A Hoops Journey

Paris Olympian!!!!! The story of Sami is a great one, from being raised in Toronto to making the decision of re classifying in high school, quitting basketball for a year and moving to New Jersey for senior season it’s an action packed episode!! Growing up in a competitive family it really didn’t matter what the sport was, Sami was all in and ready to try and win! Battles with siblings led to her developing a super competitive nature and that would help her later on in life for many reasons. A true understanding of roles, fierce determination, and a willingness to always try and get better had Sami being heavily recruited in her senior year. In the end she decided on Virginia Tech University and the ACC. After three great seasons the coaching staff was gone and a new group came in which ended up being great for Sami as she averaged almost 11 points and 5 rebounds that year! From there Sami dove into professional basketball and now is overseas in Spain. We couldn’t get away without discussing Sami’s time with Canada and the National team; starting out with the student and U18 teams to becoming an Olympian are all part of her journey! That said it wasn’t always easy, Sami got super close for the Tokyo Olympics but wasn’t chosen to go, it only made her more hungry to be with the team in Paris and she did it! Tap into Episode 149 and hear the story of a great hooper who’s passionate about the game and its growth. We thank Sami for being with us and wish her nothing but the best going forward! Sami Hill - Guest https://www.basketball.ca/athlete/sami-hill https://www.instagram.com/samihill04 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Episode 148 is an absolute must with a long-time Canadian legend, National team member, Division 1 star and overseas pro, Melvin Ejim. We get right into the episode and talk about the recent Paris Olympics, Melvin has a unique perspective as he’s been a part of Canada’s Senior Men’s team for a long time and has seen it go from where it was to what it is now. The unique story of Melvin started with really only being exposed to soccer at a young age, however, it was an important Uncle who saw there could be some potential in the big man and he pushed Melvin to give basketball a try. From there the trajectory and improvement was intense, Melvin developed and kept improving to the point where he went down south and played High School in the States. Many of his teammates became future NBA and Division One stars and Melvin started to see that was something he wanted as well. In the end, he chose Iowa State, and after a solid Freshman season, Melvin was having a hard time living up to his expectations in year 2. It was an important face-to-face conversation with head coach Fred Hoiberg that changed things around. Iowa State was on the map for those years, making the NCAA tournament and Melvin was Big 12 Player of the Year, averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds in his senior year. From there he has had a great overseas career, continued to be with the National team all while balancing his life as a dad as well. This episode has lots of great reflection, Melvin is a hard-working and intelligent young man with a story worth checking out! Tap in! Melvin Ejim - Guest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvin_Ejim https://www.instagram.com/melvinejim3 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Layers upon layers of connections has us finally chopping it up with a former D1 hooper, big time Michigan high school player and one heck of a dude Mr. Hayes Grooms! This is an episode of adversity, success, failures, growth and maturity! Hayes is a proud Detroit native currently living in Brooklyn who grew up in the prime era of the Bad Boys Pistons plus Michigan basketball! At an early age Hayes got lucky- he had a father who built a court in his backyard! This became the local neighborhood hoops spot and location where Hayes developed a love for the game. After seasons with AAU teams, hooping with friends and developing his skills, his mom made the tough decision to send him 45 minutes away to a well known private high school, Brother Rice Michigan. After finding out he wouldn’t be playing Varsity as a Freshman, Hayes got after it. He walked into gyms and lit them up on every occasion he could, waiting for his turn at the highest level. He also had a hunger to become a D1 player and the letters started pouring in. However this is where the story takes a twist, after his high school coach got fired Hayes had a solid junior season but hurt his knee. He decided to play his senior season without surgery and it had a big impact on his recruitment. To go from a top player in the state and every school recruiting you, to realizing the mailbox is empty would be hard for any graduating senior, but somehow Hayes found a way to take it in stride, look at this as an opportunity to refresh and head to Lamar University in Texas. After two years there and another major injury Hayes found his reality, realizing that basketball was coming to a close….BUT he wouldn’t give up. Some amazing stories on how he ended up playing at Michigan, the career path he took and how his future took off after basketball are the whole