Kevin Williams Sr. shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Kevin, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I believe people think getting into the sports management business is just about seeing what’s on the court. There is a lot of time taken to prepare not only for one game but a whole season. The conference calls, the recruitment of players, and staff, the long nights and days with our NBL-United States International partners this is not an easy business.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Kevin Williams Sr., President of the National Basketball League–United States (NBL-US), a Houston-based professional development league built to unlock opportunity for overlooked and under-recruited talent across the country. Our mission is simple: create a clear, credible pathway for players—from unsigned high school graduates to post-collegiate and international hopefuls—to get real minutes, real film, and real opportunities at the next level.
What makes the NBL-US different is our purpose-built model. We operate as a true pro-development ecosystem, not just a schedule of games. We run multiple divisions (including opportunities for ages 17–18 that do not conflict with the college calendar), emphasize FIBA rules and shot-clock basketball. That design makes our league accessible for players and sustainable for teams—two things that are often missing in developmental basketball.
We’re equally focused on visibility and commercialization. Through New Era Sports TV, our 24/7 streaming channel, we package games, coach shows, player features, and documentary content so athletes aren’t just playing—they’re being seen. This platform also opens the door for small and mid-sized businesses to advertise at an affordable rate, connecting community brands to community teams in a way that feels authentic and drives ROI.
Our pipeline extends beyond U.S. borders. The NBL-US is cultivating relationships with organizations in a dozen countries, enabling a two-way street for talent and opportunities. We’re actively building a college-to-pro bridge as well—partnering with university programs and scouting networks so coaches and GMs can evaluate our players with confidence. We also support players in building their personal brands, guiding them on profiles (Eurobasket/USABasket), highlight capture, and NIL readiness.
Developing the next generation matters to me personally. That’s why we launched NBL Prep Future, a training-and-competition pathway for boys and girls in grades 6–10 that teaches fundamentals the right way.
Geographic expansion across the Gulf Coast and Mountain West via smart, hub-based markets with strong civic partners;
Women’s basketball growth through the WNBL-US, mirroring our development-first model for women athletes; and
Cultural impact through the forthcoming HBCU Basketball League (launching Summer 2026 in Houston), which will celebrate HBCU heritage, elevate players and coaches with HBCU ties, and give fans a summer destination for high-level hoops.
At its core, the NBL-US is about access, development, and dignity—giving talented players structure, credible competition, professional game presentation, and real business mechanics around the sport. We measure success in call-ups, college signings, overseas contracts, and how many lives we touch in our host communities. I’m proud of the culture we’re building: disciplined, entrepreneurial, and relentlessly player-first.
If you’re a player seeking a legitimate platform, a parent looking for standards and guidance, or a brand that believes in community impact, the NBL-US was made for you. We’re proving every season that opportunity is scalable when the model is built on substance.
Learn more: usnbl.com
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mother Lillian. She always would tell me that I was destined for greatness even when I did not believe it myself. She pushes me everyday to achieve greatness and do not let anyone or anything hold me back from achieving my goals. When I call her and tell her I’m tired and it is hard at times having to do a lot on my own she tells me some people are not meant to go where your trying to go so you have to leave them behind. Her support and her dedication to me being successful is what kept me going even when I did not want to.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
My wife Jemila Williams my God, I can write a whole book on her. She is always there for me to listen to me go on and on about my sports business. From being the President of the NBL-US and Managing Partner in New Era Sports Management she has to listen to me talk about sports daily. She never gets tired of listening to me( at least she never tells me) through my ups and downs in the business. From day one she told me she had my back and whatever my dreams was she would support them. To this day she has kept her word. The success of the NBL-US is not because of just me it’s also because of the support of my wife.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie in this sports business is players thinking just because you can play basketball that means you should be a professional basketball player. In this industry I follow the 3 A’s on why athletes do not make it to the next level. 1. Athletically they are not good enough. 2. Academically they were not strong enough. 3. Attitude. Most of the players that think they should be a professional player lack in one of these areas. The new era of player most times does not want to hear the truth so they avoid people who will tell it to them. Social media has shown people you can be who you want to be even if you don’t put the time and the work in. That is not the case. There are thousands of basketball players in the world. What makes you stand out? are you willing to sacrifice time, going out, to train and compete? Are you willing to invest time and money in yourself when no one else will? That’s what I look for in a player that wants to be a pro.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story is simple: he built doors where there used to be walls—and he left a playbook so others could keep building after him.
I want people to say I treated basketball as more than a game. Through the NBL-US we created a credible, year-round pathway for overlooked players; we brought professional presentation to community gyms; we taught FIBA standards, accountability; and we made sure exposure wasn’t a privilege—it was a system.
If you talk to players, I hope they remember that we saw them early, told them the truth, and gave them structure: real minutes, real film, real coaching, and real next steps—college, overseas, or the right place for their life and game to grow.If you talk to partners, I hope they say we ran our league with integrity, paid our vendors, answered our phones, and delivered on what we promised. And if you talk to young coaches and staff, I hope they say we gave them a first shot—and taught them how to lead with standards, not shortcuts.
I also hope my legacy includes doors we opened for women and HBCU communities—that we celebrated HBCU culture with the same excellence we demand on the court, and that the women’s side of our league felt equally resourced, marketed, and believed in. I want small businesses to say that our media platform made advertising attainable and effective, and that we helped connect community brands to community fans in a way that actually moved the needle.
Most of all, I want the NBL-US to outlive me—an ecosystem of Access, Development, and Dignity that continues producing opportunities long after I’m gone. Let the story be that we left places better than we found them, that our gyms were safe and full on weekends, that our players walked out with purpose and film in hand, and that our staff carried a culture of service, professionalism, and joy.
If the last line on my story reads, “He turned potential into pathways—and he took people with him,” that’s the legacy I’d be proud to leave.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://usnbl.com
- Instagram: us_NBL
- Twitter: @TheNBLUS
- Facebook: National Basketball League-United States
