At one point in time, if you were a young player looking to learn the game of basketball, you relied on a family member, neighbor, friend, or local team coach to take the time to teach you. This organic form of “passing it on” produced some of the world’s best talent, but it also left others who didn’t have the same resources or connections with no clear way of being taught the game. This was my experience.

After not being exposed to the game of basketball till late in my adolescence, I attempted to try out for the local middle and high school teams only to be cut every single time. Each year my skills improved, but I still found myself playing “catch-up” to other players at my age level because I lacked the fundamentals and experience most gain much earlier. By the time I graduated high school in 2007, I had never played organized basketball.

Regardless, I made the decision to press forward and chase after my goal of playing college basketball but realized that there were millions of young people just like me who had not had the luxury of being taught the game that so many love. At that moment it became clear that this mission was much bigger than me. My purpose was to use my failure and lack of exposure as the driving force to help others receive the opportunity to become the highest version of themselves.