reason you should check out this episode. The places he’s worked and people he’s connected with (Magic Johnson, Derek Jeter and more!) are a huge testament to Hayes leadership ability and understanding of people. Another banger of an episode that cannot be missed! Tap in! Hayes Grooms - Guest https://x.com/hg4 https://www.instagram.com/hgrooms4 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Well, folks it’s here! One of the most decorated Canadian hoopers our country has ever seen, a teenage national team member, Division 1 star, NBA draft pick and legend….the one and only Leo Rautins! We were able to catch Leo just before he headed from Florida to Toronto where he picks up another season of working with TSN and the Raptors. As you know, Leo has been thriving on the broadcasting side of things which if you didn’t know was always part of the plan! Mitch and Leo go back, to times in the city, playing ball and finding a love for hoops. Those times weren’t always easy as the recruiting process was overwhelming for a young teenager, often avoiding phone calls and even going home because of the attention he was gaining. Leo reflects on an important relationship, one of many but one that stood out and changed his life; connecting with and learning under the legend Jack Donohue. Leo touches on many moments and people in this episode, however you can tell there’s something special when it comes to coach. Giving Leo the chance at 16 to be a part of the National Team means Jack saw something in him, and he flourished under his guidance. We could honestly keep writing, but all you need to do is tap in. Syracuse, the 76ers, Europe, coaching Team Canada and more! Thanks to Leo for being with us, an all-time Canadian legend and an Ep you surely don’t want to miss! Leo Rautins - Guest https://www.instagram.com/leo.rautins/?hl https://www.tsn.ca/%20%20%20%20%20%20/talent/leo-rautins-1.57195 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Mitch finally gets the chance to sit down with producer, director and content creator Eric Newman! The monster Boston Celtics fan and lover of all sports has worked hard to build his craft and talents, which landed him at Showtime Sports where he was the executive producer of Showtime Basketball where he directed & produced the feature documentary Kevin Garnett: Anything is Possible and was part of the team building shows like ALL THE SMOKE and KG Certified. As a young kid Eric spent time with his dad watching every movie possible, finding himself enjoying the films and seeing different sides than most, an early sign that his creative mind was there! As a three sport varsity athlete for three years which included a basketball conference championship it was football that ended up being the sport Eric pursued as he went to D3 Ithaca College. His College experience is where the journey starts to gain traction, meeting someone who would become his collaborator at Showtime two decades later. As it happens for many people Eric found his life in a bit of a crossroads, he was a full time teacher and basketball coach all while creating content and doing film on the side, when he realized he wanted to go for it, and did he ever! He left the teaching profession and followed his passion, building his connections and resume along the way! There are no flukes in this episode! This is a journey of hard work, “going for it” all combined with some timing and luck! Eric Newman - Guest https://x.com/coachenew Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Episode 144 has a quick check-in with a former McDonald’s All-American, Texas Longhorn and overseas pro, Myck Kabongo. You probably remember the name for many reasons, however, the former Findlay Prep star has a great story and finds himself currently coaching with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G-League. Mitch gets the chance to chat with Myck in between practices and they discuss all things hoop-related; from where the passion of the game grew for him, to playing for Coach Hurley, Myck has great reflection on his journey up to this point. The list of stars he has teamed up with or against is fantastic, and in May he decided that retirement was meant for him, however, Myck has been involved in the game since, working with our National Team, coaching youth and now working with pros. You’ll have to wait for part 2 to find out what he likes for cereal, in the meantime we thank Myck for being with us and wish him all the best on his continued hoops journey! Tap in! Myck Kabongo - Guest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myck_Kabongo https://www.instagram.com/kabongofire https://x.com/MyckK9 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Finally the chance to chop it up with Canadian basketball royalty, the former Women’s National Team Coach, SFU women’s dynasty, high school and all in between as we have none other than Allison McNeill with us for Episode 143! If for some reason you don’t know Allison’s story then let us remind you…..as a player- back-to-back Championships in both high school AND University, transferred to Division 1 Oregon, and played pro ball overseas. Life certainly changed for Allison when she made the move to Salmon Arm, where her and Bev Smith created