Nick Estell always strived to lead on the court. Just not with his words.
Since he made his varsity debut as an eighth-grader in 2021, Estell preferred to lead by example on the court for Niagara Falls. Taking the open shot or facilitating to others became part of his expanded role as the Wolverines won two Section VI Class AA titles in his first three seasons, including a trip to the Far West regional last year.
But a void was opened through graduation and the Wolverines needed a new leader to continue playing the “Falls Way,” a physical, gritty two-way style. Niagara Falls needed someone to help push the pace.
Estell took on the role in his fourth varsity season, both on and off the court, to unite Niagara Falls by taking on a more vocal role. The guard posted a career-best 13.1 points along with 2.7 assists per game and shot 48.5% from the floor as the Wolverines advanced to the Class AAA state semifinal.
Embracing the role of unquestioned leader head-on and leaving his stamp on the Wolverines earned Estell Greater Niagara Newspapers Player of the Year.
“Just leading by example, that’s who I am,” Estell said. “I mean, not super, super vocal. I’m working on it but, I mean, I’m always doing the right thing, so, staying on top of that and let everybody else fall in line and see somebody that’s committed to doing it.”
With Estell on the floor, Niagara Falls had its leader, but also its No. 1 option offensively. There wasn’t a specific moment when Estell decided to take step up as the voice of the team, more instinct.
By taking on a larger presence, Estell scored in double-figures 12 times, with the Wolverines winning eight of those games. While his total assists and steals totals decreased from last season as sophomore John Strong took on more point guard duties, Estell saw increases in rebounds (68) and made 3-pointers (24).
What drove Estell, who missed four games due to knee soreness, to excel offensively was taking on an on-court coach role with the Wolverines. When he wasn’t scoring, Estell liked setting his teammates, like Ephraim and John Strong or Omarion Ralands, up for plays. A balancing energy between being demanding and encouraging with teammates was Estell’s trick.
“You just got to know the players that you’re playing with,” Estell said. “Some guys get picked up through talking, sort of like, making fun of them, like, ‘Come on, you do this.’ Or, sometimes, you just got to encourage guys. It just depends on who you’re playing with.”
But then there were moments where Estell delivered down the stretch for the Wolverines. Along with scoring a career-high 33 points against Nichols, Estell was responsible for extending the Wolverines’ season against Section V’s U-Prep in the Class AAA Far West regional by scoring two baskets late in the fourth quarter to help punch a ticket to states for the first time since 2019.
Estell’s success came from approaching practice and games with the same serious level of preparation. The mindset earned the trust of head coach Carlos Bradberry to have the keys on offense and made audibles when seen fit.
“I don’t think he knows how much we trust him,” Bradberry said. “Because, there’s some times where he’s looking for an out-of-bounds play or this and that and I’m just like, ‘Nick, just call a play, dude, I trust you!’ … I think he sort of took a little bit of that weight off my shoulder where he can call some plays and do some things on his own.”
Estell is uncertain where his future holds but wants to continue playing at any college level with an interest in pursuing an accounting major. He hopes to continue being a unifying, positive presence in his next step, something he learned in his last two seasons with the Wolverines.
“It simplifies everything,” Estell said. “When you’re having fun, it takes the pressure away from the games. I really think my first year or two, I kind of took it too serious, where I was so tight and, ‘Oh, we gotta win.’ … Enjoy the moment and just playing through that, playing for your team. Everybody’s just coming together.”
GNN Sports Players of the Year: 2006: Jonny Flynn (Niagara Falls); 2007: Jonny Flynn (Niagara Falls); 2008: Rahshon Tabb (Niagara Falls); 2009: Kelvin Agee (Niagara Falls); 2010: Ethan Baker (Wilson); 2011: Marcus Feagin (Niagara Falls); 2012: Jermaine Crumpton (Niagara Falls); 2013: Jermaine Crumpton (Niagara Falls); 2014: Jernard Jackson and Craig Paige (Lewiston-Porter); 2015: Kyle Bradley (Wilson); 2016: Jernard Jackson (Lewiston-Porter); 2017: Trevor Book (North Tonawanda); 2018: Trevor Book (North Tonawanda); 2019: Roddy Gayle Jr. (Lewiston-Porter) and Willie Lightfoot (Niagara Falls); 2020: Jaemon Turner (Niagara Falls); 2021: Jalen Bradberry (Niagara Falls); 2022: Xander Fletcher and T.J. Robinson (Niagara Wheatfield); 2023: James Robinson (Niagara Falls); 2024: Nick Estell (Niagara Falls).