PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Adrian Mosley is not someone who backs down from his competition ever, even when that competition is bigger and better — like his older brother, Anthony.
“I’m very competitive. One day I was just, like, got in front of him and was, like, ‘I’ll beat you, bro,’ and he was, like, ‘Nah.’ And so ever since then I’d just work out because I was tired of him beating me so I’d just work out and keep working out,” Adrian, who goes to Grant High School, told KOIN 6 News.
“When I would go play with him he would just be like him and his older friends and they were always stronger and bigger, of course, so physicality-wise I feel like it helped me.”
Despite their 4-year age gap, the brothers have been inseparable for much of their lives.
“Since a young age he was always, like ‘Bro, you’re coming with me,’ and it was kind of a forced thing but I had no problem with it,” he said. “He was always there with me, showing me the way.”
It was a role Adrian needed his big brother to fill because their mom passed away when he was a baby.
“As I got older, you know, I just had to accept it, you know, and use it as good and push me to go harder in what I do,” he said.
Adrian went through the foster care system for years before landing with family. Throughout that time there have been 2 constants: basketball and his brother.
“I just wanted to find something positive to do and show people that just because I went through foster care and went through tragedies in life there’s stuff I can complete, just like regular people,” he said.
As for his brother, Anthony, Adrian said, “That’s the closest thing to me to be honest.”