Here is Mike Buffalo during the signing of his first professional basketball contract. The photo includes with the team’s logo and a representative from the Mansfield Giants
You Gotta Believe by Ken Kush Sports Editor (York News Times – Nebraska)
November 4, 2014YORK – Several months ago, Mike Buffalo’s passion for the game of basketball took a nose dive.
His dream to play professional ball and eventually move into the front office off a professional team just didn’t seem possible anymore.
At the time Mike was a senior at York College and had notified his coaches he was leaving the team.
A chance meeting with Mason Conner, then a student at York Middle School, during a trip down to the York Community Center changed how Mike felt. Suddenly he had a revitalized eagerness to return to the game.
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Mike will take another step in his life’s chapter.
“I am proud to announce that I will be beginning my professional basketball career in the English Basketball League (England) with the Mansfield Giants,” Mike said. “I am very thankful for this opportunity from the man above. The Lord works in mysterious ways. This is all ‘God’s Plan, Not Mine’ and just to think I gave up on basketball several months ago and now look where he has me at now, in another country to start my professional career. I am truly blessed.”
Since graduating from York College last May, Mike has faced six months of uncertainty. He even thought about going out and finding a regular 9-5 job.
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I must admit this process was a bit stressful. After graduating from York College in May 2014 with a degree in business, and just sitting around for six months of not knowing where I’ll be playing next season was frustrating.” So frustrating he considered “getting a 9-to-5 job in my degree field because I was losing faith and thought that basketball might not work out after all,” said Buffalo. “But I continued training and kept believing that God was going to place me somewhere. It just takes time and patience because sometimes you have to expect the unexpected and allow God’s timing to bring you where you need to be at his pace.”
Mike is very thankful to a lot of people who kept believing in him and encouraging him to keep fighting for what he wanted.
“I want to thank my immediate family, my friends, my professional basketball agent Wesley Alston, my trainer Marlon Smith, coach Matt Shaw of the Derby Trailblazers and the Simon family,” Mike said. “My second family in Nebraska, the Conners, for their continuous love and support and fans in the New York City area and the York, Nebraska community.”
Mike and his trainer plan to give back to the community of York next summer following Mike’s first professional season when they return to host the Mike Buffalo Basketball Camp.
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So at the moment I’m actually in England. I have to begin practice for my upcoming game on Saturday (November 8), which means I am six hours ahead of you guys in time,” Mike added. “So you can shoot me emails at any time you would like to. Because I’m usually up at all different times and hours of the day.”
You can keep up with Mike at “Mike Buffalo” on any of the social networks (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram).
Mike will keep the News-Times updated throughout the season on how he is doing in his new home.
News-Times/Ken Kush – Mike Buffalo (left) and Morgan Conner (right) watch the Pius X vs.York boys Class B state basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena last Thursday. The two have become best friends since a chance meeting at the York Community Center.