Zach Cummings’ journey is the definition of perseverance.

In this episode of the Purpose After Sports Podcast, Mikki O’Neal sits down with former college basketball player and creator Zach Cummings to unpack the real story behind the highlights. Zach opens up about losing his mother to cancer at 12 years old and how basketball became his therapy, the one place he could breathe when life felt too heavy.

From injuries and high school setbacks to nearly quitting at 17, Zach shares the turning points that shaped him: finding the right mentor, learning how to self-promote when no one was watching, and rebuilding confidence every time the game — or life — knocked him back. His college path took him through five different schools, forcing him to repeatedly prove himself in new environments and grow through each season of uncertainty.

We also dive into his transition after sport, how the athlete identity doesn’t just disappear when the final season ends, and why authenticity, mental health awareness, and goal setting became the foundation for his next chapter in content creation and podcasting.