Antonio Curro at The Basketball Movement Invitational

The Basketball Movement Invitational Camp will be more than a hub for elite players in 2020, with professional-level spectators in attendance such as Antonio Curro.

National media brands, NBA talent, and big names in the grassroots world will be in attendance this year for The Basketball Movement Invitational 2020. For years, the level of players has been climbing at Robert Yanders’ annual elite camp for high school boys. That continues this year, with big names from around the sport taking notice.

Antonio Curro, National Recruiting Editor of NY2LA, is one big wheel in the basketball world that we are excited to welcome to The Basketball Movement. Curro is the Founder & Director of Basketball Scouting and Grassroots Basketball Platform Initiatives for NY2LA Sports based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“Antonio Curro is truly an NBA-caliber guy,” says Rob Yanders. “He evaluates all levels of talent around the country and we are so excited he is coming to our facility.” The Basketball Movement Invitational draws multiple athletes from the Yanders Law AAU program, which plays in the NY2LA grassroots hoops leagues. This year, Yanders extended invites to a few members of Phenom University - Team Herro and Indy Premier, both of which also participate in NY2LA leagues.

Curro has worked with multiple top 100 players across the country. Several players have hit the NBA scene that he has mentored. It comes as no surprise that sources have told The Basketball Movement that Curro is highly sought after by NBA organizations.

We are honored to have Antonio Curro come to our facility to observe our Invitational Camp. The Basketball Movement Invitational is one of our favorite events of the year and 2020 should be the best one to date. Stay tuned as we continue filling you in on the happenings leading into the start of the action Friday the 16th.

One-on-One: Indiana Pacers Alize Johnson

Having Alize Johnson in the building for his camp, we got the chance to sit down and chat with the rising NBA talent.

Originally from Williamsport, PA, we are fortunate that Alize Johnson has multiple communities that feel like home. One of the most decorated players in school history, Johnson was a force playing basketball at Missouri State during his college career. Springfield, MO must have made a positive impression on Alize as well, as he said it is very nice to be back for his camp.

“There was so much support while I was here,” says Johnson. “I love coming back here because this is a place where I feel so much support and I can surround myself with people that truly want to see me succeed.”

The Basketball Movement-hosted basketball camp put on by Alize was a big success. Johnson put on a similar camp in his hometown in Pennsylvania just a few days prior. When asked about his favorite part about putting on these camps, he had plenty to say.

“These camps elate me. I like to see the kids grow - see them smile. In return, it pushes me to go harder because I feel like I have them looking up to me. It gives me a voice. NBA players love doing things like this because it is building off of what we have been able to accomplish.”

— Alize Johnson

Not a stranger to The Basketball Movement or working with its Founder, Rob Yanders, we were honored to play host to Alize’s camp this summer. The facility and coaches are designed around the high-intensity style that is needed for the older kids as well as fundamentals and fun-oriented feel for the younger ones.

Johnson commented on how far the facility had come since he first started coming here and how proud he is of his friend and mentor, Rob Yanders. “Pretty much the only thing left he could add is like, hotel rooms for the players that come out here,” Alize joked. “To see where this place is right now - it’s amazing.” (Note/Plug: The Basketball Movement does offer shuttle service for those interested in extended pro workouts!! End plug)

“Rob’s a great guy. He genuinely knows what he’s doing and exactly what he’s talking about. He has been a great mentor for me because of his experience and that he doesn’t sugar coat anything; he tells it like it is. I’m really proud of what he’s doing with these kids too.”

— Alize on Robert Yanders

While putting on the camp here, Alize seemed to form a bond also with Rob’s nephew and The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law standout, Anton Brookshire. Anton isn’t one to boast, so Johnson lent a hand in giving the young player some props on social media. Alize said how humble he was is part of why he was so impressed by Brookshire.

“He’s humble - not trying to be big time. He already knows who he is and operates within himself. Honestly, he reminds me of myself in some ways… He has what it takes to be a pro,” Alize said of Brookshire.

Upcoming season

With a newly guaranteed contract, Alize Johnson is primed for another exciting pro season. The contract is now guaranteed because of what he was able to show the Indiana Pacers organization recently at the NBA Summer League. His scoring, and possibly more importantly, tenacious rebounding made him one of the Pacers’ most valuable summer players.

“(Rebounding) comes naturally to me - I love to do it. I still have the will for it too, of course, it helps me keep playing and making a living,” said Johnson.

Whether he spends the majority of his time with the Pacers or their G-League affiliate this season is still naturally a bit up in the air, though his summer showing is a great start. He says that all he can do is keep preparing as much as possible and be ready when his number is called. “I’ll just handle all the little things and everything should fall into place,” he said.

Now with these camps under his belt, Johnson will just be working out and hanging with friends until it’s time to get back at it. He says that he will report back on August 8th. We of course wish him the very best this upcoming season and want to thank him once again for teaming up with The Basketball Movement this summer to stay involved with the community in Southwest Missouri.

