There are plenty of organizations that have already built something special here in North Carolina regarding travel ball, but there are certainly new ones that have and are looking to make their mark here in North Carolina. One of those organizations to keep an eye on and have been impressive early on has to be Rising Pros Training, led by Johnny Thomas and company.
Thomas is a familiar name and face here in North Carolina, as you can read all about his journey in his bio on Rising Pros Training.
“Thomas was first introduced to the game of basketball at the age of 15 from his older brothers. He quickly excelled and made the varsity team as a freshman at West Carteret High School in Morehead City, NC. Thomas played at West Carteret for three years and received the “News Times Player of the Year” award before transferring to Greensboro Day. Continuing his success in athletics, Thomas led Greensboro Day to two Little Four championships and one State Championship, only losing two games in the two years that he attended.”
He ultimately decided to head to NC State and then suited up for Marshall. After that, he played in Germany as well as suiting up for the Harlem Globetrotters. Now, he is leading the way at Rising Pros Training.
Thomas started not long ago, and this is now an organization that has multiple teams of all ages and levels, as they have quickly been making a name for themselves here in NC.
“So currently, we have 14 teams, but originally it was based on me retiring from the Globetrotters and just finding a way to be around basketball,” Thomas told Phenom Hoops. “So, I wanted to transition in way I could help kids to where I got or better, so that is where RPT and the name came from. I felt like there was no one in the area that was teaching our kids to rise up and be better than they currently were.”
“It has taken a lot of hard work, but I have a lot of people in my corner,” Thomas continued. “My coaches and staff have allowed me to branch out and to grow in the right way. They also understand the philosophy of what we are trying to do. I want to be known as an organization that gets out on the court, works hard, but we also grow and develop. And if you look over the course, we have certainly done that.”
Rising Pros Training has quickly been able to make a name for itself here in North Carolina, as they have been impressive throughout the start of this summer. And with Thomas’s mindset, his staff around him, and the dedication by so many, Rising Pros Training will only continue to make its mark on travel ball and much more.
Rising Pros Training Link: https://www.risingprostraining.com/