UPB Mini Camp is Loaded with Young Talent
By: Dylan Tehada
The gym will be loaded with talent this week as Unlimited Potential Basketball is currently hosting a professional and college basketball UPB Mini Camp. This year’s Mini Camp roster will include: Jalen Williams, Alex Sarr, Gradey Dick, Jordan Poole, Amen Thompson, EJ Liddell, Juan Toscano Anderson, Alier Maluk, Tyler Harris, Kendall Brown, Andre Iguodala II, and Chasson Randle. During the Mini Camp, these ahtletes train with Coach Packie Turner and UPB’s Player Development Coaches as they gear up for the upcoming season.
From 9am to 4pm, athletes train with UPB staff on court in one hour increments honing specific skills that they want to work on going into the season. After their one hour time slot is complete on court, they are offered other services ranging from physical training with physical therapists, Andrew Alcid and Monique Johnson, to yoga sessions with Kiana Charles to hone mental and physical wellness. To wrap up the day, the players compete in an open run 5 on 5 game to apply the skills they have worked on in real game situations.
These young hoopers bring an unmatched level of energy and work ethic to the gym every day. Their intangibles are felt in every drill during their workouts and even how they carry themselves off the court. UPB Operations Manager, Madisen Carter, has witnessed firsthand the energy and dedication these young athletes have put on display in the gym as she has watched them work on their craft from the sidelines. Even when these young athletes compete against each other in open runs, their personalities and energies are infectious and bring out the best in everyone in the gym.
“I have loved seeing all of the great energy and unique personalities in the gym during the open runs and individual workouts. It's been really fun to watch how they interact with each other and Packie because he has been working with most of them for a while, so it's nice to see their relationships continue to grow,” Carter said.
These young professionals and college players embody the attributes necessary to realize one’s unlimited potential. Whether it be spending countless hours on court to prioritizing their mental and physical health to fostering strong relationships with everyone around them, they represent what it means to be a professional athlete. According to CEO Bianca Turner, it is a huge opportunity for the UPB Community, especially the younger generation of hoopers, to witness the skills and mindsets necessary to elevate their game to the next level and to emulate the habits and intangibles that these high-profile athletes possess.
“It is exciting to have this high level talent in the gym. We want our community to see that even the most skilled basketball players come to UPBasketball to put in extra work. They are never satisfied or complacent. That is what we teach at UPBasketball,” Turner said. “You can always get better, there is always something to work on. I hope the kids in the community seeing this are feeling motivated to keep working on their skills.”
This Mini Camp has also been a prime opportunity for UPB’s Player Development Coaches to hone their coaching skills with the best of the best. This week, Coach Joey, Coach Danny, Coach Hannah, Coach Kaden, Coach Veronica, Coach Colby and Coach Garrett all spent time on court with the athletes who attended the Mini Camp imparting their wisdom and love for the game of basketball.
“My favorite part of this week is seeing how locked in all of these pros are for an off-season workout. I think it’s one of the coolest things to see athletes super locked in and super passionate about their craft even when they’re not in season,” Coach Joey said.
Coach Aaron Winshall played a key role on the court coaching alongside Coach Packie and UPB’s Player Development Coaches. Winshall’s basketball expertise and wisdom has been on full display during the Mini Camp as he is focused on helping these athletes apply what they already excel at and making the transition into the season as easy as possible.
“The focus in these workouts isn’t necessarily giving the athletes something brand new, it's more about tuning up what they already got and just get ready to compete at a high level,” Winshall stated.
It has been an absolute pleasure to host these athletes in the gym this week and witness their growth on and off the court. Thank you to Cam Tongue, Jaylen Thompson, Amen Thompson, Alier Malik, Tyeree Bryan, Gradey Dick, Frankie Ferrari, Oziyah Sellers, Jalen Williams, EJ Liddell, Isa Silva, Emeka Udenyi, Chasson Randle, Jordan Poole, Alex Sarr, Kosy Akametu, Andre Igoudala II, and Mari Somvichian for stopping by the gym and share your love and passion for hoops with the UPB community. We cannot wait to see all their progress this upcoming season and wish them the best of luck on their respective teams.
