The crowning of the Hoopcoming King: a tradition nearly as old as North Cobb itself, and with it comes a new student to accept this great merit and strengthened reputation. The 2018 crowned King, senior Ginji Ozawa, seems to stand in a class unlike any prior kings.

Generally, the competition for Hoopcoming King tends to stress out nominees, as other students rarely disclose their vote. This can lead to nominees stressing over the uncertainty of the results. However, unlike the previous Hoopcoming Kings of NC, Ozawa seems to openly break this mold.

“I got nominated four years in a row for Hoopcoming Court, so I wasn’t really worried at all. If I get selected, great; if not, I wouldn’t care,” Ozawa said.

This happy-go-lucky attitude extends to the competition Ozawa faced. Generally speaking, the students who end up nominated for court include football and track stars, class clowns, and intellectuals. Competing against this myriad of popular students adds to the stress. While Ozawa fits into this role, playing for NC’s basketball team as well as running Varsity track, he again subverts this convention of disdain for his rivals.

“They’re all my friends, so it was all just for fun. It’s not like we were competing or anything,” Ozawa said.

Because of his more jovial approach to the common stressors of Hoopcoming nomination, Ozawa embodies an entirely different type of king. However, one thing remains constant for all Hoopcoming kings: the joy felt upon receiving the crown. As grand as the ceremony can appear, a ray of pride almost emanates throughout, not just from the recipient, but also from their parents and attendees of the Hoopcoming game. This year, though, the crowning felt a bit more special for Ozawa.

“I was happy, not just because I was crowned king, but also because I play basketball and we were winning and it was the most important home game of the season. It was just a night to remember,” Ozawa said.