Kaisha Welsh, out of Canada, is our Featured Women's #ExclusiveOHooper

50th Anniversary of "I have a Dream"

"We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline." - Martin Luther King Jr., 'I have a Dream' Speech

 On August 28th, 1963, exactly 50 years ago today, Martin Luther King Jr. led the march on Washington that would go down in history as the greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of America.

Though our struggle may seem great, and sometimes it may be great, as athletes we must remember that we are in the eyes of the public.  We are role models. We are idols to generations of adoring fans and loving family members. Win or loss, we must forever conduct ourselves in the same manner; with dignity and discipline. On the pursuit of our dream, we must conduct ourselves in the same manner; with dignity and discipline.  And when we achieve our dream, we must conduct ourselves in the same manner; with dignity and discipline.  Though the adversity we are confronted with is incomparable to that which Martin Luther King Jr. faced, we can still relate to the significance of commitment, the power of discipline, and the importance of being known as a man or woman of dignity and unwavering principles.

Watch Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream' Speech

East Coast Tour

ATTENTION ALL BASKETBALL COACHES/TRAINERS/MENTORS/PLAYERS

OHoops will be touring the East Coast on their way to an event in Albany, NY.  We are looking to set up events/games/competitions along the way.  Contact us on any of our Social Media sites or email us at OHoopsTraining@GMail.com to get more details!

We train Chandler Parsons, Taurean Green, Jennifer George, Nick Calathes and many more.

We will be giving away FREE prizes, apparel, merchandise, autographed basketballs and SO MUCH MORE during our tour.  Looking to set up at least 4 events! Look forward to hearing from the Basketball Community on the East Coast!

Shannon Cranshaw, George Washington University Guard, is our Official OHooper

Are the Rumors True?

Rumor has it that #TheProfessors are leaking their September Challenge at some point today...

 

You might want to download the FREE Official OHoops App to find out if the Rumors are true. CLICK HERE to download NOW.

Winners and those that come closest will be entered into the Prize Pool to win FREE OHoops Apparel and Merchandise which includes OHoops Shirts, Bags, Elite Socks, Autographed Basketballs, Sneakers and MUCH MORE.

Also, any Athlete that is able to #BeatTheProfessors will have an opportunity to be invited to Orlando, Florida next August for FREE training and a Televised 5 vs. 5 game, #TheChallengers vs. #TheProfessors.

Conceive. Believe. Achieve

"When you think a Dream impossible, it becomes a fantasy.  When you think a Dream is possible, it becomes reality." #OHoops

Those willing to accept their dreams as unobtainable, impossible, unachievable and unrealistic change their dreams into fantasies.  They admit defeat, give in to the struggle, believe that they have no control over their future and settle for mediocrity.  They follow the same path millions of others walk every day.  Those who believe in their dreams, believe that though there may only be a one in a million chance, they will be that ONE.  They will blaze their own path. They refuse to follow in the footsteps of others. They believe that their dream is possible, and as a result, work hours upon hours, making that dream more obtainable, more possible, more achievable and more realistic one day at a time.

Waell Khalife, out of Canada, is our Featured Men's #ExclusiveOHooper

#OHoopsRange

Jason Robinson is a 41-year old basketball addict who loves to work on his game EVERY DAY.  Follow him on Twitter, @TheSport_Mentor and look out for your chance to show off your #OHoopsRange.



To enter your video, follow @OHoopsTraining.  We are currently seeking videos for your most creative lay-up (use hashtag #OHoopsSwag) and your best dunk (use hashtag #OHoopsHops) Feel free to submit more #OHoopsRange videos as well, we will give you a S/O and feature your video in the future!

Until Tomorrow

Today you made sacrifices.  Today you endured pain.  Today you struggled.  Today you woke up earlier.  Today you put in an extra hour.  Today you sweat.  Today you bled.  Today you took one step closer to greatness.  

And Today you go to sleep knowing tomorrow is gonna be just like Today.

Former Professional Boxer Chases New Dream

Joshua Cordero, a former professional boxer, aims to fulfill his new dream.  

