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Max Landis is a pro basketball player from Indianapolis, currently signed with FC Porto in Portugal through 2025. After a great high school career at Perry Meridian, Max decided to go to Gardner-Webb to start his college career. After 2 seasons there, he decided to transfer closer to home and finish his career at Purdue Fort Wayne (IPFW at the time).
The catch? He was going to be a walk-on at Purdue Fort Wayne.
Max decided to bet on himself and take that walk-on spot over other offers at different schools and earn his way into a scholarship. He not only did that, he worked his way to being conference player of the year and an NCAA All-American honorable mention player.
After college, Max played several seasons in Belgium and Germany before landing in Portugal. Porto became home. Even through the adversity of two torn ACLs and a torn Achilles, FC Porto has not only extended Max’s contract, but Max has decided to continuously battle back from these devastating injuries.
Currently rehabbing his Achilles, Max joins us to discuss his recovery process, the journey of his basketball career and what he’s looking forward to when he gets back on the court.
Enjoy this episode and make sure to hit up Max on Instagram to wish him a speedy recovery!
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Kelsey Barlow — aka Stambi — is much more than a pro basketball player. Growing up in Europe, Kelsey didn’t specialize in basketball — or sports — at a young age. First it was piano, then horse-back riding, then way down the line basketball eventually became his passion. And that passion has taken him back to Europe & all around the globe over the last decade+ of his pro career.
Kelsey was a standout high school player at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis before going to Purdue and later transferring to UIC. After college, he began his career in the NBA D-League (now G-League) before moving on to play in France, Greece, Lebanon, Turkey, Argentina, Mexico and more.
During the podcast we talk about his unique upbringing moving from Europe to Indiana, his basketball & personal development, his off-court interests such as writing & art, and a variety of other interesting topics. He even tells us the story behind his nickname, Stambi, and what is means. Tune in, this is a great one!
You can catch up with Stambi on his website or social media here!
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Tony Hicks is currently in his 7th professional season, having played in countries like Hungary, Germany, Venezuela and more, but this basketball career wasn’t always a dream of his. Tony actually grew up in Chicago wanting to be the next great NFL quarterback, modeling his game after Chicago legend Donovan McNabb.
Tony mentioned that this “late bloomer” timeline actually helped his basketball career by helping him avoid the mental and physical burnout that many early basketball specialization athletes run into during their careers.
Tony’s basketball started to take off as a sophomore at Chicago [football] powerhouse St. Rita High School, where he began to draw major interest on the court from D1 schools around the country. After a summer injury that took him out of that football season, he began to prepare for that basketball season and next looked back. The rest was history, and the story is still being written as his 7 year professional basketball career continues to blossom.
In this episode, Tony takes us through his dominant career at Penn, his grad transfer year at Louisville with the legendary Rick Pitino and the different stages of growth throughout his pro career. Tony is currently in the top league in Hungary, coming off the best year of his career and looking to continue to take the leaps he has over the past few seasons.
Check this episode and make sure you follow Tony on IG at @1of1Tone!
***Today’s episode is brought to you by VITRUVE. Vitruve is the gold standard in velocity-based training with premium accuracy, reliability and high-quality data management for coaches & athletes. Vitruve has been a staple of our program for years now and I believe they have the top product in the VBT space. If you’re a coach or athlete looking to take your training to the next level with VBT, you can use our code GEMS for 10% off your purchase!***
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In this solo episode, we're just taking a break from interviews to reflect on a year of podcasting! This is our 1-year anniversary and we're celebrating the growth, progress and evolution of the show.
