Youth Conference 2017
On May 12 – 13, 2017 in Chicago, the NBA hosted its inaugural Jr. NBA Youth Basketball Leadership Conference presented by Under Armour. This two-day event brought together a diverse group of thought leaders and influencers from all levels of the game who are focused on creating positive change in youth and grassroots basketball.
The 2017 Jr. NBA Youth Leadership Conference took place at the InterContinental Hotel and the Under Armour Brand House.
Schedule of Events (all times listed are CT):
| Friday, May 12, 2017 | |
| 8am – 5:30pm | Registration and Conference Meetings |
| InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile | |
| 505 N. Michigan Ave. | |
| Chicago, IL 60611 | |
| Phone: 312-944-4100 | |
| 6 – 9pm | Post Conference Networking Event |
| Fremont Chicago | |
| Saturday, May 13, 2017 | |
| 8 – 10am | Saturday Chalk Talk |
| Under Armour Brand House | |
| 600 N. Michigan Ave. | |
| Chicago, IL 60611 | |
| Phone: 312-690-5094 | |
Hotel and Lodging
| Hotel: |
| Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown/N Loop/Michigan Ave. |
| 68 E. Wacker Place |
| Chicago, IL 60611 |
| Phone: 312-419-0914 |
| Rate: $209 (+ tax) |
| Site to Book: Jr. NBA Room Block |
Rooms are limited and available on a first come first serve basis.
Schedule
| Friday, May 12 | InterContinental Hotel |
| 8 – 8:55am | Registration and Breakfast |
| 9 – 9:10am | Welcome by Kathy Behrens, President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs |
| 9:10 – 9:55am | Generational Issues: Reaching Today’s Athlete |
| 10:15 – 11am | Breakout Sessions |
| Coaching Education: Best Practices for Teaching the Game | |
| Social Impact and Sports: Building Bridges through Basketball | |
| Early Exposure: The Impact of Media in Today’s Youth Basketball Environment | |
| 11:10 – 11:55am | Health & Wellness: Achieving Sustained Performance |
| 11:55am – 1:10pm | Program of the Year Presentation and Lunch |
| 1:20 – 2:20pm | Leadership Workshop |
| 2:20 – 3:05pm | Leadership: An Essential Ingredient for Success |
| 3:25 – 4:10pm | Breakouts Sessions |
| 360⁰ of Coaching: Excelling at the Player-Coach-Parent Relationship | |
| Technology: Transforming Youth Sports | |
| Built to Last: Sustaining your Program and Brand Over Time | |
| 4:25 – 5:10pm | The Way Forward: Assessing the Future of Youth Basketball |
| 5:10 – 5:15pm | Conference Wrap Up with David Krichavsky, VP of Youth Basketball Development & Nick Blatchford, Director, Grassroots Basketball, Under Armour |
Sessions
GENERAL:
Leadership: An Essential Ingredient for Success
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Leadership takes many forms, whether you are coaching young athletes or leading a youth sports organization. The example you set as a leader for your players and staff greatly impacts the development and experience of everyone involved. Learn best practices in leadership from a dynamic panel that includes some of the best leaders in basketball and beyond.
| Moderator: | |
| Clark Kellogg | College Basketball Analyst, CBS Sports |
| Panelists: | |
| General Martin Dempsey | Chairman, Jr. NBA Leadership Council & USAB |
| David Robinson | NBA Legend |
| Muffet McGraw | Head Coach, Notre Dame |
Generational Issues: Reaching Today’s Athlete
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The youth basketball landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. Many forces influence young athletes today, including several that previous generations did not face. As youth sports continue to become “professionalized” at a younger age, many kids are leaving organized sports altogether. This panel will address issues shaping youth basketball and how to motivate and develop today’s athletes without compromising core beliefs.
