Noah Adnan — Maryland native, Stanford grad, and now a defender for Loudoun United FC — joins the podcast this season. Growing up a dual athlete, Noah speaks to the lessons learned from balancing education and sports, and what ultimately led him to make a defining decision: choosing soccer over basketball, a call that set the course for where he is today.

Noah reflects on the impact that role models have had on his journey, both on and off the field. These include his tough-but-formative high school calculus teacher, who instilled discipline and work ethic, as well as athletes like Jaylen Brown, who is committed to education and community impact.

The three discuss the platform athletes are given and the choice they face in how to use it. Noah has chosen to give back, being guided by a simple phrase from one of his coaches at Stanford: "Leave the jersey in a better place than you found it." For Noah, that mindset extends well beyond the game, shaping how he shows up in his community.

Nick and Calvin trace what it took for Noah to get to the next level, the evolving role of statistics within the game and for the athlete, and sports’ ability to bring communities together.