Saint Louis University basketball player Daniel Rivera says he is grateful for the opportunities basketball has given him. 

Rivera moved to Brooklyn from Puerto Rico with his brother, sister and mother at 12 years old.

“It was super hard because my mom didn’t speak English,” says Rivera. “The only one that was speaking English was my sister.” 

After a few months, the family moved to the Bronx, where Rivera met Christopher Salgado, or “Glasses,” an assistant basketball coach at James Monroe High School. 

Rivera ended up playing basketball at Monroe and then later at Our Savior Lutheran.  

“It was fun to me and that’s where I met people, and it gives you opportunities,” says Rivera. “I love the game. I love everything that is about basketball.”  

The biggest opportunity was being able to go to college on scholarship.   

Rivera admits he sometimes had his doubts, but thankfully his mother never did.

"She did everything for me and just told me to just keep playing basketball, that's what you do,” says Rivera. “I didn't have no other way." 

After attending Our Savior Lutheran and having a 7-inch growth spurt, he went to Odessa Junior College in Texas.