NMPreps.com's Joshua Grine continues his summer series Impactful Journeys with exclusive interviews featuring some of the top-ranked athletes in New Mexico for the 2025–2026 school year. As NMPreps.com enters its 20th year covering high school athletics across the Land of Enchantment, there’s no better way to celebrate than by highlighting the inspiring stories, dedication, and resilience of the athletes who make New Mexico proud.

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In the world of high school basketball, few moments carry more weight than hoisting a blue trophy inside The Pit. For Braylon Vega, that moment didn’t just mark the end of a long season—it marked the rebirth of a basketball legacy in Artesia.

In March 2025, Vega helped guide the Bulldogs to their first boys basketball state championship in 28 years, delivering a signature performance in the semifinal with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. But his story is far more than stats and a title banner. It’s a journey of confidence, sacrifice, and embracing the number 14 in every town he’s called home.

Now heading into his senior season, the Class of 2026 shooting guard is not only one of the top returning players in Class 4A—but one of the most driven.

Vega’s basketball journey started young. He remembers picking up a ball and never letting it go—traveling across the region for AAU tournaments and finding his game under the eyes of his first coach: his father.

“He coached me when I was little, and I’ve just never stopped playing,” Vega says.

His first real basketball memory came not in Artesia, but in Hobbs, where he played at the Boys & Girls Club, building confidence and falling in love with the game. Years later, it all came full circle when he returned to play in Hobbs—this time getting booed by the home crowd.

“Every time I missed, I got booed,” Vega laughs. “But I dropped 18 at the City of Champions tournament. That one stuck with me.”

Vega wears #14, a number that has followed him from middle school in Lovington, through time in Hobbs, and now at Artesia High.

“When I got moved up, #14 was available. When I moved to Artesia, Coach Michael Mondragon even ordered that number for me—it’s just always been mine.”

Under Coach Mondragon, Vega says he found the perfect system and support. “Coach gave me the confidence I needed to become the player I am now,” he says. “Coming to Artesia was the right move. We’re unselfish, we play for each other and for the community.”

Vega’s role as a shooting guard has always been clear—be ready to fire. In his backyard growing up, he put up shots on a personal shooting machine day after day. That repetition built a rhythm—and a mindset.

But like any great shooter, his biggest battle wasn’t mechanical. It was mental.

“My biggest challenge has been letting go of mistakes. I used to let one miss mess up my whole game,” he says. “Now I just focus on the next shot, the next play. That mindset has changed everything.”

It paid off last season. From big-game performances to late-game moments, Vega grew into a player that Artesia could trust. His favorite memories, though, come off the court.

“All the bus rides, going to and from games out of town—that’s the stuff I’ll always remember.”

Vega’s approach to training is consistent and structured: morning lifts and shooting, afternoon film, and practice until 5 p.m.. Before games, the routine includes chewing gum, having candy ready, and keeping a calm focus.

Pregame playlist? “Went Legit” by G Herbo. Favorite player? LeBron James.

“I always have to get mentally right before I step on the court,” he says. “And I’m fast—people don’t realize it until I grab a rebound and I’m already at the other end.”

With 115 points away from 1,000 career points, Vega has clear individual goals this year. He’s aiming to shoot above 42% from three, win district, and defend the state title with a group that returns every single player from last year’s championship team.

“Yes, we can repeat,” he says. “We were all juniors. We’ve got the chemistry, the coaching, and now we’ve got the experience. We want to make history again.”

Though basketball is the priority, Vega keeps academics first. His schedule is tight—basketball, school, basketball again, and only then, social time.

Off the court, he’s all about family, friends, and supporting teammates in other sports. College is part of the plan—school first, basketball next—and he’s taking his time to make the right move.

As he reflects on his journey, Vega leans on faith and perspective. His favorite quote:

And for a player who once dropped 42 points in middle school and knew then he had a gift, the road ahead looks just as promising.

Braylon Vega isn’t just chasing another ring—he’s building a legacy in a town where basketball glory had been dormant for nearly three decades. Now, he and the Bulldogs are just getting started.

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