Host, Justin Ochoa, takes some time to share some Gem Sessions updates:
The Gem Sessions Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization we launched this year! Our mission is to empower young student-athletes, cultivate their skills and equip them with the necessary tools to excel in their chosen sport while fostering personal development, academic success and leadership qualities that last long after their athletic careers end. Gem Sessions Foundation envisions a future where every youth athlete, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to high-quality training, mentorship, educational support, professional development and community involvement. The Gem Sessions App, an online coaching portal with 1-on-1 online coaching for lifting, speed and skill development, as well as a variety of pre-made programs for basketball players! Season 3 & 4 preview: Looking at the last half of season 2 and what seasons 3 & 4 will be in 2024!As always, thank you so much for supporting the show. None of this would be possible without YOU.
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John Murry has never had it easy. Although he is currently the reigning league MVP in Morocco and accomplished a Cup Championship in his first season in the league, it was a long uphill climb to reach that level.
John joins us to tell his story. He starts by detailing his unique high school to college transition. John was nearly an ineligible and un-recruitable high school senior due to fraudulent prep schools that he attended not getting the proper accreditations. Instead of graduating high school and being able to join the NCAA, John was forced to get his GED — an alternative high school equivalency diploma that comes from a series of tests & not a school or high school curriculum.
This meant that John had to take the Junior College (JuCo) route in order to fulfill his dreams to play D1 basketball — which he did. After 2 seasons at Austin Peay, John went pro.
His pro journey also started off rocky. John cited getting injured and cut multiple times within the first few years of his career. John found himself working his way up the ranks, starting from the bottom and clawing his way to higher level leagues each season. Currently, John is in his second season in the Moroccan first division following a very impressive introduction to the league, winning the league MVP & Cup title.
John takes us along his journey every step of the way and shares insightful lessons he learned from all the ups and downs. Make sure you follow John on Instagram and YouTube and continue to show support!
***Today’s episode is brought to you by HOIST. HOIST is formulated to provide instant & optimal hydration, making it one of the cleanest, safest and most effective hydration beverages on the market. If you want to learn more about how HOIST can help you level up your performance, visit DrinkHoist.com and you can use the code GEMS for 10% off your orders for life!***
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Today's episode features Natalie Achonwa, a multiple time Olympic athlete, WNBA vet and an executive member of the WNBPA. Natalie joins the show to discuss the WNBA expansion, how we can continue to elevate women’s basketball and how recently becoming a mother has impacted her on and off the court.
We start off by reflecting on Nat’s unique basketball background, growing up in Canada and specializing in basketball at an elite level very early in her high school career. This led her to Notre Dame, where she went to four straight Final Fours and made such an amazing impact on campus that she has since been inducted to the Notre Dame Ring of Honor — joining other Fighting Irish greats like Kayla McBride, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Niele Ivey.
Natalie was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the 2014. She played 6 seasons with the Fever before joining the Minnesota Lynx in 2021. She’ll be an unrestricted free agent going into the 2023-24 season. Natalie holds several WNBA honors, such as the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award, WNBA Season-Long Community Assist Award and was a member of the WNBA All-Rookie Team.
Aside from her WNBA career, Natalie is one of the heartbeats of Canada basketball. She’s played in several Olympic, FIBA and Pan American international competitions, in addition to spending several “WNBA off-seasons” (huge air quotes) overseas in Europe and Asia.
We talk a ton about basketball and specifically women’s basketball — how we can continue to grow the game and improve the league. Natalie shares unique perspectives as both a player and a member of the player’s association, as well as her views on topics as a new mom.
Natalie recently welcomed her son, Maverick, to the world earlier this year so the 2023-24 season will be her first season back to the WNBA since becoming a mother, and she will be an unrestricted free agent entering the offseason. We talk about the free agency experience, what she’s looking forward to and expectations for coming back after maternity leave.
This is a great conversation packed with gems! Make sure you follow Nat on Instagram and Twitter, and continue to support her as she continues to highly decorated career!
***Today’s episode is brought to you by HOIST. HOIST is formulated to provide instant & optimal hydration, making it one of the cleanest, safest and most effective hydration beverages on the market. If you want to learn more about how HOIST can help you level up your performance, visit DrinkHoist.com and you can use the code GEMS for 10% off your orders for life!***
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Today's episode features Djimon Henson, a current professional hooper for Salon Vilpas in the top division in Finland. Prior to his current team, Djimon spent time in the NBA G-League and played college basketball at Morehead State.
