One-armed prep star Hansel Enmanuel doesn't 'believe in the movie,' but his legend grows

Life Christian Academy’s Hansel Enmanuel Donato had three dunks at the Culligan City of Palms Basketball Classic in Fort Myers, Florida, on Saturday, although the final one didn’t count on the scoreboard.

Donato slammed down a windmill dunk after the final buzzer of the team’s 65-59 win against Choctaw, flashing a big smile to a crowd he just won over.

The 6-foot-6 senior guard from the Dominican Republic lost his left arm at the age of 6 when it required amputation following a wall collapse, but it hasn’t held him back on the court. If anything, it might cause teams to underestimate his dynamic playmaking abilities.

“His game is not normal,” teammate Angel Montas said. “It’s like something supernatural.”

In Saturday’s game, part of the City of Palm Classic’s Sunshine Series, Donato put up 16 points, four assists and a pair of blocks that got the crowd going.

Translating for Donato after the game, Life Christian’s Jordan Vanderhorst said his teammate “felt good.”

“He says that the most important thing is to win, keep playing with passion and strength and just intelligence so we can keep moving forward,” Vanderhorst said.

Donato doesn’t shy away from the attention brought on by his disability, and he continues to prove on the court it’s not a limitation. He consistently and skillfully drove past Choctaw defenders, earning fan support for the Lions at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.

“His game is tough,” Lions head coach Moisés Michell said. “You cannot do nothing against him. He’s a phenomenal basketball player, and he motivates all of my players, my coaches, at the school, the principal, the pastor, everybody.”

Michell, a former player for the Dominican national team, played with Donato’s father for 20 years, so he’s been familiar with Donato – and his skill set – as he has grown up. 

“I always watch him,” Michell said. “I always watch his videos. And then I say, ‘Yo, this guy’s going to do something crazy in the United States,’ and this is happening right now.”

Donato’s celebrity began to grow from highlight videos of his AAU play and a SportsCenter feature, plus his TikTok account which racks up millions of views. He received his first Division I offer from Tennessee State University, an HBCU, in August.

Life Christian Academy, located in Kissimmee, is a school with less than 500 students. 

“For us, it’s a blessing,” Michell said. “There’s a lot of teams that want that attention, so we’re happy for that, but we have to handle that, especially when we got games, practice and then especially in school, too.”

Donato does his part to stay grounded amid the noise, according to his coach.

“For Hansel, he’s very concentrated on what he’s doing,” Michell said. “He don’t believe in the movie.”

Life Christian’s success is bigger than any one player. The team primarily consists of players from the Dominican Republic, demonstrated by the Lions' fans in the crowd proudly waving the flag.

“The whole country right now is paying attention to us, the whole country, including the president of our country,” Michell said. “He personally texts us how proud he feels of everybody here, so that’s something amazing for us.”

A hero to the next generation

Montas, a small forward with five Division I offers, said that Donato’s ability to electrify a crowd elevates his teammates.

“When he make a play and everyone goes crazy, we all turn it up,” Montas said.

Donato is a good friend, too.

“He’s always being goofy, making TikToks all the time, playing 2K at my house,” Montas said.

Donato’s TikToks often feature his teammates performing the latest dance trends with him.

He teased his plans for the City of Palms’ dunk contest in his post-game press conference, saying that he had a surprise coming for the fans.

His self-belief once again matched what he could produce — he won Sunday's dunk contest with a reverse 360 through the legs slam, punctuating a memorable tournament debut for Life Christian.

Taking in a game courtside on Saturday evening, Donato was greeted by a youngster asking for the basketball star’s autograph on his program. Donato happily obliged – it’s become a familiar interaction for him.

“He was a little kid too and he had heroes too,” Michell said, translating for Donato. “And when he sees those kids in the crowd, he just feels the same way that he used to feel.”

Follow News-Press Sports Reporter Dustin Levy on Twitter: @DustinBLevy. For additional coverage of sports across Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.