UNGUARDED

In this episode of Unguarded, Kimberly, a seasoned professional volleyball player and member of the German national team, sits down with host Jori Davis to share her journey. Fresh off a summer in the Philippines, where she gave back to the volleyball community, Kimberly is gearing up for a new chapter as she heads to the U.S. to compete in the first American pro volleyball league, League One Volleyball.

Kimberly opens up about her decision to step away from the national team, prioritizing family, and finding balance in her life. She reflects on her tour in the Philippines, the impact of providing access to volleyball, and her growth through meditation and self-discovery. She also shares valuable insights on navigating the professional world, making tough decisions, managing first contracts, and the importance of choosing the right agent who aligns with your goals and values.

Produced and edited by Víctor Revenga.

In this episode of Unguarded, we welcome Antonio Williams, a seasoned sports management professional and former basketball player with a wealth of experience across sports operations, media, analysis, and marketing. Having worked with elite organizations like the Phoenix Suns, Nike, ESPN, the Boston Red Sox, and the NBA, Antonio has worn many hats, from securing multimillion-dollar licensing deals for Nike to scouting future stars for the Suns. Currently, he runs his own sports venture and is part of an innovative e-sports project.

Antonio dives into the often-overlooked aspects of the sports industry, discussing the transition from player to scout, the important role of scouts in player-team fit, and the differences between scouts and agents. He provides valuable insights on how athletes can avoid bad deals, network effectively, understand their role, and leverage their value in brand partnerships. Antonio also touches on the emotional challenges of transitioning careers, the importance of knowing your value and marketing oneself accordingly, and the business side of sports that athletes need to understand to make better career decisions.

Produced and edited by Víctor Revenga.

On this episode of Unguarded, Ryan Jay Owens, a former Team USA volleyball player and now a leading agent for female volleyball athletes, joins host Jori Davis as he opens up about his journey from the court to the boardroom as the founder of Elite Volley. With a vision to help over a million athletes unlock their full potential across personal, professional, and global platforms, Ryan shares how his experience as an athlete shapes his work today.

He offers a candid look at the player-agent relationship, discussing how athletes can choose the right agent to secure a lasting career, the common misunderstandings between players and agents, and the importance of setting clear boundaries. Ryan also highlights the crucial role of asking questions and understanding different sides of the business, whether negotiating contracts or navigating team dynamics. Additionally, he explores the growing landscape of NIL deals for European athletes and his mission to reshape the athlete representation industry.

Produced and edited by Víctor Revenga.

Former professional basketball player Bill Amis joins us on this episode of Unguarded. During his seven-year career in Europe, Bill took a year off to explore real estate finance and reconsider his overseas lifestyle. He returned to the court, reaching the EuroCup, and later moved to the UK, where he developed a passion for angel investing and the startup ecosystem. With an MBA from London, Bill co-founded a startup aimed at helping NIL athletes and now serves as a Startup Advisor at Hyper helping founders along their journey.

In this episode, Bill shares his experiences in choosing the right agent, the dynamics of the player-agent relationship, and the challenges of an outdated agent representation system. He offers insights from his contract journey, emphasizing contract rights, the importance of education, and the value of building a strong network. Bill also discusses his transition into finance and the startup world, along with a brief stint in stand-up comedy during his playing career.

Produced and edited by Víctor Revenga.

Sandrine Nzeukou, founder of Playbook, joins host Jori Davis in this Unguarded Episode. Sandrine, a former professional hooper turned entrepreneur, shares her transition process to the corporate world, how she balanced school while playing overseas, and how to leverage your experiences in business.

Of African descent, Nzeukou explains her proactive involvement in the growth of the game on the continent. She highlights the talent and evolution of the sport in Africa as well as the challenges they need to overcome to keep progressing.

The former athlete emphasizes the need for transparency in the sports world as well as the importance of using playing years to build a quality resume.

Now, Sandrine is building Playbook, a media platform on the business of emerging sports economies, with a focus on Africa and the Middle East.

Abiola Wabara goes unguarded again. As a former professional basketball player with over a decade of experience in Europe, she started preparing for her transition by getting her Master's degree while still playing.

In 2016, Abiola founded Goball Life, a small consulting firm dedicated to assisting athletes in their transition from professional sports to the next phase of their lives. She is now a Digital Industrial Manager at a consulting company. Outside the corporate world, she is the owner and artist behind Art by Abiola, an online gallery featuring her artwork.

Listen to this episode as she discusses her transition, challenges faced in the corporate world, the power of art, the financial realities of college athletics, and her relationship with the ball after retiring.

Basketball 101 CEO, ⁠Dorian Lee⁠, shares his journey to becoming one of the top skills trainers in the industry. After a solid athletic college career and a short stint playing professional tours in different countries he decided to transition into Corporate America, but his hoop dreams weren´t over, at 31, Dorian went on a European tour where he received several offers, but an eye-opening experience before heading to Europe helped him determine his calling was skills training. He transferred on-court skills into the business world and became a corporate athlete.

In this episode, Dorian highlights the importance of challenging your belief systems, reflects on past decisions and lessons learned, his transition from playing to business, living within your means, the value of training in today's game and competition, and the new generations.

Horace Wormely goes Unguarded, again. Horace was one of the first guests of the show, and he is back with some new insights. As a 12-year-pro hooper who understood the importance of studying the business in sports, he reflects on his transition after retiring, how playing skills transfer to the business world, the importance of having a mentor, building leverage, and the power of athlete advocacy.

⁠Alex Acker⁠; with 16 years of professional basketball on his back, shares his transition process to being an entrepreneur. Now CEO of Amongst Elite Capital, Alex had to learn how find his identity to prosper beyond the court. He highlights his growth during his time in Europe and how athletes should educate themselves during their playing days.