My Journey from the NBA to Hollywood

It’s not every day you see a seven-footer walk into an audition room, and I’ve learned that whether you’re stepping onto an NBA court or a movie set, all eyes are on you. I used to think my life would always be defined by basketball. But over time, the passion that drove me to spend countless hours alone in the gym shifted — and I found myself chasing an entirely new dream. This is the story of how I transitioned from the NBA hardwood to the bright lights of Hollywood.

• Draft Day and the NBA Grind

I still remember draft day like it was yesterday. Hearing my name called and realizing I was about to join the ranks of the best players in the world was surreal. I had spent years training — early mornings, late nights, and thousands of shots in empty gyms when no one was watching. That work ethic landed me in the NBA, where I had the privilege of playing alongside Hall of Famers like Kevin Garnett.

Practicing with KG? It was intense. He brought that fire to every play, every rep. You couldn’t slack. Being around greatness taught me not just about basketball, but about discipline, focus, and how to prepare for moments when the spotlight is at its brightest and the stakes are high. Little did I know then, those lessons would follow me far beyond the game.

• The Shift: From Court to Camera

When basketball started winding down, I didn’t just “retire” — I had to reinvent. The passion I once had for the game started evolving into something else entirely: storytelling.

I always loved the idea of becoming someone else, of stepping into another person’s shoes and living their truth. At first, I wasn’t sure where to start. Acting? Writing? The industry is this enormous machine. But just like when I first picked up a ball, I knew I had to commit.

I knew a guy that knew a guy, and that landed me on my first major project in Hollywood…HBO’s Winning Time, the dramatized series about the rise of the Lakers dynasty. Being on set for the first time felt like stepping into a new arena. And there I was, working alongside acting greats like John C. Reilly — a master of the craft. Watching him work, seeing how much intention he brings to each and every take — it was a real-life acting clinic.

It reminded me of being a rookie again. New environment, new pace, new pressures. But I wasn’t scared of the work. I’d been here before — not in this field, but in the trenches of uncertainty and challenge. That’s familiar ground for me.

• Similar Struggles, Different Stage

People often ask if the transition from pro athlete to actor was hard. ABSOLUTELY! But it’s more than that; It’s humbling. You go from being an expert in one field to starting all over in another.

The mental grind is just as real. In basketball, I dealt with the sting of missed shots, brutal turnovers, and the unrelenting pressure to perform. Now, it’s forgetting a line during a big scene or bombing an audition you spent days preparing for.

Rejection is everywhere — whether it’s a coach pulling you from the game or a casting director passing on your tape. You question yourself. You wonder if you’re good enough. But again… I’ve been here before.

All those years of training in silence — lifting, running, shooting when no one was clapping — built something unshakeable in me. Now it’s reading plays late at night, breaking down characters, or rehearsing scenes alone in my apartment. The gym may have changed, but the work ethic hasn’t.

• What They Don’t See

What people don’t always see is the hours behind the scenes. They see a player on the court or an actor on the screen, but not the grind that got them there.

In acting, I’ve learned to embrace vulnerability — to really feel things and express them truthfully. That’s a different kind of strength than what I used on the court. It’s raw. It's human. And when it connects? It’s just as powerful as a game-winning shot.

There were plenty of moments I felt foolish. Like when I blanked on lines during a live performance and felt the silence crush me like a turnover in the final seconds of a game. But you shake it off. You reset. You try again.

• Prepared for the Journey

Acting and sports are different worlds. But at the core, they’re both about one thing: performance under pressure.

Basketball taught me how to prepare, how to fail, how to lead — and most importantly, how to keep showing up. Acting asks the same of me. Writing too. Every character I create, every story I try to tell — they all require truth, resilience, and heart.

Was I scared to start over? Of course. But I was prepared for this life. The long hours. The grind. The silence. The doubt. The growth. I was built for it.

And like so many others chasing a dream, I’ve realized something important: it’s not about the end result. It’s about the journey. The transformation. The love of the craft. That’s what keeps me going — and that’s what I hope inspires others to keep going too.