As a player, I was selected to the largest youth basketball tournament in Europe, called Escobasquet. At the height of my playing days, I was able to play a quick season at Oak Hill Academy with former NBA Top 10 pick, Brandon Jennings. Unfortunately, after reconstructive knee surgery my playing days were over at age 16 and that is when I turned to coaching.

The best coach that I have ever had is Coach Zorin Mihailovich, from my days living in Morocco in 2005-2006. Twenty years later, I still speak with my coach often, sharing my coaching journey and hearing his words of wisdom. The reason why he was the best is that he understood that basketball can be used as a platform to teach young people life lessons such as leadership, accountability, overcoming adversity, teamwork, problem-solving, communication tactics and so much more. He pushed me to be a leader in the community, a leader in the classroom, how to be a man and that success on the court is not most important. He taught me that as a coach, my job is to prepare my players to put them in the best position with an opportunity to succeed. This is true in all aspects of life.

1. I am very passionate about coaching and I engage and communicate often 2. I believe that these sessions require input from all involved to implement the best and most efficient plan. This is why I appreciate the video calls and updates 3. I want to know more than you just want to be a better shooter. Why? is it to make a team, find a role or a specific goal to reach? What are your goals beyond that? Will becoming a better shooter help you reach those goals? Share your thoughts! 4. I always spend plenty of time building a practice plan to ensure efficiency, with input and feedback from the player as this is a group effort 5. I like to communicate and keep engaged to keep players focused on their goals

2013-2015: I worked as a student intern for the University of Alabama Men's Basketball program under former 2019 National Coach of The Year Anthony Grant 2015-2020: I was a Program Director at a Sports Academy called the Player Progression Academy. Starting with five of us and about 150-200 kids, PPA now has over 4,000 basketball players. We began with 6-8 recreation leagues, building to over 40 a year before I left PPA. I also helped build the AAU program, selecting the best players from our leagues to compete in and win the DC City Championship and Charm City Baltimore Championship outside of our AAU leagues. I ran 20+ leagues a year, managed a staff of 60 coaches by age 25, and had 3 AAU teams. 2020-2024: I spent three years as a Varsity Head Coach in Jeffco with a 71% win percentage and holding about 14 school records throughout. During this time, I have also coached for Colorado Chaos Club for one year and The Miners Basketball Club for 3 years, as a head coach of the top Elite 16s Boys teams. - This successful and hunger to learn allowed me a great opportunity to work for the DU Men's Basketball Program last year under Head Coach Jeff Wulbrun.

1. I need to know what they want to improve on, why, what their overall goals are and gather their thoughts so I can build a personalized plan, with their input. 2. I believe in a positive reinforcement coaching style that begins with a challenge. Not only do I want to verbally teach and give directions of what I want, but I ALWAYS explain why. Then, I will demonstrate or cover it live. I will coach them hard through the drill, reminding of details, what to focus on, what looks great and continuing to challenge while maintaining positive energy. As they push along, I get more excited and engaged and once they have completed the challenge successfully, they get all the love and excitement from me to affirm their accomplishment. And then I ask, what's next? - I have run individual workouts with all of the DU basketball players from guards wanting to work on shooting to our 7'1 Big, Isaiah Carr, working in the post

The training session is always planned out well in advance, with several options of similar skills to work on, input from the player to personalize it and focus on efficiency. - I focus on taking advantage of having a coach on-site, with equipment that will mix it up and give contact. You can shoot, finish, and work on ball handling on your own, but having contact (such as a body pad) and live feedback is unmatched. - My specialty is footwork, efficiency of movement, shooting and improving finishing with body control, balance and through contact I will use basic, advanced, new moves to add to their bag, using the body pad or defending myself. - There will always be a focus or focuses, tracking of goals during the session (such as keeping track of three-point shooting). I also encourage that between every 2 drills that we stop, shoot 10 free throws and keep track. - I will come to sessions with folders and packets of practice plans with A, B, C and even D plans in case we need to adjust or if the player wants to add their own touch. As I mentioned, this is a team effort and I want the player to give input, feedback, mention specific drills they would like to try or add. Often times, I will start with a certain session such as finishes through contact, using body control and my drills will evolve into whatever myself or the player sees or wants to add.