"As a former professional boxer, I always suffered from injuries that threatened and affected my boxing career. I have decided to hang up the gloves for good and now I'm committed wholeheartedly in the pursuit of my Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy so I can work with others who suffer from injuries so they may become champions in life." - Joshua Cordero

If he's in the top 5, he'll have a chance to win $10,000 in the Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway. A truly inspirational story of Hard Work and Dedication, Mr. Cordero embodies what OHoops is all about.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT JOSHUA CORDERO

The Wizard of Westwood: A Basketball Legend

"Reputation is what you are perceived to be. Character is what you are." -John Wooden

 

 

John Wooden is  almost mythical.  Winning 10 NCAA National Championships in a 12-year period which included 7 in a row, John Wooden earned the nickname "Wizard of Westwood" and continues to inspire generations of athletes worldwide.

 

What does this quote mean to you? Share with us by commenting, posting on our Facebook, or mentioning @OHoopsTraining on Twitter.

OHoops Trick Shots

This is our submission to the Basketball Trick Shot Contest hosted by @ShotScience Basketball.

Chandler Parsons Throws Down in Taiwan

Chandler Parsons throwing down a dunk during a pick-up game in Taiwan.  #TheProfessors at OHoops LOVE training this guy. He put in WORK this off-season.  If it wasn't sessions with Team USA it was midnight workouts in #theLab at OHoops. He's ready.

Trick Shot Contest hosted by Shot Science Basketball

Check out Shot Science Basketball's Trick Shot Contest! You know #TheProfessors at OHoops can't turn down a challenge! Subscribe to their YouTube Channel for the Official Rules and watch out for our entry into the contest!

Chandler Parsons, Houston Rockets Small Forward, is our Featured #OfficialOHooper

Brett Davis - USA Today

Can you #BeatTheProfessors?

#BeatTheProfessors August Update

"I may fall, I may crawl, but one day I will stand tall. No matter the obstacles or pain. Everything will not be in vain." - @JasdeepSingh64 

"Ever since I got an ACL injury, living life everyday to the fullest was hard. This was my first injury I had ever gotten, so I did not know how to react to it and if I would ever play basketball again. During my time of recovery, I went through physical therapy and the steps to making myself stronger. However, since this injury I felt more and more isolated from the game of basketball because I was losing faith from my friends and family members who believed basketball was not the right sport for me. All inspiration and motivation to play the game slowly faded away. Later after that I realized, if you want to truly become something great in life, you have to have your own motivation to work hard. It took me 2 1/2 years to figure this out, but when I did, I could not stop working harder and harder to build up enough strength. While I was working, I came across OHOOPS which had a variety of basketball skills and quotes to inspire players. OHOOPS is one of the reasons I have gained motivation to play basketball to my full potential. "I may fall, I may crawl, but one day I will stand tall" represents the injury I got, "crawling" is the physical therapy I did, and through this recovery and physical therapy I know one day I will become stronger and better than ever. "No matter the obstacles or pain. Everyday will not be in vain" represents that even though I did not have the motivation from others , I found the motivation in myself to pull through and grow stronger, both mentally and physically.  Never give up and the work you put into a goal or dream will not be in vain." - Jasdeep Singh 

Train like the Pros, Train with OHoops

OHoops Ode to Hard Work and Commitment

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Blood, Sweat and Tears are what'll get me there
And it's through all of these that I'll become aware
Of the endless possibilities with no price to pay
But complete dedication, starting yesterday
So let me take a moment, and let me give my grace
Let me thank the One who gave me dreams to chase
I lift my head high as I close my eyes and pray
Thank you for these gifts that you give me every day
Strength of the body, of the soul and mind
The decision to become, one of a kind
Courage and heart, but most of all the light
That rids me of my fears and guides me through the night
Thank you Lord, Amen

Now I've been given a gift, God gave me potential
And gave me a choice, gave me power of will
But this is my life so I have to take the wheel
I'll drive myself so hard, you'll no longer think it's real
And when that empty light turns on I'll keep on driving through
'Cause with the power of will, there's nothing I can't do
And I know there'll be  those times when I come to the wall
You can't go around it, if you climb it you will fall
So thank you God for these gifts, I know what I must do
I'll never back down, I'll break my way through
The wall will fall, the wall will crumble
The dust will rise as the wall's turned to rubble
And I will continue