a women’s high school dynasty, from there her hoops life took off! Once playing wrapped up at the University of Oregon and a short stint overseas, Allison came back home and found herself in Revelstoke with a teaching and coaching job, knowing for a long time that she wanted to become a coach. From there she continued to develop her craft, watching the National team practice on VHS and in person, building her notes and helping grow the game anyway she possibly could. After she moved to the lower mainland and coached at a couple of high schools the job came open at Simon Fraser University, she applied, got the job and never looked back. The mid 80’s and 90’s “up on the hill” found fantastic hoopers and people come through the program, all while being Nationally ranked at the NAIA level along the way! Allison (alongside her lifelong partner and amazing hoops brain Mike) was then appointed the Senior Women’s National Team job after a couple of experiences with the student and junior teams. She takes great pride in the time put in with the program, watching the women climb in the world rankings with the pinnacle being a trip to the 2012 Olympics! We could literally go on forever, just do yourself the favor and tap in to this episode with one of the greatest in Canadian history! Allison McNeill- Guest https://bcsportshall.com/honoured_member/allison-mcneill/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_McNeill https://x.com/allisonmcneill Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Hoop heads get ready for an episode that can’t be missed! So fortunate to have a guest fresh off the Olympic experience! Although raw and some tough memories, James gives us some amazing insight and thoughts about Team Canada and the Paris Olympics! James DePoe is a GTA and Humber Hawk through and through, plus our current Men’s Senior National Team Manager. The former baseball player and semi-hooper has fond memories of growing up in Toronto watching many famous players at the high school level during the prime time of hoops in the city. After spending lots of time trying to figure out what he wanted to do after high school, James found himself in the radio program at Humber, from there a former teammate asked him to come be the manager of the Hawks Men’s basketball team and his life turned for a path he couldn’t have imagined! Currently, James finds himself not only the full-time manager for the Senior Men’s team he also has an important role at Humber College, mentoring young up-and-coming managers all while running the college facilities as well. Recently he was nominated for being one of Humber’s top 50 most influential staff members, a great accomplishment to say the least! The stories James brings are amazing; from all the warriors who have fought for Canada Basketball, to times on the road, amazing wins, and lots more. Tap into this one, James is a thoughtful and motivated person in his field all while impacting many along the way, we really appreciate him being with us! James DePoe - Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-depoe-4a505660/?originalSubdomain=ca Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/james.depoe/ Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Episode 141 with former UBC TBIRD shooting guard and current overseas pro, Jess Hanson. Mitch and Jess go way back, probably further than you can imagine! Since her early days Jess was surrounded by basketball, her dad a former collegiate star and current UBC Men’s head coach, plus her mom being an NAIA standout it’s no surprise basketball was the pick! That said, other sports had a chance and Jess found track very intriguing, however, basketball was the choice and she never looked back. After some great high school seasons at Little Flower Academy including making the Provincial Final, Jess worked through the recruiting process and ended up choosing UBC. You might say to yourself “Duh” but there’s more to it, Jess wasn’t a guarantee to attend UBC and other schools were on her doorstep. In the end, Jess decided to stay home, becoming a Can-West all-star and much more! We wish Jess the best as she gets ready to head over to Portugal for another season of professional hoops. This episode was so fun, with some insightful conversations and more! Tap in! Jess Hanson - Guest https://gothunderbirds.ca/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jessica-hanson/7557 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