| Moderator: | |
| Jennifer Azzi | WNBA Legend |
| Panelists: | |
| Kenny Atkinson | Head Coach, Brooklyn Nets |
| Mike Brey | Head Coach, Notre Dame |
| Jerian Grant | Guard, Chicago Bulls |
| Frank Martin | Head Coach, South Carolina |
Health & Wellness: Achieving Sustained Performance
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A strong foundation of healthy habits is at the core of every athlete’s success. Proper nutrition, training, and practice routines are keys to long-term success. However, the trend in youth sports of “more is better” is driving overuse injuries and early sports specialization. As part of this session, leading experts from multiple disciplines will discuss the proper way to optimize the health and performance of young athletes via a holistic approach.
| Moderator: | |
| Dr. Brian Cole | Team Physician, Chicago Bulls |
| Panelists: | |
| JK Davis | Exercise Scientist, Gatorade Sports Science Institute |
| Shane Battier | NBA Legend |
| Dr. John DiFiori | NBA Director of Sports Medicine |
| Daniel Shapiro | Director of Basketball Athletic Performance, UW |
The Way Forward: Assessing the Future of Youth Basketball
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This panel will revisit a variety of topics and trends discussed throughout the day and offer expert opinion on what this means for the future of our sport.
| Moderator: | |
| Tom Farrey | Leader, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program |
| Panelists: | |
| Shareef Abdur-Rahim | AVP, NBA Basketball Operations |
| John Thompson III | |
| Stacey Lovelace |
BREAKOUTS:
Coaching Education: Best Practices for Teaching the Game
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Youth sports organizations often lack quality, trained coaches. Many coaches lack any formal coaching education and simply teach kids the way they were taught. Learn more about the resources offered by the Jr. NBA, USA Basketball, and others that will help elevate the quality of your program.
| Panelists: | |
| Jeremiah Boswell | Consultant, NBA Youth Basketball Development |
| Dee Brown | NBA Legend |
| Corry Irvin | Head Coach, Whitney Young Magnet HS |
Social Impact and Sports: Building Bridges through Basketball
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360⁰ of Coaching: Excelling at the Player-Coach-Parent Relationship
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As anyone involved in youth athletics knows, working with kids isn’t always the hard part. Coaches and youth sports organizers must also engage with and answer to parents, who come with their own expectations and desire to be involved. Panelists will discuss how to manage this complex triad (player-coach-parent) to help cultivate a positive youth basketball experience for all.
| Moderator: | |
| Jason Sacks | National Director of Business Development, PCA |
| Panelists: | |
| Jennifer Azzi | WNBA Legend |
| Antonio Davis | NBA Legend |
| Sam Perkins | NBA Legend |
Built to Last: Sustaining your Program and Brand over Time
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Running an effective youth sports program costs money and requires buy-in from many different stakeholders. This session will discuss tactics to help you break through the clutter and deliver high-quality experiences for youth – whether you manage a non-profit organization involved in sports, coach a travel/club team, or run a youth sports facility.
| Moderator: | |
| Danny Ecker | Sports Business, Crain’s Chicago Business |
| Panelists: | |
| TJ Adeshola | Content Partnerships – Sports Leagues, Twitter |
| John Batson | Co-Founder, First Step Youth Foundation |
| Leigh Alan Klein | Sports Consultant, Journalist and Entrepreneur |
Early Exposure: The Role of Media in Today’s Youth Basketball Environment
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Mass media – especially digital platforms – has profoundly impacted youth sports. It has contributed to the growing importance of player rankings, the trend towards early recruiting, and the promotion of individual talent over team accomplishment. Panelists will discuss how increased coverage and the promise of fame can compel parents and coaches to encourage early sports specialization. Panelists will also share best practices regarding how to manage the influence of media in today’s youth basketball culture.
| Moderator: | |
| Taylor Rooks | Anchor and Reporter, SNY |
| Panelists: | |
| Cliff Alexander | Forward, Long Island Nets |
| Scott Phillips | Contributor, NBC Sports & Bleacher Report |
| Alex Tarshis | SVP, Athlete Marketing, Priority Sports |
| Joe Wootten | Co-Chairman of the McDonald’s All-American Game Selection Committee |
Technology: Transforming Youth Sports
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From the grassroots level to the NBA, technology continues to change the way our sport is taught and played. Innovations related to equipment, apparel, training, and video have moved the game forward and allowed players, coaches, and parents to track and measure their development in new ways. This panel will showcase some of the new technology impacting the basketball ecosystem, and what to look for going forward.
