When they’re together, the Carter ohana is at its best.
A few years ago, eldest son Ja’Shon was a kingpin of the Air Force base bowling alley in Wyoming with a high score of 246. His dad, James Carter Jr., has a high score of 266.
In San Antonio, James coached Ja’Shon with the Texas Soldiers AAU club team. The second-level squad, with Ja’Shon at the point, won a tournament in New Orleans. The club promoted Ja’Shon to the elite roster, and then the family was transferred to Hawaii. James writes contracts for the government at his desk on the grounds of Hickam Air Force Base.
Ja’Shon continues to take flight. Since arriving as a freshman at Kapolei, he has started every game since the second contest on the schedule. Kapolei has won 32 OIA West games in a row, completed the current regular season 10-0, and is one win away from qualifying for the state tournament.
Carter chatted with Hawaii Prep World on Saturday and was features in today’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, which you can read here.
Ja’Shon Carter
Kapolei basketball
Senior
Q&A / Favorites
Athlete: James Harden. Because he plays for my favorite team. It’s him and LeBron (James), but just watching, he’s my favorite player.
Team: Houston Rockets. My parents met in high school, at C.E. King High School. The Rockets are fun to watch. Last year, if Chris Paul could’ve played, they could’ve gone to the finals. They’re better than I thought they were going to be this year.
Food (at home): Fried fish. My mom seasons it with a special seasoning. We go back to Houston almost every summer to visit family. My whole family makes it and we bring back a bag of the seasoning.
Food (eating out): I don’t really have one here, but back in Houston, there’s a place called Pappadeaux (Seafood Kitchen). It’s seafood. It’s pretty good. They got crab fingers, catfish, crawfish, all that.
Movie: Next Friday. I think it’s funnier than the original. I think Mike Epps is funny.
TV show: Martin.
Video game: NBA2K. (Username: J2Fleeky.)
Music artist: Lil Wayne. The words he uses and the way he puts it together, it’s crazy.
Teacher: Miss Plummer, math teacher, Briscoe Middle School in San Antonio. She likes the kids, she makes it fun. She joked with us, gave us candy, and the crazy thing is her first name is Candi.
GPA: 3.8 cumulative.
Class: P.E.
Motto/scripture: Kevin Durant said something like, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work.’
Youth sports: I played baseball for one season, then soccer, football and basketball. I like football the most. Football was always more fun to me than basketball, but I was better at basketball. I played one season of football, but I got hurt.
I played a lot of club ball in San Antonio for the Texas Soldiers.
Where have you traveled for basketball?
I’ve been to Atlanta, California, and a big tournament in New Orleans.
What dad says that you can’t forget: He says, you’ve got to want it. You have to work for it. You can’t expect anything to fall in your lap.
Hobby: Listening to music.
What’s something you’re good at that most people don’t know?
I like to bowl. I’m pretty good at bowling. My high score is 246.
Bucket list
I want to travel to exotic places like Borabora, a place like the Bahamas.
Time machine
I would go back so I could watch Michael Jordan play. I would wear the same stuff because it would be all new to people back then.
I’d go back to our middle school days. To me, that was the funnest time of my life.
What is the history of your name?
Ja’Shon — my dad is James Carter Jr., and everyone calls him J. My mom is Rashanda, so they combined the names.
Shout-outs
Thank God for giving me this chance and my parents for giving me advice to be a better person on and off the court.
Does he Bowl for Kapolei?
Once you win the game, your dreams will come to you, just always remember that if you wanna doing something in the future you go for it