Logically, Dylan Travis shouldn’t be sporting Workforce USA throughout his basketball jersey this summer time in Paris.
Then once more, this 31-year-old particular schooling trainer’s basketball profession defies logic.
The Omaha, Nebraska, native led his dwelling state in scoring his senior 12 months of highschool however had no Division I provides. He dedicated to Midland College, a Nationwide Affiliation of Intercollegiate Athletics faculty in Fremont, Nebraska.
“Being all-state popping out of highschool, (I) was humbled my first 12 months at an NAIA faculty,” the 6-foot-3 guard mentioned. “I did not have my head on straight, type of getting in bother and stuff, speaking again to coaches.”
After a 12 months at Midland, he transferred to Iowa Central Neighborhood Faculty. He knew if he discovered success there, it may set him as much as play Division I basketball.
“I needed to mature quite a bit going into Iowa Central,” Travis mentioned. “Coach (Dennis) Pilcher, Corridor of Fame coach on the juco stage, actually helped me. That type of formed me to the place I am at now.”
His success at Iowa Central, the place he averaged 18.3 factors per recreation, led him to decide to Florida Southern, a Division II faculty.
There, Travis thrived. In his junior 12 months, the Moccasins received the Division II nationwide championship. After that season, his long-awaited Division I supply got here alongside.
“By that point, I used to be over it. I stayed at Florida Southern and was an All-American my senior 12 months,” Travis mentioned. “Florida Southern was nice, particularly in spite of everything these stops. It felt like heaven there.
“Be a great teammate, be a great individual off the courtroom, irrespective of the place you are at on this planet, that actually issues. I discovered that quite a bit at Florida Southern.”
After commencement, Travis performed abroad in Germany and Australia. After 4 years, he determined to place the basketball down, as a substitute pursuing a profession in schooling.
Travis remained concerned in basketball by teaching his highschool’s group. It by no means occurred to him to play competitively once more till his good friend really useful enjoying in Omaha’s 3×3 match circuit.
Travis fell in love with the 3×3 recreation, beginning with the group 3Ball Omaha and persevering with to play over 150 video games on the professional circuit. Ultimately, he met his future teammates, Jimmer Fredette, Kareem Maddox and Canyon Barry, on the circuit. Later, the quartet bought picked up by USA Basketball.
In November, the group ranked second on this planet and earned an Olympic bid to symbolize the crimson, white and blue.
The squad boasts a powerful resume, together with gold medals on the 2022 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup and the 2023 Pan American Video games, plus a silver medal on the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup.
With all his success on the courtroom, Travis most relishes the truth that his mother might be in Paris watching him play.
“It is simply me and my mother rising up. She labored three jobs so I may go to a personal highschool,” he mentioned. “She’s by no means been outdoors of the States, so to see her (in Paris) will imply quite a bit to me.”
As Travis heads to the Olympics, he feels assured along with his squad.
“We are the first (U.S. males’s) group that is been chosen for the Olympics, so there may be some stress and a few expectations to win gold and develop the game,” he mentioned. “We’re veterans, and we will have that on our shoulders. So we’re wanting ahead to that problem.”
Reflecting on his profession, Travis appreciates his roller-coaster journey.
“I am simply the no-name that made it,” he mentioned.
“I am a Division II man and bought to journey the world enjoying 3×3. Now I am within the Olympics,” he added. “When you love the sport, keep it up.”
