Derek Deprey

I help you become the leader you’d want to follow | Author | Keynote Speaker | Leadership Coach | Girls Basketball Coach @WisconsinLakers 🏀 #GirlDad

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

A bad coach tears people down. An average coach focuses only on results. A good coach teaches skills and systems. A great coach builds confidence and trust. An exceptional coach helps people believe in themselves at a higher level. And the best coaches impact lives long after the scoreboard stops mattering.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

The amount of good basketball gives you depends on your ability to notice it.

The amount of bad basketball gives you depends on your ability to let some things go.

Parents complaining about coaches.

Coaches complaining about players.

Players comparing themselves to teammates.

The game has so much to offer if we don’t let a few things blind us to everything else.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Most battles aren't won against other people. They're won against doubt, excuses, and fear. The toughest opponent you'll ever face is yourself.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Who makes you better when you're around them?

Spend more time with those people!

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

@candid_coach I’m only a coach, not the GM or owner. Our program director handles the money. All I know is that it’s more than fair. 🤷‍♂️💰

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Our Wisconsin Lakers 2029 S40 squad went 3-1 at the Lakers Classic this weekend. We got better at some things and found plenty more to work on. My favorite part of the weekend had nothing to do with the scoreboard.

We had two practice players join us for the tournament. They knew before they came that they weren’t going to play.

And they still showed up!!

They cheered for their teammates. Stayed engaged. Brought energy to the bench. Celebrated every good thing that happened for someone else. As a coach, you notice that stuff.

It’s easy to be a great teammate when things are going your way. It’s harder when you know you won’t even get in the game. Those two players reminded me what team-first looks like.

Proud of our entire group this weekend. We won some games, learned a few lessons, and got a little better together.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Great question! The practice players can play anytime we have 7 players or fewer available. That was the agreement before the season when rosters were created, and they knew their role before choosing to be part of the team. We appreciate them tremendously because they make our practices better every week. 🏀💪

[Tosa East Girls Basketball @TosaEastGBB]

Graduation for the Class of 26!
3 Final Fours
2 GMC Champs
1 Gold Ball
1 Silver Ball
96-16
9 Tremendous Young Women

You have provided so much joy to our program & Tosa East. Continue to be the best you, be confident through change, & make your mark. We are so proud - congrats!

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

The best leaders don't just think about the future. They make the most of today. Tomorrow's results are built by today's actions.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

At 18, the division felt like everything. At 46, it feels like almost nothing.

I played Division III basketball. And I can’t remember the last time someone asked me what division I played. What lasts are the relationships, lessons, memories, and coaches and teammates who helped shape who I became.

And many of the things that helped me in basketball have helped me in life and work too. Showing up when you don’t feel like it. Being coachable. Handling adversity. Working with different personalities. Leading when things aren’t going your way. Putting the team ahead of yourself. Those lessons transfer.

We also forget something else. Most of us started playing because it was fun!! Somewhere along the way, youth sports can become about rankings, offers, scholarships, and proving something to other people.

Should you chase big goals? Absolutely!! Work hard. Dream big. See how far the game can take you. But don’t forget why you started. The game is supposed to be enjoyed.

Find the right fit. Keep playing the game you love. And celebrate every opportunity that comes your way!

[Chuck Thompson @FiveStateHoops]

Any offer, regardless of college playing division, is awesome and should be celebrated. It's a badge of honor of your personal journey in basketball and the fact that there are coaches out there that respect your body of work and would like the chance to coach you themselves.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Fear gets bigger when you think about it. Fear gets smaller when you do something about it. Take the next step.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Leadable.

That was the message I shared at the 2026 @BizTimesMedia BizExpo Lunch & Learn keynote at the Brookfield Conference Center.

Most leadership conversations focus on how to lead others. But one of the most underrated skills in business, teams, and life is knowing how to follow well.

Not blindly, passively, or because you lack authority. But because the mission matters more than your title.

The best leaders I know don’t always need to be out front. They know when to step up, step back, listen, learn, and let someone else lead.

That takes humility, awareness, and coachability. And that might be one of the biggest differences between people who simply have leadership titles and people who actually make others better.

Bottom line. The best leaders are still willing to be led!

Huge thank you to the entire BizTimes Milwaukee team for putting together such a strong event for the southeastern Wisconsin business community. And a special shout out to my friend Dan Meyer, publisher of BizTimes, for the incredible opportunity and belief in the message.