But through many years, I've been criticized
Because of where I'm from, my height and my size
They say I am too small and my dreams are set too hight
And what do these words do? They give me wings so I can fly
For I don't believe in pre-decided destiny
And when somebody says, "Face reality"
I look at 'em and grin cause I truly believe
With these god-given gifts there's not a thing I can't achieve
Try and stop me, put an obstacle in front of me
And I will overcome, so listen to me thoroughly
I push my body past the limit, push my mind to the extreme
'Cause like the King would say, "I have a Dream"
I'll give whatever it takes

Working every morning, shirt completely drenched with sweat
I look at the clock, there's no time to regret
Every moment counts, every second ticking by
I have no time to waste, I have no tears to cry
For if I do not make it, that'll be on me 
A waste of my potential, and every capability
I was blessed with these gifts, that'll make me sore
And when I feel there's nothing left, I will give some more
Failure's not an option, just an obstacle
And to all who think I'll need a miracle
Do not understand what God has given me
Can't is not a word in my vocabulary
I will live my Dream. God Bless. 

Handling Business

Former Gator Taurean Green prepares for a big season in France

Written by Brooke Thomas

 

Former Gator point guard, Taurean Green, prepared for a big season in France

Minutes before falling asleep, Green would lie in his bed at night, extending his arm in the air time and time again.

This was no assignment given to establish good shooting technique. He didn't know that with every flick of his wrist, he was working on his follow through. There was no ball or basket.  Green was just a toddler playing make-believe with a game that he would come to know and love very well.

"Ever since I was little I decided I wanted to play basketball," Green said.

Trying to pinpoint exactly when he made his decision is as hard as trying to stay in front of the shifty point guard on the court. For a moment, Green –- who helped the Florida Gators to capture consecutive national championships in 2006 and 2007 –- leaned back in his chair contemplating where it all began.


A slight grunt came through more like a laugh and then his answer, "Sometime in between newborn and first steps."

After a lifetime of basketball filled with a multitude of achievements and his share of disappointment, Green talked as though the game was still as fresh as the day he first encountered it.

Too young to remember all of his innate basketball moments, his parents would often tell the toddler stories of his simulated jump shots and crossover moves. Stories that have him convinced that even before he was able to fully express himself, he knew he had found his lifelong passion.

October will begin his seventh season as a professional basketball player, his sixth playing overseas. Earning Guard of the Year, First Team All Imports, and First-Team All-League accolades in the Italian League last season, Green entered the summer with only one focus – handling business.

Spending the offseason in Orlando, Fla., one of his childhood cities, Green entrusted his workout regimen to Irwin Hudson and the Orlando Hoops staff. Hudson, well renowned in the area, was the assistant coach at Lake Howell High School in Green's freshman year. Since then he has personally developed a myriad of college and professional players. Hudson's most notable talent is Chandler Parsons, former Gator and now starting wingman for the Houston Rockets. Parsons still works out with OHoops when he's back home.

"The great thing about OHoops is every day you're going to get a different look," Green said. "Each trainer has a different style and a different strength so you get that well rounded aspect to your game."

In "The Lab," the personal gym of OHoops, Green went through strength training, speed and agility drills, basketball workouts, and countless repetitions on the shooting gun. His proudest improvement has come in his leg strength, boasting that in one of his last workouts he dunked every finish during a detailed layup drill.

"But not just dunked," Green corrects his self-praise, "I threw it down with authority."

It was the highlight of the offseason for the 6-foot-1 guard.

"It's been a great summer," Green said. "You set goals, you work hard, and then you realize them. That's what it's all about -- handling your business."

Green inherited the motto, "Handling business," from his father, Sydney Green, a 10-year NBA center who spent one season with the Orlando Magic. Like most sons of NBA players, Green got a taste of the NBA life at an early age. He recalls the upbeat locker room environment, challenging the games greatest players to shooting contests, and spending hours with his dad going through drills to master his footwork. As he grew so did the outside expectation to live up to his father's accomplishments. But, even now, Green feels no pressure.

"My dad did a great job of helping me become my own player," Green said. "Of course people are going to compare our careers, but he has always encouraged me to create my own legacy."

