During spring workouts with our staff, Hayes worked on improving his soft touch, footwork and the ability to make reads. Off the court, he is a self-proclaimed “Momma’s Boy” and has the swagger of a champion (look no further than his Simpsons themed necklace at the draft). Looking forward to seeing the 1-2 punch with Zion in New Orleans now that Hayes has explored the West Coast and seen his favorite animal, a giraffe, live with Packie.

For the past few months, the most commonly asked question at the UPB training facility has been “where’s Coach Packie?” For those still wondering, an opportunity fell into his hands to prepare draft prospects and facilitate a pro day for BDA Sports Management. To properly prepare these players for the NBA draft, BDA had Packie and their clients stationed in Santa Barbara to work with the renowned Peak Performance Project (P3) training facility who also call Santa Barbara home. The players and coaches visited P3 six days a week for athletic training off the court.

That’s why I named this blog The Difference, I’m a firm believer everybody’s journey will be different. So when you are able to understand that you can achieve your goals your way. Not my way, not the top pick in the draft, or NBA/oversea superstars. Or even your friends/teammates/peers on the school teams way. It’s always going to be different and be ready to accept that at all levels of basketball along with life. If you take anything from this blog, always remember to set your goals high. And everyday just look for improvements on getting close to your goals. Rome was not built in a day, but a brick was laid every 24 hours. I’m going to continue to lay bricks on and off the court daily.