What made this one especially meaningful is that Dan gave me one of my first opportunities to speak on a big stage back in 2013, years before speaking became my profession. I was the keynote speaker for the BizTimes Fittest Execs event sponsored by the Wisconsin Athletic Club.

Looking back at the 2013 photo, let's just say I've weathered a lot. 😂👴

But it's also a reminder that none of us build our careers alone. Along the way, someone opens a door, takes a chance on us, and gives us an opportunity before we're fully ready. Dan did that for me. 🙏

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

@PeterVecsey1 I wish I could ask him. You have more connections than me. 🤷‍♂️

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

@EricGruber23 @Evie_Wolshire Congratulations @Evie_Wolshire 👏👏👏

[Eric Gruber @EricGruber23]

So excited for @Evie_Wolshire to join us! Two years just wasn’t enough 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

@mmerg Bonus! It also covers up the old 1923 yellow areas between the wood pieces. 🤷‍♂️ 🎉

[Wisconsin Lakers @WisconsinLakers]

Tryouts for 2027 season are set.

We will be forming 4 UAA teams; 2031, 2030, 2029 and 2028 teams

We will be forming 3 S40 teams; 2030, 2029 and 2028 teams.

We will be forming 2035, 2034, 2033, 2032 teams that will play locally/regionally.

https://t.co/DO2mEAPEFt

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

One day you’ll play your last basketball game.

Not someday. One day.

And the crazy part? You probably won’t know it’s your last one when it happens.

There won’t be a ceremony. There won’t be a warning.

Just a final buzzer. A handshake line. A ride home. And eventually life moves on.

I was reminded of that tonight. Our team didn’t bring great effort or energy at practice.

As a coach, I addressed it, even though it’s easier not to say anything. Because one day you’ll wish you could play one more game. One more practice. One more tournament. One more chance to put on that jersey!! Parents and coaches who played, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

And when that day comes, I don’t think you’ll care that you lost a summer scrimmage by a lot or a little. But you might care that you gave up. That you didn’t communicate. That you didn’t encourage a teammate. That you didn’t bring energy. That you worried more about looking cool than competing hard.

Players, if your coach is asking you to communicate, be loud. Be annoying. Talk more. Bring energy. Look weird. I don’t care.

Cool is not cool. Being engaged is cool. Being a great teammate is cool. Competing is cool.

You won’t remember every score. You won’t remember every win. You won’t remember every loss. But you’ll remember the teammates. You’ll remember the locker room. You’ll remember the bus rides. You’ll remember the battles. And you’ll remember whether you gave this game everything you had!! Because one day the thing that stresses you out might be the very thing you miss the most.

So play hard. Bring energy. Be a great teammate. Enjoy the journey.

Call me annoying. Call me over the top. I really don’t care.

Players, trust me. This time of your life is a gift.

The game doesn’t last forever.

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

@CoachSeanSmith1 @MattMajkrzak Congratulations, Sean!!

[Derek Deprey @derekdeprey]

Basketball has given @elliedeprey so much over the years! Great teammates, coaches, friendships, and memories.

Now she has one final opportunity to represent @TosaEastGBB before heading off to college at @mtuwbb.

Ellie was selected to play in the 2026 Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (@WisBCA) All-Star Game, which brings together many of Wisconsin's top senior basketball players. While the games are a tremendous honor, they're also about something much bigger than basketball.

Each player is asked to raise money for five outstanding causes: @maccfund - Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer, @RMHGlobal - Ronald McDonald House, Camp Waubeeka, @GardingCancer - Garding Against Cancer, and Camp Hometown Heroes.

Ellie set a fundraising goal of $1,000 and, thanks to the generosity of some family and friends, has already raised $600. With a little over two weeks remaining, she's hoping to raise the final $400.

If you'd like to support Ellie and these incredible organizations, we'd be grateful for any contribution. Whether it's $25, $50, or simply reposting the fundraiser, every bit helps!

Thank you to everyone who has supported Ellie throughout her basketball journey. From youth basketball to high school and now the WBCA All-Star Game, we've been blessed by an amazing community of people who have encouraged her along the way.

The game will last a couple of hours. The impact of these charities lasts much longer!!

Thank you for reading and considering.

https://t.co/3H6vkdRmZs