Aaron Winshall Shares his Passion for Basketball at the Pre-Draft Workouts in Santa Barbara

By: Dylan Tehada

Aaron Winshall has seen it all in the basketball world. From being in the video room with the Miami Heat to being the founder of the Haitian Basketball Foundation, Winshall has shared his undying love and passion for hoops with everyone he has encountered. He has been building on his long list of basketball involvements in recent years by helping UPB’s very own Coach Packie Turner during the pre draft process. This year Winshall joined Coach Packie in Santa Barbara and reflects on his long winding journey in hoops that has led him to this point.

Winshall’s basketball journey stems from his love for coaching and teaching the game. He began his early career as a division III assistant coach, then became a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team at the University of Miami, and then earned a stint with the Miami Heat in the video room. After a few years in Miami, Winhall ventured on a journey to start the Haiti Basketball foundation. This foundation is very near and dear to Winshall’s heart and he has embraced every step of the journey to grow the game of basketball in Haiti. 

“My first visit to Haiti was an invitation from the Haitian Basketball Federation and a year later we had a national team tournament with FIBA, which was their first, since 1981,” Winshall said. “The organization I have now is put together to support the Haitian national basketball teams, and there's a narrative change and a great opportunity for national pride and unity over their success and participation in these events.”

In addition to growing the global appeal to the game, Winshall has also had his fair share of experience in the NBA’s pre draft process. Throughout his basketball career, he has developed a knack for on court development and connecting with elite players by sharing his love for the game. Since 2018, Winshall has been helping out in the pre draft process in varying capacities and in particular with Coach Packie Turner. He has seen the pre-draft process evolve over the years and has embraced being a part of Coach Packie’s training program, especially this year in Santa Barbara, to get future NBA talent ready for their professional careers. 

“It's special to see,  the way [the pre draft process with Coach Packie] is done more intimately. I felt very fortunate and grateful to be a part of it this year on a day by day basis. The pre draft process is not rocket science, but obviously, there's nuance to it, and it's fun and I really enjoyed doing it in Santa Barbara,” Winshall said.

After years of being on court and in the video room watching elite level talent, Winshall definitely has an eye for the qualities that make a basketball player great. The pre-draft process is a unique time for young athletes because they are trying to make an impression on professional teams and must show the intangible qualities that yield success in the NBA. The one intangible that Winshall noticed amongst all the athletes in Santa Barbara this year and in every pre-draft process he has been involved in is a genuine love for the game.

“There are going to be setbacks and pitfalls. They're gonna have days that are worse than others. So that level of perseverance within that day to day is a consistent theme because it's a grind even in that short pre draft process,” Winshall said.

Winshall’s basketball journey has just begun and there is a lot in store for his future in player development. We are excited to see the many more journeys and impacts Winshall will have on the game of basketball in the future and are grateful for his participation and support in the UPB community!