| Moderator: | |
| Jeremy Goldberg | President, LeagueApps |
| Panelists: | |
| Cathy Horton | Entrepreneur |
| Dr. Travis McDonough | Founder and CEO, Kinduct |
| Anwar McQueen | Business Development – Grassroots Basketball, Hudl |
| Davyeon Ross | Co-Founder and COO, DDSports Inc. |
Speakers
| Shareef Abdur-Rahim | TJ Adeshola | Cliff Alexander | Kenny Atkinson |
| Jennifer Azzi | John Batson | Shane Battier | Kathy Behrens |
| Jeremiah Boswell | Mike Brey | Dee Brown | Swin Cash |
| Dr. Brian Cole | Chris Collins | Doug Collins | Antonio Davis |
| JK Davis | General Martin E. Dempsey | Dr. John DiFiori | Danny Ecker |
| Tom Farrey | Jeremy Goldberg | Susan Goodenow | Jerian Grant |
| Cathy Horton | Corry Irvin | Clark Kellogg | Leigh Alan Klein |
| David Krichavksy | Stacey Lovelace | Frank Martin | Dr. Travis McDonough |
| Muffet McGraw | Anwar McQueen | Kim Miller | Sam Perkins |
| Scott Phillips | David Robinson | LaChina Robinson | Taylor Rooks |
| Davyeon Ross | Jason Sacks | Daniel Shapiro | Alex Tarshis |
| John Thompson III | A.J. Watson | Troy Weaver | Joe Wootten |
The third overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft out of California, Shareef Abdur-Rahim played 12 years in the NBA, averaging 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He was named the Sporting News’ Rookie of the Year in 1997 and was an NBA All-Star in 2002. He is currently the associate vice president of basketball operations with the NBA and founded the Future Foundation, an Atlanta-based organization designed to provide quality education, health and life skills program for the city’s youth.
TJ leads Sports League Partnership initiatives on the Content Partnerships team at Twitter. He works closely with sports leagues and rights-holders to help them innovate, monetize and drive reach and distribution of their content on Twitter. TJ “joined the Twitter flock” in 2012, working in sales strategy assisting marketers in leveraging Twitter products to achieve their brand objectives. Prior to Twitter, TJ worked at the Worldwide Leader in Sports. During his four years at ESPN, he worked in Production before eventually moving into Sales Operations supporting ESPN’s digital properties including ESPN.com and WatchESPN. TJ holds a M.A. from the University of Georgia. He’s a member of MiS (Minorities in Sports), as well as various under-represented youth development programs including Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
Chicago native Cliff Alexander recently played for the NBA Developmental League Long Island Nets. Cliff did not start playing organized basketball until the eighth grade, but soon after ascended to one of the top players in his draft class at Currie High School. At Currie High, he won Naismith Player of the Year and was chosen to represent USA Basketball 18U. When it came time to sign his national letter of intent, Cliff chose to attend the University of Kansas over numerous Division 1 programs. During his time at University of Kansas, he was named the 2014 Co-Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year along with the John R Wooden Award Preseason Top 50. Before joining the Long Island Nets this season, he held stints with the Eerie BayHawks, Santa Cruz Warriors, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Kenny Atkinson was named the Brooklyn Nets head coach in April 2016. Atkinson joined the Nets after spending the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks. Prior to his tenure with the Hawks, Atkinson was an assistant coach for four seasons with the New York Knicks (2008-12). Atkinson also spent one season as the director of player development for the Houston Rockets (2007-08). A native of Northport, New York, Atkinson has held various coaching positions abroad, most recently serving as head coach of the Dominican Republic national team in the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Atkinson played professionally for 14 years (1990-2004), beginning his pro career in the CBA and USBL before competing for teams in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain. A standout collegiate player at the University of Richmond, Atkinson earned All-CAA First Team honors as a junior and senior and helped lead the Spiders to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1988.
