CHICAGO — A City College student from Englewood is on the verge of achieving one of his biggest goals and has a big decision to make.

Josiah Hammons said playing basketball brings him peace.

“As I played, as I got better, I was like I just want to make it to the NBA, step-by-step, go to high school, play high-level basketball, go to college, play high-level basketball,” Hammons said.

He went to Curie High School but his senior year, during the pandemic, was challenging.

“As soon as everything close down, showcases shut down that I could have joined so I turned to Twitter to post my thoughts,” Hammons said.

He spent two years at a community college in Michigan before coming back home with a full basketball scholarship to Truman College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago.

“It was really good, I liked going to class, having access to everything I would like in a school,” Hammons said. “Truman was a really good experience for me.”

Earlier this year, he got the news he had been working for.

A Division One offer to play basketball at Bethune Cookman University.

City College officials said he’ll be the first Truman basketball player to sign with a D1 school in 30 years.

“I was really emotional because it took me a really long time to get there,” Hammons said. “That was my main goal so when I first got the offer, it was like my work is paying off.”

And then more offers followed from Tarleton State, Nicholls State and Lamar University.

And he’s hoping for a fifth from the University of Chattanooga.

He’ll spend the next few weeks visiting the campuses before making a decision.

But first, next weekend he’ll walk across the stage to get his associate degree after studying financial accounting.

He wants to major in sports management as he continues his education.

He’s also interested in tech and filmmaking.

“Feels great for my parents to not have to pay for nothing,” Hammons said.

At 21 years old, he said he bring more experience and focus. He keeps an intense schedule working out three times a day.

And his parents are supporting him every step of the way. He will be the first in his family to earn a degree.

“I usually tell people believing in yourself is key, having confidence is key,” he said. “Anything is possible.”