We head back overseas for episode 140 with the big fella, Chris McLaughlin! The current overseas pro has been hooping in Hong Kong for some time now, has found himself some great experiences both on and off the court and continues to enjoy life and ball! A true islander at heart, Chris grew up in Ontario but always had a soft spot for “the rock”. As Chris started to physically grow, basketball became a sport he was interested in learning more about and getting better at. High school led to sharpening his craft and enjoying what came with it. It ended up being a family trip out west that is a great story on how Chris chose his future post-secondary school, the University of Victoria! After a tough rookie season, Chris starts to figure out the University game, leading his Vikes to multiple national appearances while collecting Canada West POY and All-Canadian awards along the way. In his senior year, the big man averaged 19.8 points and 10 rebounds a game, numbers don’t lie! Chris is currently playing for Eastern in the Hong Kong league, and after having an MVP season he just had to run it back! This (possible) future teacher used to sub-teach at Mitch’s school, has lots of great stories and reflections plus a positive perspective on life! You know the drill, time to tap in! Much respect and thanks to Chris for being with us, all the best for the upcoming season! Chris McLaughlin - Guest https://www.thebandits.ca/roster/chris-mclaughlin Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Damn! Let’s do this! It’s Paris 2024 and basketball starts today, so of course we had to bring you some content! The episode starts with friend of the show and our guy, Alex Adams who has grown in his reporting space and brings great insight on the women’s side of the tournament plus many adventurers. Mitch and Alex discuss the potential of the women, what it will take to move onto post pool play and lots more!! After that we chop it up with former guests of the show Mr. David Larkins and Scott Morrison. The three fellas discuss all things Canada on the men’s side; their pool, growth of the program and some calls on how it might all pan out for the team! If you happen to stay with the episode that long (which of course you will), we have a super fun draft based around the summer Olympics that we need you to chime in on! Rock with us…….. and GO CANADA!!!! Guests Alex Adams David Larkins Scott Morrison Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

This is a really cool episode, all be it number 139! We have the chance to chop it up with current @bandits guard and dynamic overseas pro, Glen Yang. Burnaby-born and semi Hong Kong / Calgary-raised Glen has a unique story worth checking out. Moving to a major international location like Hong Kong at a young age can have positives and negatives. The main positive is that Glen found his most important mentor there, a coach who had him drop the X-Box controller and really learn to love the game of hoops! In that time Glen traveled back and forth to his mom’s home city, Calgary. During the summers Glen would go to camps in the states but also spent a majority of his time hooping in the city, finding the parks and local runs and stacking himself up against bigger and older talent. Ironically Glen ends up signing with Mt. Royal, a place he never envisioned until It happened. Once pen went to paper he took major pride in trying to build a young U Sport program and help put them on the map. After five great years Glen ended up getting his first pro contract in Spain, and he learned alot, both for the good and bad. Combine covid, the Phillapeans, Hong Kong and so much more his journey is real! Currently Glen is focused on finishing the best he can on a talented Bandits squad which will then lead him to his next spot to hoop. We wish him all the best, and trust us, stick around to hear his all-time teammates to run with, there are some legendary names in it! Respect to the young killer, tap in as usual!! Glen Yang - Guest https://www.thebandits.ca/roster/glen-yang https://www.instagram.com/g_yang13 Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

A hoops journey finds itself in Vegas this week so it’s a brief Q&A with Mitch and Mitch only! We cover the game between the US and Canada on Wednesday, some thoughts on local hoops, how to improve within the club AND high school system and more! A fun episode tap in!!! Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Another triple OG joins us on AHJ! We know this is a guest the people have wanted for a long time! Stop for a second……there are serious layers to this episode. Many in the BC hoops community would know John as the outgoing and fun personality he is, however, his story has lots of details you might not know. Growing up in Chilliwack, BC, John fell in love with hoops after the mentorship and guidance of his Grade 5 teacher who made him believe in himself. From there John spent most summers heading to camps in the United States, staying with family and stacking up against American talent!! After two dominant years in high school, the Provincial (Yup, jumped over 3 people!!) slam dunk champion got what he finally wanted; a Division 1 scholarship offer. The offer was from a small school deep in the United States, Tennessee Tech University. Once John steps on campus is where his journey really starts to take twists and turns, and where we will stop typing and you should start listening. Ironically this episode drops over Canada Day weekend, a time that changed John’s life forever. After diving into shallow water John had a moment where he thought his life was over, breaking his neck and unable to move in the water he had the literal “flash before my eyes” moment, but it wasn’t meant to be for him. He went on to have a risky surgery that worked, rehabbed his way back to health and finished his eligibility at UBC!! Tap in! Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