Green's legacy will include a record setting career at the University of Florida. In his sophomore and junior year, Green was the floor general of the only starting five -- he was joined by Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah and Lee Humphrey -- in the history of the NCAA to ever win back-to-back national championships.

After their junior campaign, Horford, Brewer, Noah, and Green declared for the NBA Draft. Horford, Brewer and Noah, now established NBA players, were all lottery picks. Green fell to the second round as the 52nd pick.

"Draft night was a little bit of mixed emotions." Green recalls. "I was disappointed because I expected to go higher, but at the same time I was excited to be one of 60 players drafted. It was a dream come true."

A month into his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers he was sent down to the developmental league. After being called up a month later, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. Never able to find his niche, Green found himself outside the NBA after just one year.

Green describes his experiences as blessings while others may view them as letdowns. A positive mindset he also learned from his father. Known for his motivational speeches, the elder Green would tell his son to make the best of whatever situation came his way.

"Everybody goes through a rough patch," Green said, quoting his dad. "Nothing is going to improve or get better if you sit there and have a negative attitude about stuff."

Taking his father's advice, Green has excelled as a European professional, making a name for himself in all the top tier leagues. Now heading into the ProA French League, he knows this year is his biggest opportunity yet.

"A lot of people think that if you don't make it in the NBA then you didn't make it," Green explained. "That's not true. There's a lot of great basketball being played in Europe."

Although he is grateful for the success he's been able to achieve, getting back to the NBA is still a very tangible goal. Dwight Buycks, last year's Player of the Year in the ProA French league, just signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Raptors after having a standout summer league with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Green is looking to recreate a very similar story.

"It's a big year for me," Green said. "Play well this year and then hopefully next summer play summer league. Get some looks from some NBA teams."

The former Gator demonstrated confidence and expectation with every word. For Green there's no pressure, it has always been just business.


This article can also be viewed on www.foxsportsflorida.com

 

Brooke Thomas is a Productions Assistant at Fox Sports Florida.  Brooke graduated from Wake Forest in 2012 as the school's all-time career leader in assists and games played.  She has been a proud member of the OHoops Family for over 10 years.  To find out more about Brooke Thomas, check out our #OfficialOHoopers page and connect with her on Twitter

London Warren: The Comeback

London Warren join us in #theLab recently for an early morning workout. London "Jacksonville Jet" Warren, a quick and speedy guard out of Jacksonville, Florida, is quickly emerging back onto the basketball scene.

 London won back-to-back state championships in High-school in 2003 and 2004 and the NIT Championship in 2010, defeating North Carolina in Madison Square Garden.  London was in #theLab this morning at 7 a.m. because he has unfinished business; A championship at the Professional level.

London Warren took some time off from basketball recently to pursue his Master’s Degree and Coaching, but the fire we saw in him today was reminiscent of the enthusiasm and energy that made him a favorite among the Flyer Faithful at the University of Dayton. He's back, and #OHoops is not surprised that he has chosen the #TheProfessors in #theLab to train with to help prepare him for his return.

"I am a Fearless Defender...I take pride in shutting down the opposing team's best player" - London Warren

"What I do to help the team win sometimes doesn't show up on the stat sheet but my presence on the court is always felt." - London Warren

This is what makes London, and everyone here at OHoops, a fierce competitor and an inevitable victor.  It's not about scoring the most points, or catching a highlight dunk that the fans will be talking about for weeks and watching on ESPN; It's about the intangibles.  It's about the 1% Mindset Coach Dayne lives by, and that #TeamOHoops has bought in to.  It's about doing ANYTHING and EVERYTHING possible to succeed; Diving for every loose ball, sacrificing your body, running through screens and pushing your body and MIND passed its comfort zone in order to avoid failure at all costs.  London Warren doesn't fear Failure; he embraces it and then defeats it with the 1% Mindset and an unparalleled work ethic.

OHoops Strength and Conditioning Video

The #BeatTheProfessors Campaign Has Been Launched!!!

It's Official.  We have challenged the WORLD to #BeatTheProfessors ! I'm not sure if anyone can touch these guys, but we WANT to be proven wrong!

#BeatTheProfessors