Djimon shares the ups and downs of his career, including all of the stops between college and pro. He tells stories from the TBL, a semi-pro domestic league that he played in during the pandemic.
Then moves on to his 2 seasons in the Georgian Superleague, his time in the G-League and the contract that fell through in Egpyt within a week of arriving there.
He tells an incredible story about how he found out he was going to the NBA G-League while working a shift serving at Olive Garden.
Djimon is transparent about the journey and how, at times, he felt like it was time for him to walk away from the game. We talk about the mental health aspect of being a pro and the business side of the game -- and how this all affects your career longevity.
Then, we transition into what he's looking forward to about about making this huge jump in his career and the impact that this season will have on his future.
I make sure to give Djimon his flowers as one of the originals around the gym and being one of the crucial pieces to making our gym culture what it is today!
Through all of the adversity, Djimon has persevered to win multiple league & cup championships, league MVP honors and has a very bright future ahead of himself.
Make sure you follow Djimon on Instagram and continue to support him as he levels up throughout his career!
***Today’s episode is brought to you by HOIST. HOIST is formulated to provide instant & optimal hydration, making it one of the cleanest, safest and most effective hydration beverages on the market. If you want to learn more about how HOIST can help you level up your performance, visit DrinkHoist.com and you can use the code GEMS for 10% off your orders for life!***
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Today we’re joined by Stephanie Mavunga to discuss her WNBA and EuroLeague career, her collegiate career at two of the most historic universities in the world and her goals for the upcoming season coming off a severe shoulder surgery.
Stephanie is originally from Zimbabwe, but moved to Indiana at a young age before she ultimately went on to win Indiana Miss Basketball, one of the most coveted honors in high school sports.
As a standout at Brownsburg High School, she was able to make her way to Chapel Hill, North Carolina and represent the Tar Heels for 2 seasons before transferring to THE Ohio State University to close out her extremely successful college career.
Steph went on to make history as the first Zimbabwean born player drafted to the WNBA, being selected by the hometown Indiana Fever. She went on to play with the Fever, Sky and Mystics while also playing internationally.
We discuss stories of her WNBA career, including all of the peaks and valleys she’s had to battle through, as well as her overseas career and recent dominance of the Women’s EuroLeague.
We also dive into Steph’s road to recovery from a shoulder surgery and talk about her upcoming goals and expectations going into this season.
Make sure you follow Steph on Instagram and follow her as she gears up for another big year!
***Today’s episode is brought to you by HOIST. HOIST is formulated to provide instant & optimal hydration, making it one of the cleanest, safest and most effective hydration beverages on the market. If you want to learn more about how HOIST can help you level up your performance, visit DrinkHoist.com and you can use the code GEMS for 10% off your orders for life!***
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Today we’re joined by Ty Harris of the Connecticut Sun to discuss her journey to the WNBA -- reflecting on her rookie season in The Wubble, her draft-day experience, the growth she’s had on and off the court and her professional goals as she becomes a “vet” in the WNBA.
We start off with Ty’s background and highly decorated high school and college career, then transition into her life in the pros -- both overseas and in the W. Ty shares stories from every step along the way and tells us how she plans to continue to make strides in her career.
Ty, an UnderArmour athlete, also takes us through some of her plans and moves off the court such as a potential signature shoe line, some of her player exclusives and plans she has for this upcoming offseason!
Ty is one of the most genuine and down to earth people you could ever meet. Hopefully you guys enjoy this episode getting to know her! Make sure you show love and follow her on IG and look out for her in the upcoming UnderArmour basketball drops!
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We’re back! Super excited to kick off Season 2 of the Gem Sessions Podcast – The Athlete’s Season. For the next several weeks, we’ll be catching up with basketball players all around the world, learning their unique journey & story, getting the behind-the-scenes look at the basketball lifestyle and getting to know these hoopers for the humans they are.