Jennifer Azzi’s basketball achievements over a 25-year period range from seven Hall of Fame inductions, an Olympic Gold Medal, a Stanford National Championship, the Naismith Award, the Wade Trophy, founding member of the American Basketball League (ABL), and a successful WNBA career where she was drafted fifth overall by the Detroit Shock in the inaugural WNBA draft. Through her six seasons as Head Coach at the University of San Francisco, Azzi led the Dons to their fourth NCAA tournament berth thanks to winning the 2016 WCC Tournament. Azzi’s program also earned the NCAA’s APR award for outstanding academic success. Jennifer left USF in September 2016 to pursue career opportunities with the NBA and Jr. NBA as an Ambassador and Global Director, yet remains a part of the USF athletic program.
First Step Youth Foundation co-founder, John Batson, started the organization in 2001 with best friend and co-founder, Corey Harper, with the purpose of developing, encouraging and inspiring Chicago youth through basketball. With Batson and Harper at the helm, numerous First Step alum have earned college basketball scholarships to play on the next level, including Anthony Davis and Jabari Parker. Batson attended Corliss High School, lettering in basketball for four years under CPS Hall of Fame Coach Don Young. He then went on to accept a full basketball scholarship to McKendree University. There he played for the legendary and record breaking Coach Harry Statham before graduating with a BA in Criminal Justice in 1988.
Drafted with the sixth pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Shane Battier spent 13 seasons in the NBA, including stops in Memphis, Houston and Miami, where he won two NBA titles. Known as one the game’s “ultimate glue guys,” Battier was the ideal teammate. He was a four-year standout at Duke, where he led the Blue Devils to the Final Four in 1999 and the national championship in 2001, a season in which he was named the consensus National Player of the Year. Battier now serves as the Director of Basketball Development & Analytics for the Miami Heat.
As President of Social Responsibility & Player Programs for the NBA, Kathy Behrens oversees all programs that coordinate league and player social responsibility efforts, promote youth basketball development, support player growth and education, and enhance the marketing opportunities for current and former players. Behrens joined the NBA in September 2000 as Vice President, Community Relations, overseeing all of the NBA’s public service initiatives, community outreach and employee volunteer programs.
Jeremiah Boswell specializes in youth basketball development with the NBA. He leads multiple initiatives including curriculum development, coach resources, NBA & USA Basketball youth guidelines and flagship partnerships. Prior to joining the NBA, Jeremiah trained over 20 current NBA players, including James Harden, and coached middle school and high school club basketball teams in Atlanta. Jeremiah also played at Columbia and professionally for seven years in Europe, South America and Asia.
Mike Brey has served as Notre Dame’s head coach for the past 17 seasons, guiding the Irish to the postseason 16 times during his tenure. Notre Dame has won 20 or more games 13 times under Brey’s watch, resulting in 382 victories. He became an assistant coach at Duke in 1987 and remained on Mike Krzyzewski’s staff until he assumed the head coaching role at Delaware from 1995-2000. While in South Bend, Brey has coached 24 All-Conference selections, three conference player of the years and five All-Americans.
Dee Brown spent 12 seasons in the NBA, including eight years with the Boston Celtics that included winning the 1991 Slam Dunk Contest and being named to the 1991 All-Rookie Team. He averaged 11 points per game over his career that also saw him play two years each with the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic. After his playing career, Brown began coaching, including Orlando and San Antonio in the WNBA, and Detroit, Sacramento, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers, where he currently serves as the Director of Player Programs.
Swin Cash is a three-time WNBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champion. She was recently honored by the WNBA as one of the top 20 greatest and most influential players in league history. Off the court, she has served as an envoy for the U.S. State Department in their work with children in various countries and served as an envoy for NBA Africa & NBA India. She continues to make an impact off the court as an NBA Cares Ambassador.
Dr. Brian Cole is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush and a Professor of Orthopedics and Anatomy and Cell Biology at Rush University Medical Center. He is the Associate Chairman of the Department of Orthopedics at Rush and the Section Head of the Cartilage Research and Restoration Center. His professional career outside of academia includes serving as team physician for the Chicago Bulls, co-team physician for the Chicago White Sox and team physician for DePaul University. He also co-hosts a weekly sports medicine talk-show on ESPN Radio.
