“If [Coach Dylan] had never encouraged me to try out for the AAU team again, I wouldn’t be on the team. UPB is a really supportive environment and is a positive community that makes me love basketball even more,” Gotelli said.

Anticipation is building as we are all excited to see how these players perform and interact with each other on the court for the 74th All-Star weekend. The stage is set for a weekend of competition and fun, it’s only a matter of time before the action unfolds!

Tehada emphasizes UPB’s commitment to ensuring that every player and family feels welcome. He gained inspiration from seeing firsthand how much power a supportive and determined organization can do for someone no matter what level they’re at with basketball and in life.

“Being part of the LMU program has impacted me to be a better teammate and want to be better for my team. It has helped me put others before my own needs, and that’s something that we have fought for and is important for our team dynamic,” Hernandez said.

“Doing well in school is important to your collegiate career because it helps to build habits that you will need later on in your life. Being able to multitask and succeed in areas that are pretty different from each other help to be successful in your career later,” Hernandez stated.

Basketball has evolved immensely over the years. One of the key hoop trends has been a focus on shooting the ball from all areas of the court. Whether it be shooting the three ball, a midrange fadeaway, or finishing at the rim off a drive, athletes more than ever are developing their shot no matter where they are on the court and no matter what position or role they play on their team. Shooting, just like any other basketball skill, can be honed and developed over time. By simply focusing on a few drills and practicing these skills consistently and intentionally, athletes can take their offensive game to the next level.

“I feel like to be a good teammate you're sharing the ball, you're encouraging people, you're supporting people…You need everybody to be together and to be a team, so I think impact wise, I want to kind of preach being good teammates, encouraging others, and constantly communicating because I think that's what makes athletes really stand out,” Stonebarger stated.

“When female athletes are surrounded by other athletes who are just like them, and they see these young women as role models, we hope that just encourages them to stay in the game that much longer. What we see from the young women coaching girls in particular is that they just tune in to who they are and their experience as kids in a different way,” Baker stated.

“My personal highlight and favorite part of the year was our one year anniversary event at the new gym. It was a great turnout and we had so many people come join us for group training, food trucks and raffle tickets,” said UPB’s Operations Manager, Madisen Carter. “Our community is what makes us us, so it was a great experience to give back to them. We truly appreciate their continuous support.”

“I'm looking forward to helping [the athletes at UPB] as much as I can. Make sure they are having fun and loving the game because you want to do something you love. That's the main thing, why I still want to stay in basketball because even though I'm not playing, I still love the game,” Udenyi said.

The holidays are right around the corner and to celebrate this time of year, UPB will be hosting its annual Holiday Camps! This year will feature two 3rd-7th camps: one is a single day that takes place on December 23rd from 9am-3pm led by Coach Garrett, and the other is a two-day camp on December 30th and 31st from 9am-12pm led by Coach Hannah. Coach Packie Turner is excited to be a part of the one-day camp and is looking forward to seeing the athletes better their game and improve on their skills.

“[The similarity between basketball and the holidays] is the team aspect of both. You're on a team, you're competing for something, you're working together for a certain goal and that brings people together to bond,” Eck said.

“From personal experience, when my handle my dribbling skills feel good, I feel like I can get to any spot. If you can get to any spot, then it's just a matter of making that shot and how comfortable you feel with that,” Vazquez said. “It's very important to handle partly because it builds confidence, and it also gives [athletes] the opportunity to make plays for themselves and others.”

“I don't take it for granted that my coach is trusting me to be in a leadership role. I definitely take that very seriously and I know our team can only be as good as our team culture, so that's really important to me. I know that no matter how many minutes I'm getting I can always help the team by leading them,” Somvichian stated.

“Technology like the Home Court app that tracks shot charts and each rep the players take is very beneficial. A [player development coach] can see in real time where an athlete is getting better at and where they’re struggling at, and over time, looking back at these data will help player development coaches create a point of attack [for their athletes.]” Tuliyagijja said.

The 2024-2025 NBA season is among us! After a long offseason, all 30 teams will be looking forward to a clean slate as they strive to find success during this upcoming season. Players themselves will also be looking forward to showcasing their own development and growth to their organization after spending months in the offseason training and elevating their game. In fact, a select few of these NBA players put in work this offseason right here at the UPBasketball Training Facility during the UPB Mini Camp over the summer. We are excited to see these athletes’ seasons unfold and cannot wait for all the highlights, memories, and milestones that lie ahead. 

“Find joy in the ups and downs. When I was young, I wanted to reach a point where I was ranked and getting all these offers. I wanted to reach that point so bad that I was not living in the moment,” Mañjon said. “find joy in the process of becoming the player and the person that you want to be.”

“It's one of my favorite things to see, an athlete making a breakthrough mentally, or telling me about a moment where they used one of the mental skills in a game and it helped them get through it,” Hewitt said. “Giving back to all these young athletes is very fulfilling. To equip these athletes with all the skills that I feel like I needed and didn't have when I was their age is a great feeling.”

“As a young athlete, you have such an incredible opportunity to build a strong foundation while still living a really fun and thriving life, and building a foundation right now that'll make your life different when you're older,” Frediani said.

“The higher level an athlete is at, the more pressure there is, and the more stakes there are, which makes it more important for the parent to kind of build the opposite direction in that and be a consistent rock, be a consistent supportive presence,” Coach Joey said. “That was something that really helped me, personally, when I played college basketball and things started to get more real.”