In today’s episode, we have Jordan Walker on the show coming to us live from Belgrade, Serbia. Jordan is currently a Guard for Košarkaški klub FMP in the AdmiralBet ABA League - the top league in Serbia.
Prior to this season, J-Walk climbed his way up the ranks of European basketball one step at a time and we go into detail on this during the episode. Jordan shares stories from his professional stops along the way, including playing in Georgia, Germany (for two different teams), Belgium and now Serbia.
We get into a good conversation on X’s and O’s of basketball as well, covering topics such as spacing, decision making and defense. Jordan shares insights on changes he’s had to make to his game to continue to excel on the court and level up his game.
Of course, I had to put my guy through the fire round at the end with fun topics like most embarrassing basketball story, starting five rappers as hoopers, some good ol’ start/bench/cut and more.
Jordan is a great athlete but an even better person! We’ve been working together for 6 years now and I knew I had to kick off this season with him. He’s got a bright future ahead of him on the court, for sure, but will do even more great things off the court. Make sure you hit that follow button on IG and Twitter to show him some love.
TODAY'S PODCAST IS POWERED BY THE GEM SESSIONS APP -- WORLD CLASS COACHING FOR HOOPERS, DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR PHONE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL, MAKE SURE YOU VISIT GEMSESSIONSAPP.COM
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Gem Sessions is BACK! We're back with Season 2 -- The Athlete's Season.
Over the next few months, we'll be releasing podcast episodes with hoopers. We're talking basketball - on and off the court - with basketball players, learning about them as a humans and not just the talented athletes they are.
Also, in this episode is a SPECIAL announcement about the Gem Sessions coaching app! Available for Apple and Android users, the Gem Sessions app features both pre-built & customized programming options for basketball players who are looking to take their development to the next level. Make sure you tune in to get the full details on the app!
This episode is packed with good info on what to expect. I can't wait for you to tap in, I know you're going to enjoy!
Make sure you go to www.gemsessionsapp.com for more info.
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In episode 24, I’m joined by the one & only Bobby Whyte! Bobby is the owner of HyPower Performance and the creator of Good Drills - delivering skill development & strength and conditioning training to hoopers all around the world.
We start off the conversation by talking about his Good Drills program and how that has evolved over the years. Bobby’s goal with the program is to help athletes become effortless athletes, self-reliant problem solvers and efficient movers on and off the basketball court.
We also dive in to Bobby’s background story and the adversity he’s overcome to become the successful business owner that we know today. There are a lot of life lessons in this segment that are valuable takeaways no matter if you’re an athlete or not.
The rest of the podcast is centered around Bobby’s outlook on training - a constraint-lead approach. We discuss what that working definition is, how we can apply it to our athletes and variables to change to help athletes progress & grow.
This is a fun conversation full of gems to apply to your own coaching and training. If you want to catch up with Bobby, find him on Instagram and branch out to all of his resources from there!
This episode is powered by HOIST, an IV-Level hydration drink featuring 3x the electrolytes of leading competitors. HOIST is formulated to give instant and optimal hydration with half the sugar, no fillers or preservatives and a clean ingredient list that other sports drinks. To learn more about how HOIST can bring your hydration to the next level, head to drinkhoist.com and use the code PACE for 10% off all orders.
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Episode 23 is truly packed with gems! This week, I’m joined by world-renowned speed coach, Lee Taft. Lee is known all around the globe at THE SPEED GUY, and has influenced a vast majority of the way I look at basketball speed, agility and movement.
In this conversation we get to know a little bit about Lee’s coaching journey. From his athletic career, to his early coaching & teaching career and then how we got his start in the world of performance, Lee takes us through his unique journey and shares lessons learned along the way.
