UWantGame

501(c)(3) Helping high school student-athletes excel in the game of life. Building the Game behind the Game! #GameBreakers

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

Making a greater impact together! Excited to partner with you. Let’s have some fun 🙌🙌 #AMP

[Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities @bigstwincities]

We've partnered with @UWANTGAME to pilot the Athlete Mentor Program, designed to help student athletes balance academics and athletics while preparing them for future success. Learn more and read a recap of yesterday's kick-off session.
https://t.co/7H0gOIiED5

[The Players’ Tribune @PlayersTribune]

Keldon Johnson on his role with the @spurs: “I remember a couple years ago, I had a hard conversation with Pop. One morning, we were getting ready to play Dallas, and he pulled me to the side and told me that he thought it would be best for the team if I started coming off the bench. I said, ‘Yeah, of course. Whatever’s best for the team, I’ll do it.’ And I truly meant that, too.

But I’m also just human, man. And I was like 24 years old. If I said that I fully bought into this role from the jump, I’d be lying. I had averaged 22 points in the NBA. I’d won a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. So I just didn’t understand. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. And ultimately, I didn’t take it well. I sulked. I let the outside noise affect my play. I didn’t present the best version of myself as I was coming off the bench for the rest of that season. And I knew that I was much better than that.

I’ve been reflecting on that part of my journey a lot lately, with the position we’re in right now.

To backtrack a little bit…. When I was drafted in 2019, that was probably one of the most stressful nights of my life. I’d had a great year at Kentucky, and I thought I was going 9 or 10. In my mind, my floor was 15 to Detroit. The crazy thing is, I didn’t even work out for San Antonio. We talked a little bit on FaceTime, but I honestly didn’t think I’d still be on the board at 19 when the Spurs picked. Definitely not at 29, where I ended up going. I don’t know why I slipped so much, but thank God I did, because I landed at a proven organization with vets who could mold me.

That situation could have gone one of two ways. Thankfully, it went the good way.

Dejounte was young, too, but he knew the ropes better than me, and he made sure that I did everything the right way. I can’t thank him enough to this day for how much he’s helped my career. Same thing with DeMar DeRozan. Those guys really embraced me and took me under their wing as a young guy, and showed me how it was done. I feel like I had such a great group of vets, whether it was LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, Rudy Gay — all those guys went out their way to make sure I was solid. I feel like they knew how good I could be before I even knew how good I could be. They didn’t let me skip any steps, which was huge for my career early on.

And yeah, fast-forward to summer 2024, and I got to thinking back on my first couple years here in San Antonio, and how I could get that spark back, get back to being me. That’s when I started to see the bigger picture. We had picks. There were all these signs that we were building something that was gonna be special, all these bright green flags.

But there was this one red flag.

Me.

In that moment, I had to take a hard look in the mirror. And man, I just got embarrassed. I hated that feeling — the feeling that I had let my vets down, and especially let my younger teammates down.

This organization believed in me since day one, when Pop and our GM at the time R.C. Buford took a leap of faith on a player who was sliding in the draft and didn’t even have a workout at their facility. They had a plan, and I was a big piece of that plan. I just needed to get out of my own way. Period.

I knew that I could either be the person who tries to fight the change, who makes it about them and their ego, and tries to do everything their way (which never really works). Or, I could trust the process. And the Spurs never gave me a reason not to trust it. So I bought into my role, and I put my best foot forward each and every night. Whatever I had to do to be the best version of myself, I did it. And I feel like this season has been a testament to that.

I’m just really at home here. I think that’s probably obvious, right? The cowboy hat isn’t a gimmick. San Antonio is all me. Being a country boy, that’s just a part of who I am. From Huntington Prep to Oak Hill Academy to Kentucky, I feel like I just carried that country boy vibe with me everywhere I went.” https://t.co/WnVP4cXPll

[New Orleans Pelicans @PelicansNBA]

The New Orleans Pelicans have named Kurt Joseph as Director of Strength & Conditioning.

Joseph brings a strong track record, including the past five seasons as Director of Strength & Conditioning for the Nebraska Cornhuskers men’s basketball program.

His experience also spans the NBA and G League, spending two seasons as an assistant strength coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves and one season as head of strength & conditioning for the Iowa Wolves.

[The Players’ Tribune @PlayersTribune]

Keldon Johnson on embracing his role as the sixth man: “I remember a couple years ago, I had a hard conversation with Pop. One morning, we were getting ready to play Dallas, and he pulled me to the side and told me that he thought it would be best for the team if I started coming off the bench. I said, ‘Yeah, of course. Whatever’s best for the team, I’ll do it.’ And I truly meant that, too.

But I’m also just human, man. And I was like 24 years old. If I said that I fully bought into this role from the jump, I’d be lying. I had averaged 22 points in the NBA. I’d won a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. So I just didn’t understand. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. And ultimately, I didn’t take it well. I sulked. I let the outside noise affect my play. I didn’t present the best version of myself as I was coming off the bench for the rest of that season. And I knew that I was much better than that.

