Who we are
Ryan Hoover, Founder
Ryan grew up in a family of educators in northern Illinois., where he was a multi-sport athlete. After being named Illinois Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior, he went on to be a 4-year starter at the University of Notre Dame. After graduating with a business / psychology degree, he launched into an 18-year pro basketball career, 13 seasons in Italy. With great teammates and coaching along the way, he was a member of 4 championship teams and led the league multiple times in Free Throw and 3-pt shooting percentage. After his pro basketball career he has become an elite shooting coach, and has helped hundreds of leaders and families navigate new transitions as they level up. Ryan is based in Lenexa, KS with his wife and 3 kids.
Josh Akognon, Ambassador
Josh was raised in Petaluma, CA, in a family rooted in faith — his dad has been a pastor for over 30 years, and his mom is a gospel singer and daycare worker. Josh started playing basketball at the age of 14, a late start compared to most kids, but quickly developed into one of the top guards in the country. He earned a full scholarship to Washington State University, where he led the team in scoring, before transferring to Cal State Fullerton and guiding the team to their first NCAA Tournament bid in 30 years. He went on to a 14-year professional career, including time with the Dallas Mavericks, international stints in China, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, and Serbia. He also represented Nigeria in the 2016 Olympic Games. He now lives in Overland Park, KS with his wife Ariana, a former point guard at Washington State from Topeka, and their four children. Josh is also a published author and serves as a strategic partner and investor across multiple ventures.
Clent Stewart, Ambassador
Clent grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he was the Oklahoma Player of the Year and led his high school team to its first state championship. He went on to be a 4-year starter at Kansas State University and currently stands as 5th all-time in assists. Pairing athletics with academics, he was named to the Big 12 all-academic 1st team three years in a row. After college he's worked on all levels, doing individual and team development. He currently is the head coach for Purple Reign (K-State Alumni) basketball team that plays each summer in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). He also stays plugged into K-State as a special guest on GoPowercat, where he gives live breakdown and analysis during games. Clent is based in Olathe, KS with his wife and 3 kids.