Then, we dive in on all things basketball speed, agility and movement! When it comes to seeing movement and coaching movement, Lee is second to none. We get into his 7 foundational basketball speed & agility movement patterns and variations of each. We discuss popular debate topics like false steps, the lateral gait cycle, pivoting vs. hip turns and many more.
Another great topic of discussion was Lee outlining his specific speed and agility terminology that is unique to basketball and how we as coaches can enhance our programming to help our athletes maximize their training.
Lastly, we answered some Instagram Q&A question including:
Who does Lee learn from today?
Differences between basketball speed work and other sports.
Who young athletes should be watching in the NBA for movement efficiency.
What does Lee’s assessment look like?
This was a great episode, I learned a ton from Lee and hope you guys enjoy! Make sure you catch up with him at LeeTaft.com and on social media (@LeeTaft). If you want to learn more about Lee’s Basketball Speed Specialist certification you can visit BasketballSpeedSpecialist.com and get certified!
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Episode 22, I’m joined by Coach Nick from BBallBreakdown! Coach Nick built BBallBreakdown over a decade ago as a culmination of his all of his talents and interests both in the game of basketball and the world of media. Today, his brand reaches over ONE MILLION fans across social media and it continues to grow daily.
Nick has coached, trained and consulted any every level of the game, and brings over 20 years of knowledge & expertise to the podcast. We started out the conversation by learning more about Nick’s journey and how he built his brand from the ground up. We also get a sneak peek of the Chase Defense, a completely new & innovative team defensive scheme that Nick created and continued to refine. Really cool stuff here, make sure you check that part out if you’re a coach.
Then, we transition into the topic of basketball officiating, rules, rule changes and very common myths surrounded the rules of the game at every level. This segment includes: the gather step, float dribbles, steps between live dribbles, step throughs off one 1 and 2 feet and much more!
After a great convo about the rules, we dive into what Nick truly loves to do and that is shooting and shot mechanics. Nick talks about the two major components of a great shot, alignment & rhythm, and tells me about some of the outdated shooting myths that still get taught to kids today, daily! Some of the topics we get into in this segment include: ten toes to the rim, knee valgus, loaded wrist, set & release points and more.
I hope you guys enjoy this episode and learn from it! A lot of gems in this one. Make sure you catch up with Coach Nick and BBallBreakdown on their website, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!
This episode is powered by HOIST, an IV-Level hydration drink featuring 3x the electrolytes of leading competitors. HOIST is formulated to give instant and optimal hydration with half the sugar, no fillers or preservatives and a clean ingredient list that other sports drinks. To learn more about how HOIST can bring your hydration to the next level, head to drinkhoist.com and use the code PACE for 10% off all orders.
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Episode 21 of the Gem Sessions Podcast is a re-share of my recent appearance on the High Performance Hoops Podcast w/ Julian Lo Casto. We have a great conversation about all things basketball training. We get into my journey into S&C + basketball skill development, then dive in on the X's and O's of complete basketball development and end it with some fun hot takes!
I had a blast on the show and was so happy with how it turned out, so I wanted to share it on my own channel too! Stay tuned as Julian will be a guest on this show very soon!
In the meantime, make sure you catch up with Julian below:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto
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In episode 20, I chop it up with my friend & former athlete, DeMari Davis. DeMari and I trained together during his basketball career and now he’s pivoted into his new career in modeling and music. It was great to catch up with him and get some updates on how his career in entertainment is taking off so quickly after stepping away from basketball.
DeMari is most known as a model, working with major brands such as Finish Line, Foot Locker, Don C, American Crew and Rockstar Original, but he’s also on the rise as a recording artist. DeMari has major talent in both and a bright future in both as well!
This was a fun episode because it truly showcases how powerful it is when you follow your dreams, and shows how important it is to find passion and interests outside of “your sport.” DeMari is the perfect example of someone with many talents, and the work ethic to find success at any of them.
