Kyle Portela was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 3 and a half months old. His parents, Manuel and Laurie Portela, were told their son might spend his life in a wheelchair.

But Friday morning, Kyle, now 14, was seen on ESPN’s SportsCenter, sinking a mid-range shot for Southwest Middle School’s basketball team.

Tuesday night, as Southwest Middle faced off against South Middle School, head coach Brandon Dye said he saw an opportunity to put Kyle into the game.

Kyle scored two baskets for a total of four points, Dye said, and Southwest Middle beat South Middle 41 to 18.

“He was overwhelmed,” Dye said. “He was so happy, he was pumping his fists and kind of hamming it up a bit for the crowd. And his teammates were totally behind him.”

Manuel Portela said he was filming Kyle in the game for friends and family who weren’t there.

“And when he made his first basket I was so shocked I dropped my cellphone,” he said with a laugh.

Little did the Portela family know, but others were filming the game, too. Later that night, a nine-second video of Kyle making his second shot surfaced on Twitter, alongside the words “Get Kyle on SportsCenter.”

Since Tuesday night, that clip has been retweeted by nearly 37,000 different people, and Friday morning the clip aired on ESPN.

Kyle said when he heard about his debut on national television, his first thought was that he was famous. That thought was quickly followed by an appreciation for his teammates and fans around the world.

“They supported me all the way,” he said. “But we’re a team. We all work as a team.”

Dye said Kyle constantly displays a humble attitude and a group mentality, which is one of the things that make him such an asset to the team.

“He’s the poster child for that mindset,” Dye said. “He’s always in a good mood. No matter what task is in front of him, he’s going to work hard at it. It may take him three times as long, but he will continue to work hard. He never gives up.”

Manuel Portela said he and his wife receive a lot of credit for Kyle’s positive attitude. And while he said they’ve worked hard as a family to overcome the challenges in front of Kyle, his positive attitude is all his own.

“I think the smile comes naturally to him,” Portela said. “We’ve always told him things are going to be a little harder, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. And after 14 years it’s just natural to him.”

Friday afternoon Kyle was back practicing with his team. Taking passes, shooting baskets and cheering on his teammates, his voice could be heard throughout Southwest Middle’s gym.

Despite the national attention he’s garnered this week, Kyle said he still views it all as a win for the team.

“I know my team was trying to get me on SportsCenter, and they accomplished that,” he said. “It’s a team thing, no matter what.”