard has lofty goals for this season.

"I want to win a state and try to go undefeated," Weatherspoon says. Basketball practice began Oct. 17, and the season started Nov. 8.

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, Weatherspoon is signing to MSU. The guard received offers from the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, the University of Louisville and several other schools before the Bulldogs chose him.

His reasons for committing to MSU are his relationship with Howland and how well Howland coaches guards. "The guards he has had in the past shows he can make me a better guard, and I have seen how he has developed my brother," he says.

Weatherspoon isn't focused on playing with his older brother again just yet. He is excited to make a run at a state championship this year with his younger brother.

"I think it will be really interesting because we don't do the same thing, and he will be able to knock a lot of shots down when I pass him the ball in the corner," he says. "I think it will take some of the pressure off me knowing that teams have to guard the two of us, and I think he can be just as good as (me and Quinndary)."

While he has won two state championships with his older brother, Weatherspoon says it would be great to win a title with his younger brother. "I think it would really help us keep things going and be able to pass that torch to him," he says.

Though he may make a lot of noise on the court, Weatherspoon says that people would be surprised to find out that he is very quiet off the court.

If you love high-school basketball, be sure to check out Velma Jackson and Weatherspoon before he departs for MSU.