I don’t always know how to introduce myself.
I’m a student.
A basketball player.
A locker room hype guy.
I’m a content creator and podcast host.
I'm an entrepreneur in a little bit of everything, but I wouldn’t have any of these roles if it wasn’t for the encouragement of some special people in my life.
So, how did I get here?
Well, it’s kind of an unusual story.
Not the Typical Influencer
I grew up working hard with my head down.
My dad wanted me to try out a bunch of sports to build character and stay out of trouble. I bounced between soccer and hockey for a while before finding basketball.
And once I did, we were all in.
It obviously didn't hurt to hit the game-winning shot in your first-ever basketball game. We were tied with 20 seconds left. I carved space between my defender with a cool spin move, or at least I thought it looked cool. I hit a floater, and then bang, we won.
I instantly fell in love.
From that point on, it was all about working hard.
I'm talking about 30 to 40 hours a week. Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving — you name it, we were at the gym.
My dad was an aerospace engineer, so he very much prioritized academics over athletics.
My family, in general, instilled a very strong work ethic in me. If I was to represent our family name, I better do it right and the best way possible.
And so I did.
I joined travel leagues and never took a day off.
Creating social media content never crossed my mind at the time.
But during my junior year of high school in Duncanville, Brittany Graham, inspired me otherwise.
She was in charge of social media and took pictures and made videos about our team.
She saw I had a story to tell and the skills to share it.
She wanted me to start building my personal brand.
At that point, I didn’t even have an Instagram account.
I was so focused on my game and training that I didn’t think to put my life out there for everyone to see.
Additionally, school was, and still is, my number one priority. Social media and basketball will never be more valuable than my education and degrees.
But, despite everything else on my plate, I decided to take a leap of faith and join social media around the age of 18.
I started with Instagram and quickly realized how much I enjoyed creating content and connecting with other people.
Whether it was through videos, photos, or stories, it was a new space for me to express myself.
Fast forward to now, I have nearly 60,000 followers on Instagram and built a personal brand that I’m incredibly proud of.
I also earned a spot on Texas’ roster as a preferred walk-on. All those holiday hours were suddenly worth it.
I got to live out my dream of playing in the big leagues.
Leveraging my student-athlete career through NIL opportunities and partnerships is something I don’t take for granted. I’m honored to be in this new era in college athletics.
Content is King
When I was a kid dreaming of becoming a DI athlete, I always wondered what their lives looked like.
I hope my content helps peel back the curtain to show people what goes into playing college ball.
One way I share my experiences is through my podcast.
My podcast helps me have real and honest conversations with other athletes.
I don’t script anything, and I don’t plan out questions.
I simply pick a guest, do a little background research, and hit them up to see if they’re interested in coming on the show.
It’s an incredible feeling to talk to people I admire and learn from their journeys and perspectives.
I’m always looking to improve and grow, and the podcast is a platform that allows me to connect with others on a deeper level.
I consider it one of my most valuable assets when it comes to building my personal brand, and I look forward to seeing how it evolves in the future.
Favorite NIL Partnership
When it comes to NIL partnerships, it’s hard to pick a favorite because I genuinely value every deal I do.
If I had to choose one, I would say my partnership with Movember was a standout moment for me, though.
Movember is a non-profit organization that raises awareness for men’s health issues, including testicular cancer.
The content we created together was impactful — but also funny.
One of the posts was a video of me holding a basketball with the caption, “I check my balls before every workout.”
It was a playful and engaging way to spread awareness for a very serious topic, but this allowed me to connect with my audience and stay authentic.
I also had the opportunity to partner with Proactiv, a brand I’ve been using since I was 13 years old.
Being able to create content around a product I genuinely believe in and have used for years was a dream come true, and it’s moments like these that make me grateful for the opportunities I have as a student-athlete.
Take the First Step
As I look back on my journey, I’m reminded of the power of taking the first step.
When I created my first piece of content, I had no idea where it would lead me.
Now, I’m being interviewed for articles and sharing my story with the world.
It’s truly incredible, and I’m thankful for the platform and opportunities I have as a student-athlete.
If there’s one thing I would tell anyone reading this, it’s to take the first step.
Don’t worry about the quality or quantity at first. Just get started and build your self-confidence along the way.
You never know where it will lead you, and I can’t wait to see where it will take me next.
