Donté Greene

http://www.sportsstarsoftomorrow.com/ Like SSOT on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sportsstarsoftomorrow Follow SSOT on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SportsStarsTV Sacramento, california is a city full of fighters. after all -- "sack town" was first founded in the early 19th century -- and boomed thanks to the influx of pioneers "battling" for gold. of course -- sacramento is also the california state capital -- where hundreds of political fights ensue each year. and recently -- sacramento has been in a very public battle with the n-b-a -- as the city tries to keep its beloved sacramento kings from moving out of town. so it's fitting that we're focused today on an athlete who knows how to battle. his name is eric armstead. and whether it's on the football field at pleasant grove high school -- or on the basketball court -- armstead usually comes out on top. on the day of our visit -- armstead was working out on the basketball court -- but he plays both sports with equal skill. he's one of the top lineman in the class of 2012. but he's "skilled enough "to play basketball in college, as well. arik 8:15 theyre definitely different but similar in some ways. you gotta be physical in both. like the skills of basketball and how fast paced it is. and other than just using brute strength i can use skills to be effective. and nobody in the class of 2012 has the skills of armstead. on this day -- he's going through a rigorous basketball workout under the eye of his father, gus. the teenage armstead "holds his own" in the workout against players who have graduated from college. thanks to his "six foot eight," 280 pound frame, armstead won't be pushed around. arik 8:50 it helps with my development a lot. im not going to go up against any competition my age. ive played with better guys already. i was guarding donte green earlier. really helped to push my game forward and see what i've become. nathan garth 1:05 arik has great footwork, hands. usually football players foul a lot. just want to get physical. arik knows the game. charles garcia 5:44 i would say dujan blairish but more athletic and on the ball more. blair is a big body. but aric can do so much. much bigger than dujaun. it's not blair who armstead compares himself to. instead -- it's chicago bears star julius peppers. like armstead -- peppers starred in two sports. arik 11:30 julius peppers is my idol. i have him as a background on my phone. i look up to him. he played at a high level at both. my brother and i were trying to contact him. we'll see if that's possible. in a few short years -- armstead might join peppers in the n-f-l. after all -- you don't see linemen like him too often. as a junior in 2010 -- armstead rolled up 45 tackles -- and two sacks on the defensive line -- while also playing "impeccably" on offense. like so many others -- armstead is formed by his family. his brother -- armond -- plays for u-s-c. and his father was a former assistant in the n-b-a. and at workout's like this -- you see some of his family's "tough love." clip 25 -- arik 12:40 my dad's tough on me. but he knows when to be tough and when to take a step back and let me do what i do. sacramento is a city of fighters. and arik armstead won't stop fighting until he's considered the best "two sport" athlete in the nation.

• published: 18 Feb 2013
• views: 1903