Former Adidas Grassroots Director of Basketball of Operations Chris Rivers has transitioned over the years, since operating one of the most powerful sports franchises in the sport of basketball. Rivers has served in numerous roles throughout his illustrious career and been very influential in helping shoe companies, such as Adidas and Reebok, develop and cultivate thousands of intimate relationships with today's top performing basketball athletes and prospects. Since leaving Adidas several years ago, Rivers has found a new vision and focus for himself, in which he looks to create a much more impactful and positive approach to helping today's student-athletes.
Today, Rivers now hold many hats, as he is one of the founders of Tribute Sports Management. Tribute Sports Management (TSM) was founded to serve and advise athletes as they embark on the difficult and often overwhelming journey from the NCAA to the Pro Ranks. Rivers also holds a position with Excel Sports, as the Director for their NIL Division. Excel Sports is one of the top sports management companies in the business.
Rivers now travels around the country throughout the year and speaks to teams, players and student-athletes from different sports, about the recruiting process and the pitfalls that can come with the process. Rivers provides valuable insight into the industry and highlights the value of hard work and being true to your self and your goals, while remaining humble. Rivers has worked with thousands of top-rated athletes over his 30+ year career, and the insight he provides, while high-level, Rivers is able to relate the fundamentals of the process to everyone of today's athletes - meeting each athlete where they are at mentally.
This weekend, while in town for the Hoop Hall West event, Rivers made a nice stop at Mesa High School, where he met with the team of player and coaches, and shared important information with the program - valuable information about life, the recruiting process and more about life. Rivers also provides this amazing insight free of charge - making connections and forming new relationships.
Mesa High School (6-0) is off to an excellent start to the high school season, starting off the season with an undefeated record, and also winning this year's 20th Annual Mesa Fear The Hop Tournament. The program is making great strides under the leadership of Head Coach Scott Stansberry and his hard-working coaching staff. The program is on the rise for sure, and the presentation given by Chris Rivers is just another nice addition to what the Mesa staff is doing to help take their program to another level. Rivers, a staple in the development of grassroots basketball across the country over the past (20) years, and one of the original developers of the Oakland Soldiers (Nike-EYBL) club basketball program in Northern California, spoke to the team about real-life application that they could utilize, and coached the players to "tune out the noise" created by the basketball culture today, and work hard without "cutting corners." This was an inspirational speech given by Rivers, and one to remember for sure.
Rivers could certainly give his time to other endeavors, but he has chosen to give back - utilizing his year's of experiences and knowledge to impact lives across America. It is amazing that through his new journey, Rivers found it fit to make a stop at Arizona's Mesa High School - proving just how real he is about his new journey and the lives he will continue to impact.