“Why Not?” For those who don’t know Blake Murphy’s story, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. The Cambridge, Ontario native was born and raised a hockey kid, spending time at the rink only until a change in scenery for him and a new friend group exposed him to the game of basketball. During high school, Blake and his crew found a love for the game and enjoyed hooping together. After his Grade 12 year, like many teenagers Blake, had no idea where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. After spending time in University he decided to head west and do his Masters in Journalism at UBC. With that move a big opportunity to work with the university's athletic teams in many different facets came about, from sports writing, to play-by-play and all in between. This is a sports junkie's dream and Blake dove in head first, covering numerous teams and gaining as much experience as he possibly could. During his program at UBC Blake landed a job at The Score network, an offer he couldn’t refuse so he packed up and moved back to the Toronto area. At The Score Blake did a lot of reporting and writing, trying to build his craft. Because of this, his stories and reports start to gain eyes, with the likes of The Athletic and others who come knocking for his work. Blake is now on Sportsnet covering the Blue Jays full-time but still has a huge passion for the game of hoops (Shoutout Raptors Republic). Mitch and Blake talk the future of the Raptors, Canada Basketball, and how he thinks the Olympics will shape out! This a unique episode with a hard-working and classy guy, our listeners will definitely enjoy this one, nothing but the best for Blake and his future endeavours! tap in! Blake Murphy https://blakemurphy.com https://www.instagram.com/eblakemurphy Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

If you follow hoops, especially NCAA then you know the name! Episode 135 was fantastic as Mitch chops it up with former Texas Longhorn and Montverde basketball player, Marcus Carr. A Toronto native Marcus found himself following around his big bro @duanenotice at a super early age. Marcus often notes in this episode the importance of having Duane as an example to him. (Sidenote, Mitch slipped up and forgot to ask who Marcus most important people are, however we know Duane would be one for sure!) As a young, talented baller Marcus felt the right move for him was to transfer to Montverde in Florida so he could pursue a D1 path, but also to compete against the best night in and night out. Playing on a top ranked team with multiple future NBA players was an experience Marcus will never forget, in the end leading him to choose PITT for his freshman year. After a rocky season for the PITT athletic department Marcus felt he needed a change and decided to transfer to Minnesota under the guidance of Richard Pitino where he averaged 19ppg. The NCAA deemed Marcus ineligible due to transfer rules (Which are much different now), so he had to red shirt his first year before playing. It doesn’t end there as Marcus decided one more time to transfer and head to the prestigious University of Texas to play of the Longhorns. Marcus ended up being a 5th year senior and had two great seasons at Texas, leading them to the NCAA tournament and averaging 16ppg in his senior year. The former Big 12 and Big 10 All-Team player is now in between pro contracts and looking to continue his career overseas. We loved this episode for a variety of reasons and you will too, make sure you tap in and Thank you Marcus for being with us! Marcus Carr https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Carr https://www.basketball.ca/athlete/marcus-carr Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Today’s episode is with one of the most decorated Canadian hoopers ever, Ms. Miranda Ayim! The three-time Olympian, Japan Team Canada flag bearer and overseas pro has such a great conversation with Mitch! We go back and talk about Miranda as a young person, what it’s like going through a growth spurt at a young age, especially as a female, and lots more. After high school, Miranda went all the way west to Pepperdine University to not only hoop (One of the all-time great women's basketball players in Pepperdine program history, Ayim was a three-time All-WCC first-team selection during her four-year career. Ayim is Pepperdine's eighth-leading scorer with 1,377 points, ranks ninth with 735 career rebounds and is the program leader with 182 career blocks) but for school as well. At Pepperdine, Miranda was even the Division I-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete of the Year!! Later in the episode, we take a trip down memory lane discussing Team Canada, the Olympics, playing overseas, the WNBA, NIL and so much more. Miranda has a great energy and spirit about her, she continues to lead and guide many in her profession and will do so for years to come. It was an honour and privilege to chat with Miranda, hear more of her story and have some fun connecting. This episode you won’t want to miss, Tap in! Miranda Ayim https://mirandaayim.