Shahe has dreams of playing for the Denver Nuggets one day.
For now, the passionate, 12-year-old Nuggets fan will have to settle for getting buckets on his Unified Special Olympics basketball team in Erie, Colorado, his hometown.
Shahe has autism, but always has a positive outlook on life. As a result of his determination and passion for the game of basketball, especially Nuggets basketball, he was recently honored as the Nugget For A Day Monday before the Nuggets took on the San Antonio Spurs.
“It’s an honor for us to be here,” Shahe’s father Chris said, following the family’s participation in and viewing experience of Nuggets shootaround on Monday. “We thank the Nuggets for letting us do this. Shahe loves basketball, he loves the Nuggets and everyone has been so nice.”
Shahe visited Pepsi Center Monday morning along with his father and sister Maya to sit in on the Nuggets’ shootaround. After the team wrapped up its pregame preparations, Nuggets players took the time to take pictures with the family, autograph memorabilia for them and discuss their passion for basketball.
The family returned to Pepsi Center in the evening to enjoy pregame festivities in Club Lexus before taking their courtside seats to watch Denver overcome a 23-point deficit to defeat the Spurs. Shahe and his family were even shown on the jumbotron in the arena during the game to recognize him as the Nugget For A Day.
This wasn’t Shahe’s first experience with the Nuggets. Back in December, the 12-year-old participated in the Special Olympics Clinic that was held on the Pepsi Center court following a Nuggets practice. It was during that event that Shahe was able to meet and interact with countless Nuggets players, coaches and other team personnel.
Shahe said Nikola Jokić is his favorite player and shooting is his favorite part of basketball. He also expressed a tremendous passion for his basketball team, the Erie Tigers.
Although Monday’s celebration was tied to basketball, Shahe’s love of sports runs deeper than the hardwood. Not only is Shahe a valued and supported member of his school’s basketball team, he also plays football and runs track and field.
“Shahe has been supported by the community and everyone around him,” Chris said. “Part of the reason it’s important to us because Shahe has always been an athlete and loved sports. The Nuggets have been so supportive of giving him an opportunity to play and still have the special Olympics.”
The Nuggets will continue to honor those in the community as Nugget For A Day participants throughout the 2019-20 season.