The NCAA Elite Student-Athlete Symposium for Men's Basketball began with noise.
Balls bouncing, yelling, laughter. Blindfolded 6- and 7-foot-tall men's basketball players, cautiously walking around cones trying to pick up pieces of paper scattered across the ground. The goal of the icebreaker was to try to listen to their teammate through the noise and chaos. The timer went off, and the 14 student-athletes sat back in their seats and prepared for the educational session.
The noise in the icebreaker intentionally represented the noise in these athletes' lives as they navigate the transition from college to their professional careers.
NCAA leadership development and enforcement staff members led the attendees through sessions focused on making that leap. From decision-making strategies and advice from former NBA players to financial literacy and working with sports agents, the student-athletes experienced a dynamic lineup of sessions led by industry experts.
"It's a huge opportunity, probably the best opportunity of my life," Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard said. "To hear the people that made it to where I want to go speak and speak to me, and for me to have the opportunity to ask them questions on how I can help my own situation back home, it's just relatable, and I'm blessed to be here."
Here are three lessons the student-athletes learned in their time at the NCAA.
1. The game of basketball is a tool to direct you to different points in your life.
Former NBA players Kent Bazemore and Okaro White talked with the student-athletes about the ins and outs of their careers in the NBA. In the session, Bazemore and White helped the student-athletes to understand the opportunities that basketball will provide in the future.
Murray State's Kylen Milton said one of the big takeaways for him was "not taking anything for granted, like what Okaro said. (I learned to) stay focused, keep my head down and just do what I'm supposed to be doing."
Boston College's DJ Hand said he learned from the speakers to never skip a step.
"Never skip any step in the process because every step is essential. Once you stop learning, you can't grow," Hand said. "I'm going to take all of the information, take it back to my teammates and give them a better insight on what I've learned and how they can expand on it."
2. What got you here won't get you to where you want to go.
Former Division I men's basketball coach and current ESPN analyst Tom Crean talked about the decision-making necessary for these high-level athletes. Crean's message to the student-athletes centered around intentionally building relationships and holding oneself to a high level. For these players to be successful in their professional careers, characteristics like maturity, self-awareness and social awareness are crucial.
"I learned about working hard and just how important every relationship is because (Tom Crean) was talking about, especially at the next level, how the NBA people track everything you do, so having good relationship with advisors, coaches, family members, just trying to make like your image and your brand look good," Saint Joseph's Xzayvier Brown said.
"One of the main things we're figuring out is how to conduct ourselves," Norfolk State's Christian Ings said. "I am always trying to keep my authentic self out there and being able to do that correctly."
Gonzaga's Michael Ajayi said he planned to share what he learned with his teammates.
"(I learned to) be yourself and work hard every day. Every day is game day so just being professional," Ajayi said. "I'm going to give my teammates quotes from the guest speakers, show them photos I took, just trying to share as much knowledge as possible."
3.Think the long game.
In a financial literacy session, financial educator Courtney Altemus spoke about the importance of student-athletes thinking long term about their financial decisions. Attendees were equipped with practical tools and knowledge for navigating their finances and choosing a financial advisor.
"I gained a lot of insight about financial situations in basketball but also ways to go about being a leader," Vanderbilt guard Jason Edwards said.
"I learned about keeping the right people around you who you can trust. Learning what to look for and the ins and outs of the business side of the court," said Tyler Tejada, Coastal Athletic Association Rookie of the Year from Towson. "I took a lot of notes, so I will go over those and try to apply a lot of the things I learned into my everyday life on and off the court."
As these players left the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, the knowledge they gained at this workshop will serve as a toolkit for success in their collegiate careers and in their futures.
"I'm going to take all this and going to try and use it in my life," Ings said. "Hopefully, God willing, he lets me get on that board and I can take care of my family members. And when I get in that situation, because I was here and took notes and paid attention to what everybody's talking about, I can make it last."
2024 Elite Student-Athlete Symposium for Basketball Roster
- Michael Ajayi, Gonzaga.
- Daniel Batcho, Louisiana Tech.
- Xzayvier Brown, Saint Joseph's.
- Darren Buchanan Jr., George Washington.
- Jason Edwards, Vanderbilt.
- Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon.
- Donald "DJ" Hand Jr., Boston College.
- AJ Hoggard, Vanderbilt.
- Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State.
- Christian Ings, Norfolk State.
- Boden Kapke, Butler.
- Kylen Milton, Murray State.
- Andre Screen, Butler.
- Tyler Tejada, Towson.