A Hoops Journey

Episode 101 - Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe

For Episode 101 of A Hoops Journey, we have current SFU Women's Assistant Coach Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe! The Toronto-born BC native joins us to chat about her journey from Ontario, to UBC, back to Ontario, then to Vernon and up Burnaby Mountain at SFU! She details her path through the Canada Women's National Team, playing in Switzerland, what it felt like to represent Canada at the Olympics and the FISU games, her time playing for the New York Liberty of the WNBA and so much more; Goonies, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce - all that and more on this episode!

Episode 100 - Kevin Pangos

Episode 100 in the books folks! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey to this point. For this episode, we have former Gonzaga Bulldog and currently playing for Olimipa Milano of the LBA: Kevin Pangos. The 2015 WCC player of the year and 4x First-team All-WCC team member sits down with us from Lithuania (RIP WIFI) to chat about his own hoops journey starting in Ontario and finding his way to the National Team, representing Canada numerous times and committed to the Senior Men's national team. We talk to him about how he got to Gonzaga, March Madness nerves, Euroleague vs the NBA and so much more!
 

Episode 99 - Nate Yu

We have former UBC Thunderbird, longtime friend of the podcast and currently playing professional basketball for South China Athletic Association in Hong Kong, Nate Yu. The former 2012 Canada West 1st-team All-Star who captained Team Canada to a silver medal in the 2011 FISU Games in Shenzhen, China joins us early in his morning to chat about his upbringing in Prince George, how Episode 8 guest (brother) Jordan Yu helped influence his basketball journey, a quick summary of his high school years, funny Hong Kong basketball stories and much more! Nate shares some reflections dealing with some of the hardest years of basketball he's been through, being Nostradamus and other great stories in Episode 99 of A Hoops Journey!

Episode 98 - Aron Phillips

The current COO of SLAM Magazine Aron Phillips joins us for Episode 98 of A Hoops Journey - and what a journey that is. The Boston-born Vermont native sits down with us to chat about his wild foray into the sport of basketball and how his efforts took him down a road that's nothing we've seen on this podcast. From being a practice player for the Lewis and Clark College Women's Basketball team, interning for Dime Magazine, being Uninterrupted's first hire, working with LeBron and Maverick Carter first hand, Aron shares so many little nuggets of advice applicable for almost any field of work. A fantastic insight into the workings of a very hardworking and successful man, we got a great one for y'all this week!

Episode 97 - Jermaine Anderson

Frequently name-dropped on the podcast, we got a chance to chat with an OG of Canada Basketball - Jermaine Anderson joins us for Episode 97. The Toronto-born former Fordham University Rams player and pro player overseas was a mainstay on the senior men's national team, representing Canada over 75 times across his career. He sits down with us to chop it up about his basketball upbringing, his national and professional playing career, being a part of the CEBL and its benefits to Canadian hoops, and much more on a long-anticipated white whale of the podcast!

Episode 96 - Nathaniel Mitchell

We have current Raptors Assistant Nathaniel Mitchell joining us on the podcast for Episode 96! He has just served most recently as the Canada Senior Men's Basketball Head Coach at the GLOBL Jam, but is known throughout the Canadian basketball community. Mitchell also served as an assistant coach on Nick Nurse’s senior men’s team staff for the FIBA Basketball World Cup and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament which took place in Victoria last summer. We chat with him about his basketball journey from the T-Dot, and how a nose-to-the-grindstone attitude and work ethic has helped carve his role in the coaching world. We touch on his time with recurring guest Scott Morrison in the G-League, his NBA coach influences and advice to younger coaches in this fantastic episode!

Episode 95 - Scott Morrison (Round 2) and Draft Day

Welcome back to A Hoops Journey! We have a returning guest: former Lakehead University, Maine Red Claws and Perth Wildcats Head Coach, former Boston Celtics assistant and CURRENTLY the Salt Lake City Stars Head Coach - Scott Morrison. We chat with Scott about his WILD journey since his episode aired, the struggles and challenges he faced, and some advice for young coaches. We then end the episode with THREE fun drafts: All-Time Canadian Players, All-Time NBA Non-Allstar Draft, and an "Actors Draft". We bring in Friend of the Podcast, current Winnipeg Wesmen Media and Operations Coordinator David Larkins for these 3 drafts. Who has the best starting 5? Whose island would you want to go on? Those questions answered in this episode of A Hoops Journey!

Episode 94 - Juan Mendez

Welcome back to Episode 94 of A Hoops Journey! We chat with Montreal-raised, former Niagara University Purple Eagles player, former Canadian National Team player and professional player throughout Europe and Asia; Juan Mendez. The highest scoring Canadian in NCAA Division 1 history and inducted in 2014 into the MAAC Naismith Hall of Fame (1st Canadian), we talk to him about his journey. His story covers his transition from the YMCA's of Montreal to a prep school in Florida, and how that changed his life. Embracing fatherhood, learning the ropes of the game through some former guests and Canadian basketball icons, you do not want to miss out on this episode!

Episode 93 - Bruce Langford

Welcome back for Episode 93! Today we have longtime and current SFU Women's Basketball Head Coach Bruce Langford joining us on the podcast. Bruce Langford has been a fixture in the British Columbia basketball community for 30 years, having coached 21 years in the B.C. school system. He coached his teams to three provincial championships and one Reebok Canadian National High School Championship. His teams have been undefeated twice, and SFU advanced to the CIS National Championship tournament every year under Langford, winning five CIS national championships. We chat about his upbringing moving around the country, his foray into coaching girls basketball, his transition to the post-secondary level, his relationship with his daughter and chatting about her success; this is a fantastic episode full of great insight!

Episode 92 - Joel Anthony

Happy Canada Day to our Canadian listeners! We have a great episode for you today; former Miami Heat center, two-time NBA champ, former Canadian National Team player and currently the General manager of the Montreal Alliance of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL): Joel Anthony. The Montreal-native talks about his long-winded journey to the NBA, from Dawson College, to Florida, to playing with the Big 3 in Miami. An amazing story from an extremely humble, thoughtful person. You do NOT want to miss this episode!