Rob Gronkowski, as we’ve come to know, enjoys the simpler things in life. But if the New England Patriots tight end is this fun-loving and goofy now, what must he have been like in high school?
Well, we have our answer, and it’s exactly what you expect.
Gronkowski also was a standout basketball player in high school, playing his first three years at Williamsville North High School in Buffalo, N.Y., before transferring as a senior. But perhaps his greatest moment on the court was a missed shot.
“So we’re playing a home game and we have 68 points — now, it’s not a blowout, but it’s not a particularly close game either,” Gronkowski’s basketball coach, Chuck Swierski, told Mark Dondero in a feature for WPRI.com.
“So (Gronkowski) gets fouled and goes to the free-throw line. He hits the first one to get us to 69 and the place goes nuts because he’s playing into it. On his next free throw, he purposely chucks the ball off the backboard and misses so the score would stay at 69 and then runs back on defense pointing at the scoreboard.”
Yes, you read that right. Gronk purposefully bricked a free throw so he could keep his team’s score at 69.
Apparently nothing has changed, as the Patriots tight end was well aware of scoring his 69th career touchdown this season. And if you need further convincing that Gronkowski is exactly the guy you thought he was, here’s his bio from his senior year at Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh:
“Hobbies — working out, playing sports, chicks.” Sounds about right.
Gronkowski will be watching Super Bowl LI from the sideline due to a back injury that ended his season in Week 12, but we’re glad he still hasn’t lost his inner dinosaur.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
