In 2013, the Boston Marathon bombing shook the nation, the Supreme Court made two landmark rulings in favor of same-sex marriage and the cronut debuted in a New York bakery, all while a basketball powerhouse graced the bench at Rowan College at Burlington County.  

That powerhouse was Louis Baltazar, a South Bronx native who chose RCBC for its athletic and academic programs. He dove into his studies in pursuit of a career in sports management or kinesiology while working his way up to a starting position on the men’s basketball team.  

“It was at RCBC where I made a name for myself from the ground up, and it all started on the bench. My first year there, I was offered a scholarship with the understanding that I would be the eighth man off the bench,” Baltazar recalled.  

Arriving on the first day of practice with a chip on his shoulder, Baltazar was determined to prove his worth. It was in his second semester when he did. That was when he assumed a starting position, and everything changed. He became the number one option on offense, and his numbers increased exponentially, from finishing his first year with over 400 points to leading the country in scoring after his second year with 1,000+ points overall -- a monumental accomplishment. To put it into perspective, he averaged 25 points per game.   

Beyond the accumulation of points, Baltazar earned a fair share of honors. He was named Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region. He finished his sophomore year earning Third Team All-American and landing a spot as a New Jersey Top 5 Player of the Year. Baltazar’s success on the court caught on like wildfire and reinvigorated the RCBC basketball fanbase. 

As much as Baltazar enjoyed playing the game, however, he knew he wanted to have more of a direct impact on the lives of other athletes. After earning his associate and bachelor’s degrees, he shifted his focus to training basketball players, starting with his cousin Chris McCullough, who played for the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards. Baltazar eventually moved on to train other NBA players (including Terry Larrier, Willie Reed and Cleanthony Early), as well as high school competitors.  

“I’ve been training for a year now and have been working with all levels of athletes but specifically with Chris. He signed with a team in South Korea, the KGC professional basketball club, and offered me the opportunity to fly out and work with him, and things have been going great,” Baltazar said. 

As far as living in South Korea, it’s involved both a cultural and mental adjustment for Baltazar. For one, basketball is played differently in South Korea, very differently from NBA basketball. He had to learn a new style of play and add his own background knowledge when working with local Korean players (who aspire to play professionally). He’s also grown accustomed to a new schedule and new cuisine.  

“Although I’ve had to make many changes, it’s been the experience of a lifetime,” Baltazar said.  

Baltazar hopes to continue training and gain status as a professional basketball skills development trainer. He’d also like to launch his own brand targeted toward professional athletes who are looking to sharpen their skills both on- and off-season. 

Louis’ story is an installment of Behind the Baron, a series that shares real stories from real RCBC students and alumni. Anyone interested in being featured can contact rcbcnews@rcbc.edu. To follow along on social media, use #BehindtheBaron.

Photo Caption: Left: Former NBA player Chris McCullough, Right: Louis Baltazar