I’ve been reflecting on that part of my journey a lot lately, with the position we’re in right now.

To backtrack a little bit…. When I was drafted in 2019, that was probably one of the most stressful nights of my life. I’d had a great year at Kentucky, and I thought I was going 9 or 10. In my mind, my floor was 15 to Detroit. The crazy thing is, I didn’t even work out for San Antonio. We talked a little bit on FaceTime, but I honestly didn’t think I’d still be on the board at 19 when the Spurs picked. Definitely not at 29, where I ended up going. I don’t know why I slipped so much, but thank God I did, because I landed at a proven organization with vets who could mold me.

That situation could have gone one of two ways. Thankfully, it went the good way.

Dejounte was young, too, but he knew the ropes better than me, and he made sure that I did everything the right way. I can’t thank him enough to this day for how much he’s helped my career. Same thing with DeMar DeRozan. Those guys really embraced me and took me under their wing as a young guy, and showed me how it was done. I feel like I had such a great group of vets, whether it was LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, Rudy Gay — all those guys went out their way to make sure I was solid. I feel like they knew how good I could be before I even knew how good I could be. They didn’t let me skip any steps, which was huge for my career early on.

And yeah, fast-forward to summer 2024, and I got to thinking back on my first couple years here in San Antonio, and how I could get that spark back, get back to being me. That’s when I started to see the bigger picture. We had picks. There were all these signs that we were building something that was gonna be special, all these bright green flags.

But there was this one red flag.

Me.

In that moment, I had to take a hard look in the mirror. And man, I just got embarrassed. I hated that feeling — the feeling that I had let my vets down, and especially let my younger teammates down.

This organization believed in me since day one, when Pop and our GM at the time R.C. Buford took a leap of faith on a player who was sliding in the draft and didn’t even have a workout at their facility. They had a plan, and I was a big piece of that plan. I just needed to get out of my own way. Period.

I knew that I could either be the person who tries to fight the change, who makes it about them and their ego, and tries to do everything their way (which never really works). Or, I could trust the process. And the Spurs never gave me a reason not to trust it. So I bought into my role, and I put my best foot forward each and every night. Whatever I had to do to be the best version of myself, I did it. And I feel like this season has been a testament to that.

I’m just really at home here. I think that’s probably obvious, right? The cowboy hat isn’t a gimmick. San Antonio is all me. Being a country boy, that’s just a part of who I am. From Huntington Prep to Oak Hill Academy to Kentucky, I feel like I just carried that country boy vibe with me everywhere I went.” https://t.co/WnVP4cXPll

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

WNBA fighting mystery company over Houston Comets trademark https://t.co/Ki2QORw01J via @USATODAY

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

Living legend Max Scherzer says playing piano saved Hall of Fame career https://t.co/FWANjzbThh via @USATODAY

[Jon Root @JonnyRoot_]

“I don’t think basketball is my purpose. I think being able to have this platform to share The Gospel is really my purpose”
- Arizona Wildcats F Koa Peat

🎥: CBN Sports/@willdawsonTV

[WNBA @WNBA]

Legendary views in Houston!

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Tina Thompson, and Sheryl Swoopes are in attendance for Knicks-Rockets 🏀

[Melissa Y. Kim @melissaykim]

It was an emotional postgame presser for @HUMensBB as Bryce Harris and Ose Okojie shared their final thoughts about Howard HC Kenny Blakeney and how's changed their lives.

Their answers are almost ten mins long (which obvs speaks to KB), but here's a little snippet:

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

Why Hold Your Straight-A Student Back a Year? To Get a Better Endorsement Deal https://t.co/Z7altigixL

[Timberwolves & Lynx Community Impact @PackOffCourt]

Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day!

@Timberwolves @minnesotalynx

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

The Collectiv launches AI native, dual-use sports, health & wellness accelerator in Rice’s Ion District | Rice News | News and Media Relations | Rice University https://t.co/SzLzKAsjZM

[Milwaukee Bucks @Bucks]

In 1972, Wayne Embry was promoted to Bucks general manager, becoming the first Black GM in professional sports. Wayne broke barriers & paved the way for generations to come.

As part of our Black Excellence game tonight, we honor Wayne and the immense impact he had on the game.

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

https://t.co/YSedcWZe60

[Youth Inc. @YouthInc]

Sports shape you, but they don't define you.

Watch the full episode with @champbailey and @gregolsen88 out now on YouTube: https://t.co/WPxOhKPLNn

[UWantGame @UWantGame]

High School Sports Rally: Hopkins team bands together for coach fighting cancer - CBS Minnesota https://t.co/2lzYLPaReE

[John Nabors @JohnNaborsShow]

John Calipari goes OFF for nearly SEVEN MINUTES about current state of college athletics & the Trentyn Flowers story in CBB. I haven't seen him this fired up in a press conference...ever?