Chris Collins just completed his fourth season as the head coach at Northwestern, where he guided the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and a school-record 24 victories this past season. Prior to his tenure with the Wildcats, Chris was part of Mike Krzyzewski’s staff at Duke since 2000. During his 13 seasons, the Blue Devils won 385 games, 12 ACC regular season and tournament titles and two national titles. A native of Northbrook, Ill., Collins was a four-year letterwinner at Duke, helping the program to three ACC titles and one Final Four appearance.
Long-time NBA head coach Doug Collins has served as an NBA game analyst for ABC and ESPN beginning in 2013. Collins also makes regular appearances across ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter, ESPN Radio and other programming. In 11 seasons as an NBA head coach with Chicago (1986-89), Detroit (1995-98), Washington (2001-03) and Philadelphia (2010-13), he led his teams to the playoffs seven times and finished second in voting for NBA Coach of the Year in 2011. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1973 NBA Draft by Philadelphia and spent his entire eight-year career with the 76ers.
Antonio Davis played 13 years in the NBA, playing most of his career with the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors. In more than 900 games in the league, Davis averaged 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and advanced to the postseason nine times. He was named an All-Star during the 2000-01 season and was elected President of the NBA Players Association in 2005. In 2012, Davis became an NBA analyst on ESPN, providing commentary on many of their studio shows, including SportsCenter.
JK Davis is an exercise scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute with primary responsibilities in scouting, evaluating and managing technology. He works closely with the Gatorade long term innovation team to help drive the continued expansion into emerging technology platforms. Prior to joining GSSI he was an Assistant Professor at the University of Montevallo. During his time in academia he taught various courses in the areas of nutrition, applied and clinical physiology.
Retired Gen. Martin E. Dempsey is the chairman of USA Basketball. Dempsey, who retired from the military in 2015 after 41 years of service, served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and principal military adviser to the President from 2011 to 2015. He served in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His military awards include the Bronze Star with Valor Device, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, and Distinguished Service Medals from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
Dr. John DiFiori serves as the NBA Director of Sports Medicine, directing the league’s research initiatives and the development and implementation of policies related to player health and safety. He is a professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA, where he also serves as the head team physician for the Bruins’ athletic department, overseeing the care of more than 650 athletes in 24 sports. Dr. DiFiori is a former President of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and is nationally recognized for his leadership in the fields of youth sports inquiries and early sports specialization.
Danny Ecker covers the local sports business scene at Crain’s Chicago Business, focusing on the marketing, media, products and personalities tied to the city’s professional and college teams. He is a frequent panelist on CSN Chicago’s daily “Sports Talk Live” show and WTTW’s Chicago Tonight. Prior to joining Crain’s in January 2010, Danny worked as a producer for college sports and news website UWire.com. He is a 2008 graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a native of Columbus, Ohio.
Tom Farrey is an award-winning journalist and leader of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, whose mission is to convene leaders, facilitate dialogue and inspire solutions that help sport serve the public interest. In 2013, he created Project Play, which provides the thought leadership and tools for sport to build healthy communities, starting with universal access to an early positive experience in sports. Farrey, who has explored the connections between sport and the largest themes in society, is seen as a thought leader on topics including youth and college sports and is the author of <em>Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children.</em>
Jeremy Goldberg is the President of LeagueApps, a technology company that powers how sports are organized around the world. He leads business development, external partnerships and investor relations, and also oversees activities around recruiting, performance and culture. He is also a partner at [212]MEDIA, a venture development firm that owns and operates a portfolio of technology companies, including LeagueApps, Saavn, Speakaboos, and LiftMetrix. Previously, he served in technology strategy roles at the Mitchell Madison Group and Generate Insights and was the Founder and CEO of poliVOICE. Jeremy is also passionate about his causes, having worked in various capacities for Obama for America and Seeds of Peace, and serving on the boards of Search for Common Ground and Reboot.
