Choices are part of everyday life. Some choices affect our day-to-day existence while other can affect a lifetime. Aziz Sultan Essa was no different than any other teenager in Kuwait or any other country for that matter when it came to choices. But his choices were more life changing than most as he contemplated his future at such a young age.

                "The basketball level in Kuwait is not incredible," Sultan Essa said. "I wanted to come here (United States) to go to school, go to college, and play basketball. "

                Leaving home at such a young age can be difficult for any teenager, but leaving the country can be somewhat traumatic. That was not lost on Sultan Essa as he began to investigate how he could make his desire come to the United States happen. Fortunately, his family had ties to this country and Sultan Essa was ready to take advantage of those connections.

                "My dad is half American so from a young age I was exposed to the American culture," Sultan Essa said. "And, a distant cousin was going to South Kent and our families are close so we started talking about me coming here."

                His father, Tarek, attended Berkshire Academy and went on to play at Williams College in Massachusetts. His sister Faye Sultan also attended Williams College where she earned All-America status as a swimmer and competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. She was the first female swimmer to compete for Kuwait in the Olympics. It was his sister's ability in the pool, his brother's time on the tennis court, and his father's experience on the hardwood that really opened Sultan Essa's eyes to athletics.

                "At a very young age, I did some swimming and played tennis," Sultan Essa said. "I also played soccer which is big in my country. But as I became older, I became bigger than my teammates and opponents. My dad suggested basketball when I was 12. Ever since then, I loved playing basketball."

                As a 12-year old, Sultan Essa began playing with the Kuwaiti National Team, receiving his first international experience at a tournament in Morocco. He continued with the team through the age of 16, culminating with the U-18 team's appearance at the Asian Championship.

                "We played teams from China, Iran, Japan, and other countries," Sultan Essa said. "It was a great experience, especially when the national anthem is playing and you are wearing the name of your country on your jersey. You cannot simulate that feeling."

                Despite the euphoric feeling of playing for his country, Sultan Essa knew that he still was far from his dream of playing basketball in the United States. While he was doing fine in Kuwait, he was not ready for the reality check of playing basketball in America, where the speed and intensity of the game exceeded his experience in his home country.

                "It's a different game in Kuwait," Sultan Essa said. "We emulate the European style of basketball. Here, it's a completely different level of basketball."
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                In order to play at this level, Sultan Essa knew he had to make difficult choices in order to fulfill his dream of coming to America. He had to get in better shape and learn how to play at the quicker pace that the American style demands.

                "It took me a couple of years to get ready for playing here," Sultan Essa said. "I was in really bad shape during those years with the national team. Even though I wasn't in shape, the level of basketball was not good so I could get away with it. I was bigger than most of the other players so that helped me be successful too."

                He was still out of shape when he came to the South Kent School for the 2014-15 academic year, weighing in at more than 300 pounds. Fortunately, he became acquainted with a former basketball player by the name of Nate Green, who played professionally in Kuwait. Green worked with Sultan Essa both on and off the court over the summer of 2015, which eventually led him to lose about 100 pounds. With the weight loss, he became a quicker and stronger basketball player.

                "Nate saw me play and believed in me at a young age," Sultan Essa said. "When I went through that phase of getting in shape and losing that weight, Nate and his wife were a big part of it. I spent time with them and they helped me get in great shape. It was a complete overhaul of lifestyle. I made big changes in terms of diet and I worked hard physically. It was hard but it was really simple things that made this happen."

                Sultan Essa's transformation was just the impetus needed to achieve success as a basketball player in the United States. With his weight loss and newfound physical regiment in place, Sultan Essa's basketball play improved dramatically.

                "For me, the main difference was the ability to run the court better and being able to move on the court better," Sultan Essa said. "It's helped me get back on defense and to defend much more aggressively. Getting in shape gives you motivation and helped me become the person I am today. I learned a lot from the experience."

                With his transformation complete, Sultan Essa began to excel on the basketball court. He spent three years at South Kent School before enrolling at Brewster Academy for a postgraduate year. At Brewster Academy, Sultan Essa was part of a team that went 33-0 and won the prep national championship in 2017. His play on the court caught the eye of Fairfield University Assistant Coach Tom Parrotta, who first saw Sultan Essa at South Kent School.

                "Coach Parrotta saw me play at South Kent when I was not in great shape," Sultan Essa said. "Although I was not in great shape, I was still skilled in basketball. He saw my development first hand. The fact that Coach Parrotta stayed with me came into play when I was making my decision. He reached out to me last year and I came to campus. I met some of the players and really liked it here. And, the coaching staff really believes in me."

                Sultan Essa continues to groom his game, focusing on becoming an all-around player and contributing to the team sooner rather than later.

                "Right now, I am a pretty good shooter but am working on getting better," Sultan Essa said. "I'm a big body who can set screens. I like to pass as well. My strength is that I play really hard."
                Now, Sultan Essa looks forward to playing Division I basketball with the Stags and developing his game to what he hopes will be a career beyond the college campus.

                "My aspirations are to just keep playing basketball whether it's in Kuwait or overseas," Sultan Essa said. "When I played in Kuwait at 14 and 15, the stage was not big. Playing for the national team in Kuwait now or in another country would be on a bigger stage and that would mean a lot to me."

                Wherever he lands, Sultan Essa has put himself in a good place to continue his success as a basketball player, whether he elects to play in Kuwait or in another country.

                It's always good to have choices.