After going through his journey in hoops, we dive into his acting and music journey and discuss all of the great things he’s got in the works in each. DeMari shares stories from behind the scenes in basketball, modeling and music — and we blend these three worlds by discussing pop culture & current events throughout the show.
Make sure you follow DeMari on IG and show him some love. You can also download his latest EP here!
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In episode 19, we’re breaking down the 2023 March Madness brackets with ACC Network / ESPN host, Taylor Tannebaum! Taylor the host of ACC PM on the ACC Network, after she spent the last several years here in Indy working sports for the local news channel WTHR.
Taylor was a member at my gym during her time in Indy and continues to be a close friend to this day, so it was great to catch up at the beginning of this episode before diving into the women’s and men’s tournament brackets.
First, we break down the women’s side where we both have some similar upsets along the way. Then, we look at the men’s tourney, where our opinions started to stray away from each other… but ultimately we both have the SAME champs for both the men’s and women’s side.
Make sure you listen to this before you fill out your brackets as Taylor has some great insights on all things college hoops, especially when it comes to the ACC teams. Good luck with your bracket and catch up with Taylor on Twitter and IG today! See below for some quick notes from the show!
Justin’s Women’s Bracket Review:
Final Four: South Carolina, Iowa, LSU, Ohio State
Championship Game: South Carolina vs. LSU
Champion: South Carolina
Upsets / Surprises:
- UCLA (4) going to Sweet 16.
- Florida Gulf Coast (12) beats Washington State.
- Toledo (12) beats Iowa State
- Ohio State (3) going to the Final 4.
- South Dakota St. (9) beats USC.Taylor’s Women’s Bracket Review:
Final Four: South Carolina, Stanford, LSU, Virginia Tech
Championship Game: South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
Champion: South Carolina
Upsets / Surprises:
- Duke (3) going to the Elite 8.
- Florida Gulf Coast (12) going to the Sweet 16.
- Iowa State (5) going to the Sweet 16.Justin’s Men’s Bracket Review:
Final Four: Alabama, Duke, Miami, UCLA
Championship Game: Alabama vs. UCLA
Champion: Alabama
Upsets / Surprises:
- College of Charleston (12) beats San Diego State.
- Duke (5) going to the Final 4.
- Kansas State (3) going to the Sweet 16
- Miami (5) going to the Final 4.
- Kent State (11) beats IU.
- Penn State (10) beats Texas A&M.
- Pitt (11) going to the Sweet 16.
- VCU (12) beats St. Mary’s.
- UCLA (2) going to the Final 4.Taylor’s Men’s Bracket Review:
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Final Four: Alabama, Duke, Texas, Kansas
Championship Game: Alabama vs. Texas
Champion: Alabama
Upsets / Surprises:
- West Virginia (9) beats Maryland.
- College of Charleston (12) beats San Diego State.
- NC State (11) going to the Elite 8.
- Providence (11) beats Kentucky.
- Duke (5) going to the Final 4.
- Kent State (11) beats IU.
- Penn State (10) beats Texas A&M.
- Miami (5) going to the Elite 8.
- St. Mary’s going to the Sweet 16.
- Northwestern (7) going to the Sweet 16. -
In episode 18, I chat with my friend & current professional basketball player, Brandon Wood. Brandon is currently with USC Rip City in the Australian NBL1 league after playing for the last decade in several different counties such as Greece, Italy, Hungary, Lithuania, Morocco and Austria just to name a few. Brandon has also had stints in the NBA G-League along his overseas journey and participated in The Basketball Tournament on multiple occasions.
Prior to his professional career, Brandon was a standout at Valparaiso and finished his collegiate career with Michigan State in 2012 where he was coached by the legendary Tom Izzo and teammates with several future pros including NBA [future] Hall of Fame forward Draymond Green.
This podcast is a over THREE hours long. My longest show ever, and rightfully so. Brandon and I dive in on every step of the way throughout his process — from high school to college to pros and what he’s currently up to. The reason this episode is called the winner’s perspective is because there is a common theme throughout this episode and that is overcoming adversity and using your perspective to shape how you react to and conquer that adversity.