Susan Goodenow joined the Chicago Bulls in January 2012. She is responsible for developing and managing the team’s branding strategy and marketing efforts, coordinating and integrating all team communication, and directing the team’s community outreach efforts. She oversees Marketing, Broadcasting, BullsTV, Community Relations, Corporate Communications, Creative Services, Digital, Public and Media Relations, and Public Affairs. She also works closely with Chicago Bulls Charities. Prior to joining the Bulls, Susan spent four years with the Boston Red Sox, most recently as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Marketing, and has also held positions with Major League Baseball/Office of the Commissioner and the American Red Cross. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism and from Georgetown University with a Masters in American Studies. She is a member of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago Tiffany Circle.
Selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Jerian Grant spent the past season with the Chicago Bulls. Prior to his NBA career, he starred for Notre Dame and coach Mike Brey. As a senior, Grant was a consensus first-team All-American and was a finalist for many national player of the year honors as he guided the Irish to the ACC Tournament Championship. He is part of a basketball lineage as his father, Harvey, and his uncle Horace both starred in the NBA and his brothers also both play professionally.
Cathy Horton is a serial entrepreneur who has taken more than 75 chemical product SKUs to market. In her 7th company, Renegade Brands, Cathy has invented and taken to market over 30 Sweat X laundry product SKUs that service over 200 professional and university customers, with a single, nanoscale product solution. Her retail Sweat X line is sold nationwide in Dick’s Sporting Goods and other niche sports retailers focused on the running, lacrosse, triathlon, hockey and biking markets. In addition to being an entrepreneur and business woman, Cathy is also an ordained Episcopal Priest. Her company commits significant fundraising dollars to teams and charities registered with its online Make Your Impact program.
Corry Irvin is the head coach of Whitney Young Magnet High School. Under her leadership, Corry has transformed Young into a powerhouse and guided the team to 10 trips to the state tournament finals, winning three IHSA 4A State Championships in 2008, 2012 and 2014. She boasts a 446-64 record in her 16 years at the helm, and has been recognized for her accomplishments by the NFHS Coach of the Year award; IBCA District Coach of the Year; five-time CPLBCA Coach of the Year; and CPS Coach of the Year. Over 50 of her players have accepted college basketball scholarships all around the United States.
Clark Kellogg receives national notoriety for his work as the lead college basketball studio analyst for CBS Sports. For over two decades he has served as both a game and studio analyst for the network’s coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships. Mr. Kellogg has also done television commentating for the Indiana Pacers, Cleveland State University, the Big East Television Network, and ESPN. He is a former first-round draft pick of the Pacers (1982, eighth selection overall) and played five seasons with the team. Mr. Kellogg is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and attended The Ohio State University where he was the Big Ten’s MVP in 1982. He received his marketing degree from Ohio State in 1996, and in 2010 was appointed to the university’s board of trustees. He and his wife, Rosy, live in Westerville, Ohio, and have three children.
Leigh Alan Klein is a sports consultant, journalist and entrepreneur. Klein serves as a member of the USA Basketball Working Group on Youth Development and is the former CEO of the Five-Star Basketball Camp from 1993-2016. Klein consults with Kinexon Sports and Media in addition to working as an adjunct professor in the business department at Mount St. Mary’s College.
Stacey Lovelace has 14 years of professional basketball experience and was a two-time Associated Press All-American at Purdue University. She guided the Boilermakers to two Big Ten championships and their first Final Four appearance in 1994. She spent eight seasons in the WNBA and six more overseas before getting into the coaching ranks, first as an assistant with the Tulsa Shock and next at the University of Oakland. She currently works on the NBA’s operations team.
Frank Martin finished his fifth year as the head coach at South Carolina, where he guided the Gamecocks to their first Final Four in program history this past season. Under Martin, South Carolina has won 25 or more games in each of the last two seasons. Prior to his time in Columbia, Martin recorded five straight 20-win seasons as the head coach at Kansas State. Martin began his coaching career at the high school ranks from 1985-2000 before assistant coaching stops at Northeastern, Cincinnati and Kansas State from 2000-2007.
