“[I] think it [is] a very exciting opportunity to learn from Packie, DyShawn and all the other great coaches that [UPB] has there. The variety of ages and skills is really cool, [for example,] working with kindergarteners all the way up to the highest level, [it is] definitely enhancing my perspective on the sport [which is] really what I'm just trying to do,” Hopkins said.

Franco believes mental training is important because it is a skill set that an athlete can add to their game that will only make them better. When an athlete mentally trains, it helps them trust and feel confident in their basketball skills, such as ball handling or shooting, when they are in competition or a game. Mental training can help with the pressure on an athlete as well as all the distractions that may come their way.

“[I have enjoyed seeing the athlete’s progress] unfold right in front of me. It was just refreshing because I feel like the level of basketball I’m at now, everyone kind of can shoot [and] everyone can dribble. You don't get to appreciate [and see someone] going from not being able to do something to actually doing it,” McNeil said.

“Training with Packie and with the other trainers has been a really good experience just learning new things from them… Especially training with Packie has taught me a lot in terms of just how he goes about training his pros all the way down to the younger kids and breaking stuff down to the very basics," Lum said.

“It was heartwarming to feel the success that from all the years of I feel like energy and effort that [I] put in leading up to that point. It just just showed that hard work pays off. It gave me a better mentality heading on throughout the rest of my career and honestly through the finals of just being confident,” Williams said.

Jabari Walker and six other talented rookies that participated in the Summer League worked with Unlimited Potential Basketball’s Coach Packie Turner in Santa Barbara over the summer. Here are how those guys performed in Vegas:

This past weekend, New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu started in her first All-Star Game at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. After missing nearly her entire rookie season and leading her team to the WNBA Playoffs in her second season, Ionescu has continued to put in countless hours of work to continue to excel in her basketball career and receive her first All-Star selection.

All of these athletes dedicated a tremendous amount of time and dedication to get to where they are today. In their last two and a half months before the final countdown to the Draft, they spent their time with Coach Packie working on what they could improve in their game and what can make them successful at the next level.

“It was pretty special to get extended an invite by Jalen Williams. He said he just felt that I helped him a lot on this journey, and we're going to continue to build a strong working relationship together and he wanted me to be there to be a part of it,” Coach Packie said.

Unlimited Potential Basketball’s Coach Packie Turner recently returned from Santa Barbara after working out and preparing talented NBA prospects for the 2022 NBA Draft. The draft was held on Thursday, June 23rd, and Coach Packie was invited to watch the draft in person at Barclays Center with the guys he worked with over the summer. The UPB Team is excited to see all that these young men will accomplish in their upcoming NBA career!

“I feel that the best assets that I had as a basketball player always revolved around IQ, decision making, knowing the game, and studying it better than a lot of players that may have been more talented athletically,” Hobson said. “So I think transitioning in that and using that to help other players reach their goals is a big thing for me, and I think will be really beneficial.”

“[Basketball] just brings me so much happiness… The people that I've met through playing basketball and the relationships I've created, it's such a big community. You can walk into any gym and spark up a conversation with anyone,” Kilty said. “I just think the whole basketball community is something I'm drawn to.”

“Making an impact on the players and the kids that I work with, it just kind of makes sense,” Kanno said. “It's just kind of who I am and I feel [that] it's part of my purpose to give back and [teach] the things that I've learned and to help benefit other people [since] I was in their situation at one point in time.”

So far in his career, Owen has been able to capture the moments of many athletes. These athletes include Ky Bowman, Ian Clark, Haley Jones, and more. He has even captured photos of famous music artists such as Lil Baby and Lil Durk.

“Just making a difference there I think is the main thing. Even if it's just one little girl, like if she's looking up to me [and is] inspired about my history of how I got to where I am today, that's the main thing that's important to me,” Santos said.

“I would say my biggest goal is just to get better, and see where it takes me. If I keep getting better, opportunities will come,” Brown said. “Just trying to work on different skill sets, trying to learn the game a lot better, trying to carry myself a lot better, and just learn[ing] how to be a pro.”

In June it will be a year that I have been with UPB, working remotely from Phoenix, Arizona. Now that school is out for the summer, I am happy to say that I will be in the Bay Area for the next three months and will be able to work in person at the UPB Training Facility. This summer, I will be able to broaden my skills and learn new things as an Operations Intern, as well as keep my role as a Writer and Social Media Coordinator.

“[I love basketball because of the] connections for sure. I always think about [how] if I didn't play basketball, I wouldn't have traveled this much [around the] world [and] I would have never met this pot of different people from everywhere… I can't really think of any other thing that I personally would do that would open up so many doors and so many connections, so that's why I love it,” Savickaitė said.

Poole has had 34 regular-season games where he has scored more than 20 points. In the month of March and leading into April, Poole scored more than 20 points in 17 games straight, with his season high of 38 points against the Phoenix Suns on March 30th. He led the NBA in three-point shots made in March with 67.

“I came here with the vision of being my best self and showing up every day at every game producing and having the best percentages I could and just leaving it all on the court type of thing,” Cowling said. “This year [is] actually my highest [in] my scoring, my rebounding and everything, so I'm very proud of that.”