Last Ride

The Weirdness of the Last Season: A College Basketball Player’s Final Year

For a college basketball player, the final season feels like a mix of excitement, nostalgia, and a certain kind of weirdness that’s hard to describe. It’s a time of big dreams and big decisions, but it’s also a time when everything familiar — the routine, the teammates, the rhythm of the season — is coming to an end. The weirdest part? Realizing that this is your last ride.

After years of pouring your heart and soul into the game, the final season hits with an emotional intensity that no other year compares to. For a college player, that last season isn’t just about basketball; it’s about transition, change, and letting go of a part of yourself you’ve invested so much into. There’s excitement for the future, but there’s also an unmistakable sense of finality that makes the experience so surreal.

1. The Emotional Rollercoaster

The first few games of the season feel like business as usual — the pregame jitters, the team camaraderie, and the focus on winning. But as the season progresses, there’s a growing sense of awareness that each game brings you closer to the end. For the seniors, it’s the first time you start realizing how fleeting everything is.

It’s not just the competition; it’s the emotional weight of knowing this is your last time running onto the court in front of your home crowd, or hearing the coach’s voice in the locker room, or sharing a post-game meal with teammates who’ve become like family. You start to appreciate the little moments, knowing they’ll soon be gone. The final buzzer feels different, and every last moment on the court starts to carry extra significance.