Travis McDonough is the Founder and CEO of Kinduct, a leading sport, health and wellness software company. Travis is responsible for charting the overall vision and mission of Kinduct, leading high-profile business development and partnership efforts, and growing the company’s voice and value in various market sectors. Travis has spent more than 20 years in the human performance, health and wellness industries, split between Europe and North America. A chiropractor by trade and former elite boxer, tennis and basketball player, Travis has dedicated his entire career to his passion for sparking innovation and driving constant improvement in the sport, health and wellness. His work in these fields has been widely recognized, earning numerous awards including Atlantic Canada’s Innovator of the Year (2014); Halifax Business Person of the Year (2016); Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee (2016); Progress Top 50 CEOs (2014, 2015, 2016); ITAC Ingenious Award (2015); and CBC Innovative Company of the Year (2015).Travis received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from Dalhousie University and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Travis currently lives in Palo Alto, CA with his wife and three children.
In 35 years as a collegiate head coach, Muffet McGraw has won more than 850 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament 24 times, including the last 22 consecutive. After a five-year stay as Lehigh’s head coach, McGraw, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honoree in 2017, became the Fighting Irish’s head coach in 1987 and has led Notre Dame to the top of women’s college basketball. She guided the program to the 2001 national title and six additional Final Four appearances, while winning 20 or more games in 27 or her 30 seasons in South Bend.
Anwar McQueen recently joined Hudl as part of their Business Development – Grassroots Basketball division, where he is primarily responsible for strategic consulting and sales strategy development. Hudl is a leader in the video analysis industry and has grown in existing and new market segments, with 99 percent of NBA markets, 85 percent of Division I basketball markets and 99 percent of high school football market as Hudl customers. McQueen played basketball at Cal, where he helped the Golden Bears to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Kim Miller is the Vice President of Leadership and Education Programs for the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE). She spearheads the development and nationwide expansion of key education initiatives at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. Her efforts to address inequalities began while in college and have extended globally through her work with Surge, a global nonprofit committed to improving access to clean, safe water in developing countries. Kim graduated from Northwestern, where she ran cross country.
A 17-year NBA veteran, Sam Perkins played in 1,286 games in his career, the 26th most in league history, and helped his team to the postseason 15 times. He was a 1980 McDonald’s High School All-American and was a first-team Associated Press All-American in 1984 as a member of the North Carolina Tar Heels. He was the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks and averaged 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game over the course of his career.
Based out of Chicago, Scott Phillips is a contributor to numerous outlets, including CSN Chicago, NBC Sports and Bleacher Report, and has previously done work with Scout.com and the Chicago Sun-Times. He covers recruiting, high school and college basketball, along with the NBA Draft. A native of Crystal Lake, Ill., Phillips attended DePaul University.
David Robinson, who was a 10-time All-Star, three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time NBA Champion, is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and helped establish a winning tradition in San Antonio that carries on today. But his impact was measured beyond his achievements on the court; all winners of the NBA Community Assist Award receive the David Robinson Plaque. Also among Robinson’s charitable contributions include a $9 million donation toward the construction of The Carver Academy, a pre-kindergarten through sixth grade prep school in San Antonio.
LaChina Robinson serves as a basketball analyst and reporter both in-game and in studio across various television networks, including ESPN, Fox, Raycom and NBA TV. Her work in professional sports as an analyst and reporter spans a wide range of collegiate, WNBA and NBA events. Robinson has worked as an analyst during the NCAA Women’s Championship in every year of her television career, including this season where she served as a regional analyst for the first time. Robinson is also the lead analyst on the Big East Women’s Basketball package for Fox Sports 1 and is the host of espnW’s podcast “Around the Rim.” Robinson was a student-athlete at Wake Forest University where she achieved All-ACC recognition both in the classroom and on the court. In 2015, she was inducted into the inaugural Alexandria City Public School’s Athletic Hall of Fame in her hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. In 2008, Robinson became Founder and CEO of her own consulting company “Stretch Beyond” through which she serves as a transition coach, brand developer and keynote speaker for collegiate athletic programs, professional teams and non-profit organizations.
