ROCKINGHAM — One of the biggest sports celebrities in Richmond County will be hosting his inaugural basketball charity tournament later this month.
William Gates, or more affectionately known as “Disabled Shooter” around town and on social media, will look to raise money and awareness with his first-ever Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) Basketball Charity Event on June 30.
The final day in June marks the nationwide AMC awareness day, which is why Gates chose to hold his tournament on that day. AMC is a condition that Gates has endured since birth, which is a non-progressive condition that affects a person’s range of motion with his or her joints.
There are currently 400 variations of arthrogryposis, and there is no known cure for the condition. Gates explained that treatments and surgeries are ways to combat the limitations, having work personally done on his hips, feet and jaw.
But one thing Gates, who is 20 years old and a 2017 graduate of Richmond Senior High School, won’t let AMC affect is his ability to continue to break down the physical barriers that often limit people living with AMC.
“Having AMC is like living with severe arthritis,” Gates explained. “There’s tissue growing around my joints so it limits my ability to move normally. Having this basketball tournament is important to me because a lot of people in Richmond County don’t know what I have and what I’m going through.
“There’s no pain, and I want people to know me for who I am and not see me for my disability,” he added. “I want to help show people what my work ethic is like even with my disability. I hope they’ll see it’s not as severe as it seems and that you can’t always listen to what a doctor says you can or can’t do.”
The sport of basketball has always been something Gates has enjoyed, whether it be watching it on TV, shooting hoops at FirstHealth Fitness where he works or playing pickup games with his buddies around town. It wasn’t until the last two years that he really embraced his passion and saw himself launched into the national limelight thanks to an ever-growing social media fanbase.
“I always knew I could play, but it comes as a surprise to a lot of people when they see me shoot,” Gates explained. “I’ve worked hard and gotten a lot better in the last two years, especially with so many (social media) followers.”
Simply called “Disabled Shooter,” a name he gave himself thanks to a little help from fellow Instagram star and personal inspiration “Lethal Shooter,” Gates has showcased his passion of playing basketball while journeying through life with AMC. Currently, Gates has over 55,000 followers on Instagram.
His fluid shot, coupled with his contagious grin and charismatic personality, has lifted Gates into the national spotlight. He’s done featured videos with some of the top sports accounts across the country, including Barstool Sports, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, SPORTbible, WorldStarHipHop, House of Bounce and Overtime — racking up tens of millions of views.
“It was cool at first, because I really started to get my name out there,” Gates smiled when asked about gaining viral stardom. “I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I’m getting used to big accounts hitting me up because it’s a blessing to raise awareness.
“I use it as a chance to be an inspiration to others,” he continued. “I want people to realize they can be themselves no matter what and that they can do anything they put their mind to. I really have to thank the man upstairs… he’s given me a great gift.”
The inaugural AMC charity basketball event will be held Sunday, June 30, at Falling Creek Gym, located at 417 Hood Street in Rockingham. Games will run from 1 p.m. through 9 p.m. and operate on two 15-minute halves, with teams having five players on the court and eight total players on the roster.
Teams can sign up for $100 apiece, or individual players can register for $10 to be put into a draft. Team jerseys will be provided, and general admission to watch teams ball out is $3. Gates is setting the limit to eight total teams that can play, as the tournament will follow a single-elimination format.
All of the money raised will be donated to AMC research and awareness. Gates added that he’ll be accepting donations from the general public as well. The winning team will receive a championship trophy.
“The main reason I’m doing this is because I realized people like what I was doing,” Gates noted. “I’ve been called an inspiration, so I want people to understand the message of ‘never give up.’ Hopefully this encourages them not to let anyone shake them of anything.
“This event is all about awareness and I really thought I could use my platform to teach people what AMC is,” he closed. “I want for people to leave with a more positive outlook on life — that they should be having fun no matter their setbacks are.”
To pre-register to play, or donate to the fundraiser, Gates can be contacted at 910-434-9779 or emailed at gateswilliams93@me.com.
