Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Gaston.
Christopher, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been playing basketball my entire life. After graduating college and realizing that I wasn’t going to play in the NBA, I started searching for my purpose in life. After eventually settling into a teaching position (7th grade), I reconnected with a kid from the neighborhood who I’ve known since he was in grade school. I started training him every day after work. This kid (Tommy Mason-Griffin) went one to become one of the best players ever in the city of Houston and a McDonald’s All American. As Tommy elevated through the basketball ranks so did my name in the basketball business. Before I knew it, I was training some of the top high school players in the country.
This led me to start a website – Houston Preps. Houston Preps exploded in popularity as the site featured high school rankings, basketball training videos, interviews and stories on top players in the Houston area. I was eventually called to start my own AAU program and NBA Legend Clyde Drexler served as my assistant coach. After running my own successful program for 2 years, I was finally ready to make basketball my full-time career, as I left my teaching position to accept a job on the Texas Southern University basketball staff. My first day on the job, the Athletic Director informed me that they were firing the head coach who personally brung me in and that they would be hiring an entirely new staff! I was devastated, but this setback propelled me to work as hard as I have ever work to make a career in basketball. The journey wasn’t easy at all. I went through many financial hardships, repossessed cars and broken promises. It took many several years to bounce back but I preserved and kept grinding! I rebranded my company to: “Chris Gaston Basketball” and God has blessed me to work with some of the top players in the NBA!
Has it been a smooth road?
There were definitely a lot of struggles. In my journey to the top, a lot of established people in my industry viewed me as a threat. They would try to persuade college coaches, high school, college and NBA players not to work with me. They would try to use my age and experience against me. I vowed that I might not be the most experienced but no one would outwork me. I had a will to succeed and a hunger and passion to accomplish all of my goals. There were times when I would travel out of town to see a potential with a negative bank account. There were a lot of nights eating Ramen Noodles! There were many days when, I was on the verge of giving up, but I knew I had a gift for helping young men on and off the court.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Chris Gaston Basketball story. Tell us more about the business.
My company “Chris Gaston Basketball” is a basketball concierge company. The focus of the company is player development on and off the court as well consulting elite players on the high school, college and professional level.
What sets me apart from other player development guys and consultants is that I’m personally vested in each player. I’ve built a lot of relationships with people from the basketball world and I’m able to leverage those relationships to help my clients. My job is a 24 hour, 7 days a week job and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It’s truly a passion of mine and I thank God every day that I’m able to get paid to do something that I love.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The biggest shift in the industry is that players are becoming more aware of their own brand and they’re starting to build their own team. Players have also become more socially active with all the issues that are going on in current affairs. Guys are taking control, of their own career and in my role as a consultant, I’m here to help make them informed decisions.
With the power of social media in the next 5-10 years, you will see a shift in the industry in terms of African Americans on the business side of basketball. Growing up, we think the only way to make a living in basketball is on the court. There will be a major shift as guys are becoming more aware and educating themselves. You will definitely see more minorities as coaches, agents, trainers, consultants, business managers, general managers, presidents and even owners.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chrisgastonbasketball.com
- Phone: 832-276-2718
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: chrisgastonbasketball
- Twitter: gastonbball
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