{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthevictorydegree.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Falex-acker-nq4vmpGn","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"\"I Used To Play Basketball With An Orange!\" - The Untold Story of an NBA Underdog Who Beat All Odds","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/61e6bd4f-cf8b-4339-9a6b-539fdc58025b/40a59440-9b62-47b8-940b-0710edbdbe70/podcast-20episode-20-20-33.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"In this powerful episode, former NBA player Alex Acker opens up about his incredible journey from growing up in Compton with almost nothing—literally playing basketball with an orange—to reaching the NBA and beyond. He shares raw stories of his upbringing, the hunger that fueled him, and how his faith and family kept him grounded through life’s toughest moments.\n\nAlex talks about:\n\nWhat it really takes to make it to the NBA—and why talent alone isn’t enough\n\nGetting discovered at a random Pepperdine pickup game\n\nPracticing with legends like Reggie Miller, Chauncey Billups, and Kevin Garnett\n\nHow European basketball challenged and matured him\n\nHis honest take on pressure, confidence, and self-belief\n\nWhy most pro athletes go broke—and how he’s helping change that with his company Amongst Elite Capital\n\nIf you’ve ever chased a dream, doubted yourself, or wondered what separates the 1% who make it from those who don’t—this episode will hit you hard."}