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mjayim https://olympic.ca/team-canada/miranda-ayim Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Episode 133 with 2024 Canada West All-Rookie, Adam Olsen. It was fun to sit down with the recently drafted Vancouver Bandit to talk further about his high school years and rookie season. Born and raised in South Surrey and being the youngest of three Adam learned to be a competitor and loved the game at an early age. From there and with a big growth spurt the UBC Forward found a group of buddies for life all on the same block, which ended up becoming the Elgin Park High School team. Under the guidance of legends Kirk Homenick (CC: @hardbitechips) and Mike McDonnell, the Orcas made two straight trips to the BC’s with deep runs. After a successful Grade 11 year, playing on Team B.C. and seeing the AAU scene, Adam took time going back and forth about where he wanted to go, in the end deciding early in his grade 12 year that the T-Birds were the right place for him. Last season was one of personal growth both physically and mentally with Adam finding himself playing key minutes for a majority of the season, averaging 8.5 points and 3.5 rebounds. He reflects on what he has learned, the power of routines and gives really good advice to young players about what’s appropriate to send to a post-secondary coach and what’s not. After his upcoming off-season with the Bandits under the guidance of Kyle Julius, Adam is excited to get back with UBC and see if they can make it to the Final 8 consistently once again! We know Adam is just getting started and we wish him all the best in his future, more to come! Ep. 133 is live, tap in! To see more of the work Josh has made you can find it on his website https://www.joshkahn.tv/. We thank Josh for being with us! Tap in! Adam Olsen https://www.instagram.com/adam_0lsen https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/adam_olsen Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

Episode 132 is a banger as we dive into the life of a gentleman who has found himself behind the scenes in the professional sports world and NBA; Josh Kahn. A New York native Josh has an interesting story about how he has been able to carve out a life of directing and film/content producing. From starting at NYU film school, then interning at NBC Josh slowly built his resume right before the economy crashed in the United States. From there a funny but also inspiring story about going after something you want has Josh landing a position as the senior creative producer for the Chicago Bulls! With the Bulls, Josh had to really find his skill set as his role was a pretty unique one for that time; not many NBA teams were creating content and it wasn’t a priority yet. Using his interpersonal skills to connect with players like Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler, Josh has great reflection and insight on what it takes to keep moving forward in the industry. After his time with the Bulls, Josh gets a unique opportunity to work for Uninterrupted led by Maverick Carter and Lebron James, leading to Josh being involved in many major projects. Josh is an award-winning director and holds a unique (not so anymore) hidden talent which has become a fun little adventure for him. A creative, insightful and talented person this episode has some great stories and conversation. To see more of the work Josh has made you can find it on his website https://www.joshkahn.tv/. We thank Josh for being with us! Tap in! Josh Kahn https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1939746/ https://www.instagram.com/joshkahn.tv Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/

A local BC Legend joins us on A Hoops Journey today; Mr. Chris Porteous. Chris's basketball life is literally a “journey”, one that is full of ups, downs and so many in-betweens. The 2-time Provincial Champion and former MVP goes back to tell us about his early life, growing up in Whistler and then moving all the way to Montreal. From there Chris finds himself back in Vancouver at the age of 12 and stepping into the historical program at Kitsilano Secondary. Chris took off and built a huge name for himself in the hoops world, filling the bucket and being one of the best players in the Province for a two-year dominant run. Alongside many great teammates Kits was able to be one of the few programs to win back-to-back Championships. The important part of this episode is how Chis reflects on his struggles with school, and how being able to go to post-secondary wasn’t as easy for him as it might be for many. In the end, Chris found himself at Cap University College under Paul Eberhardt. Chris dominated the league in his rookie year being the leading scorer and helping guide the Blues to the Nationals. After Cap Chris then has a turn with basketball where he tries to find himself as a person, working hard and trying to figure out what his future might be. Today he is an employee for Safe Schools and coaching with one of the local clubs in Vancouver, knowing he will have and is having an impact on kids means the world to Chris. What an episode, so many takeaways and possibly some things you may have not known about him. Episode 131 is legendary! Tap in! Chris Porteous https://www.raincitybasketball.ca/coaches Aaron Mitchell - Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_a_mitch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahoopsjourney/ Website: https://www.ahoopsjourney.com/