Taylor Rooks joined SNY in September 2016 as an anchor and reporter contributing to its sports and entertainment news shows “GEICO SportsNite” and “Daily News Live.” Rooks is a 2014 graduate of the University of Illinois, where she majored in broadcast journalism. While attending the university, she worked for Scout.com covering recruitment news for the Illini football and basketball programs. Upon graduating in 2014, Rooks moved to the Big Ten Network serving as a correspondent for the network’s staple program “BTN Live,” and additional shows including “BTN Football Pregame” and “Women’s Sports Report.” Rooks is the daughter of Thomas Rooks, the third all-time rushing leader for the University of Illinois football program, and the niece of St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Lou Brock.
An innovative technology leader and widely recognized entrepreneur, Davyeon Ross has more than 15 years of experience in the technology space. Ross is Co-founder and COO of DDSports Inc., a team sports performance platform fueled by wearable and smart equipment data. DDSports’ first product ShotTracker, is a wearable technology that provides comprehensive real time stats to players, coaches and fans in practice and live games. A native of Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies, Ross was a four-year letterman for Benedictine College’s basketball team while leading the nation in field goal percentage his senior year. Ross also earned a bachelor of science in Computer Science and later earned his MBA from Mid-America Nazarene University.
Jason Sacks is the National Director of Business Development for Positive Coaching Alliance, overseeing three areas: new Chapter Expansion, National Partnerships and Corporate/Strategic Partnerships. Jason has been with PCA since April 2006. He has served as the Partner Development Associate for the New Jersey/Philadelphia region, as well as PCA’s Director of Partner Development from 2008-10. Jason was also the Executive Director for PCA’s Chicago chapter from 2010 to 2015.
Daniel Shapiro is the Director of Basketball Athletic Performance at the University of Washington. He is responsible for implementing all facets of the Huskies’ athletic performance programs, including strength, conditioning, recovery and nutrition. His career has taken him throughout the basketball world, including stops with the Sacramento Kings, the University of Dayton, the then Seattle SuperSonics and the Seattle Storm.
Alex Tarshis joined the marketing team at Priority Sports in early 2011. Prior to joining Priority Sports, he spent 6 years at the NBA in the Entertainment & Marketing group where he focused on spokesperson agreements, player appearances, public relations, and overall player branding. Alex has 15+ years of experience in the sports industry, also working on the sports desk at the New York Times and in the basketball operations department of the New Jersey Nets.
John Thompson III is a veteran collegiate head coach, having spent the last 13 seasons at Georgetown University. With the Hoyas, he averaged 21 wins per season and led the program to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the 2007 Final Four. His teams won four Big East championships, including three regular season and one postseason title. He coached four years at Princeton, his alma mater, where he played from 1984-88.
As the Director of Youth Guidance’s Becoming A Man program, A.J. Watson is responsible for leading a team of over 100 highly-trained BAM staff that meet young men where they are, both physically and emotionally, and take them on a journey to learn, practice and internalize the knowledge, skills, mindsets and values necessary to become a responsible and contributing man. Now in its 15th year, the BAM program is set to serve 4,080 youth in 60+ schools in the 2016-17 academic year.
Troy Weaver is in his ninth season with Oklahoma City and his seventh as the team’s VP/Assistant General Manager. Weaver joined the Thunder in May 2008 and assists General Manager Sam Presti with roster development and day-to-day basketball operations. Previously, he spent four seasons with the Utah Jazz in their front office from 2004-2008 and was on the coaching staff at Syracuse from 2000-04, including the team’s run to the 2003 national championship. Prior to becoming a college coach, he amassed an 85-17 record as an AAU coach in Washington D.C.
Joe Wootten is the head boys’ basketball coach at Bishop O’Connell High School in Virginia, where his program is annually one of the state’s best. His teams have averaged 23.3 wins per season in his 18 years as a head coach, leading the program to five state independent championships during his tenure. More than 50 of his former players currently play or have played college athletics and he serves as Co-Chairman of the McDonald’s High School All American Games Selection Committee.
Contact
The staff of the Jr. NBA is happy to answer questions regarding the inaugural conference. Please email JrNBAConference@nba.com and a representative will be available to assist.
Basketball can bring people and communities together in ways that few other things can. The NBA and its community partners will discuss how they are convening community conversations that engage youth, parents, community leaders, and law enforcement in candid dialogue. Panelists will share why it’s critical to integrate life skills programming into the work of your organization.