During this episode, Brandon shares multiple life-changing situations he’s been through along his journey, none more devastating than the recent passing of his wife, Aujalen. He opens up and shares how his perspective & mindset have helped him turn this tragic loss into a mission with a deeper purpose allowing him to help others who may be grieving the loss of a loved one. Brandon shares some truly powerful words about his experience and it’s definitely something we all can learn from to become stronger ourselves.
I appreciate Brandon for coming on and sharing the highs and lows, and being open & transparent about some very difficult things to talk about. This is truly an amazing episode and I hope you all enjoy it. Catch up with Brandon on Twitter, Instagram or his podcast.
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In episode 17, I caught up with my guy Tyler Neal of Run The Show. Run The Show is a full-service basketball development company offering training, coaching, events, clinics and recruiting worldwide with a physical location in Cranberry, PA — as well as local offering throughout Northeast Ohio & Western Pennsylvania.
Tyler brings over a decade of coaching experience to the show with previous stops at the high school, college and professional level of the game. Tyler most recently an assistant coach in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization and shares an inspiring story of how he got that opportunity early in the episode.
Now Tyler has moved on to the next chapter of his career, launching Run The Show with his team and trying to make an impact on the game of basketball at every level.
We talk about his journey of coaching as he shares stories from the sidelines and his unique background. Then we get into player development and professional development, detailing his vision and goals for Run The Show as they continue to grow the business.
This is a great episode for up and coming coaching or trainers. Tyler shares tons of helpful insights and advice for maximizing your career potential and finding ways to continue to grow the game.
Make sure you check out Run The Show on their Instagram and connect with Tyler here!
This episode is powered by HOIST, an IV-Level hydration drink featuring 3x the electrolytes of leading competitors. HOIST is formulated to give instant and optimal hydration with half the sugar, no fillers or preservatives and a clean ingredient list that other sports drinks. To learn more about how HOIST can bring your hydration to the next level, head to drinkhoist.com and use the code PACE for 10% off all orders.
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In episode 16, I caught up with Bjorn Broman, the co-founder & co-owner of the Broman Academy. The Broman Academy works with basketball players from youth to pro, helping players develop on & off the court while being guided by Bjorn & his older brother, Anders, who both had amazing basketball careers & are now passing the torch to the next generation of hoopers.
Bjorn grew up in Duluth, Minnesota and began playing varsity basketball as an 8th grader. He had a wildly success high school career, leading the country in scoring his junior & senior season and averaging a legendary 50 points per game during his senior year. He also played on the Nike EYBL circuit with the Howard Pulley Panthers, facing off against some of the top talent in the nation, including Ben Simmons, Tacko Fall, De’Aaron Fox and Jalen Brunson alongside notable teammates such as Tyus Jones, Gary Trent Jr & Terance Mann.
Bjorn’s hard work and dedication to the game earned him a full-ride scholarship to Winthrop University where he started for 4 years and finished his career a 1000+ point scorer, 5th all-time in three point makes and 6th all-time in career free throw percentage. Bjorn really left his mark on Winthrop and the entire region…
…And he never left! Now he and his brother are doing great things in the Carolinas with the Broman Academy, instilling high-level principles of the game into the next wave of basketball players. The Broman Academy continues to grow and Bjorn is making a massive impact on the game through his coaching now, offering skill development, camps/clinics and team coaching for athletes of all ages.
We get into a great discussion about all things basketball — from his playing experience to his current business endeavors and future goals for the academy. Bjorn has mastered in-person training and continues to work on that craft, but also has a massive social media following with over 500k followers on TikTok and nearing 50k on Instagram. We talk about how he’s able to manage the pros and cons of social media and continue to scale his social media while still providing high-quality info.
Make sure you check out the episode below and leave a rating or review. You can catch up with Bjorn on his social media or website!
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