Good luck, Alize and see you soon!

Rob Yanders Better Vibin Session - Alize Johnson

The Basketball Movement’s second Rob Yanders Better Vibin Session is in the books, featuring Alize Johnson.

The Founder of The Basketball, but also its lead Trainer, Coach, and driving force, Robert Yanders is on a mission to not only step up the games of those around him but his own as well. To help him do that, he created the Rob Yanders Better Vibin Sessions.

Already with one session under his belt, Rob recently sat with Yanders Law, Kickapoo, and The Basketball Movement gym rat, Anton Brookshire. Aside from being his uncle, Rob coaches Anton as well. That session was all about connecting not only as a player and coach but as family. The second vibin session is all about reconnecting with a longtime friend in more of a mentor-style relationship.

Alize Johnson is best known around Southwest, Missouri as one of the most decorated Missouri State Basketball players of all time. The basketball world now knows him best as a second-round NBA draft pick, playing with both the Indiana Pacers and their G-League affiliate.

Johnson flashed his upside in the G-League last season, averaging a double-double as a small forward. His tenacious rebounding and efficient scoring during this recent NBA Summer League earned him a guaranteed contract with the Pacers.

Yanders got to know Johnson during his time at MSU, working him out here at The Basketball Movement and giving him advice as he approached his pro career. In this Better Vibin Session, Alize and Rob reminisce about those times and talk about loyalty to those that aid you in your journey.

The Basketball Movement was proud to host the Alize Johnson Camp recently, which was the reason he was back in town. Giving back is big for both Alize and Rob, so they hold mutual respect and admiration for each other, which shines through in this session.

In the Vibin Session, they discuss where Alize comes from and where he’s going, loyalty, family, and more. This is two professionals at opposite ends of their careers - Alize is starting out and learning the ropes and Rob is done playing for a paycheck, but now using basketball as a tool to fuel the passions of others.

You have to check out this Rob Yanders Better Vibin Session! Below is the full video, but make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to make sure you catch the next one too!

The Basketball Movement: Day 2 Alize Johnson Basketball Camp

7th-12th graders are getting their shot today at the Alize Johnson Basketball Camp here at The Basketball Movement.

Another nice turn out to work with Missouri State Alum and Indiana Pacers forward, Alize Johnson at The Basketball Movement. The players have been establishing plenty of sweat equity all morning and are gearing up for an intense afternoon of work as well.

Being around, listening to, and learning from Alize is already a big perk that we are thrilled to be able to facilitate. This is still The Basketball Movement too, so you know these boys and girls are getting all the work they can handle.

Whether it is Robert Yanders facilitating a drill, Alize Johnson making sure the player work or one of the coaches motivating and guiding, the buzz in the gym is tangible and the excitement is through the roof. As it usually is in these gyms, the energy level is crazy. Leave it to Rob to make sure everyone is amped.

Small scrimmages are breaking out with skill flashing all over the place. Emphasis on head-to-head competition has been a big theme today and appears to be an Alize Johnson specialty. The bodies on the floor for loose balls are everything you can hope for.

Make sure to be following along on all social media platforms as we continue to drop pictures and videos from the camp. Stay tuned!

Underway at The Alize Johnson Basketball Camp

With one of our favorite pros in the building, The Basketball Movement is pumped to be kicking off day one of the Alize Johnson Basketball Camp.

Dozens of area grade-schoolers are getting an opportunity to work with one of the best today. Alize Johnson is not just a decorated Missouri State alumni, but now one of the most promising NBA prospects coming out of the NBA Summer League playing on a guaranteed contract for the Indiana Pacers.

Johnson’s top-tier talent and NBA experience mixed with Rob Yanders and the rest of The Basketball Movement coaches and players here helping today is a combination that will make sure every kid here comes away with important skills for the game of basketball. Also - we’re going to have a lot of fun.

Alize and Rob have the campers already hard at work, making sure players are working on dribbling with their off-hand, keeping their heads up at all times. ‘Ze is motivating the kids by telling them he is on the lookout for the very hardest worker. He is playfully motivating Rob, but rubbing in his face that he doesn’t have an autographed jersey yet…

For such a young NBA player, Alize is already doing impressive things in giving back to his communities. We say “communities” because Johnson isn’t even from Springfield, MO. He already put on one of these camps last week in his hometown of Williamsport, PA. The Alize Johnson Foundation has also already established big plans to build courts back in Williamsport with security features and lighting so that basketball can be safely enjoyed by all.

We are lucky here in Southwest, MO to have our college star, already onto the next level, coming back to serve our community in such a positive way using the sport he loves.

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement here and on social media to stay on top of what we have going on here. Tomorrow is the 7th-12th grade camp, so there is still plenty more to come.

Alize Johnson Basketball Camp

The Basketball Movement is proud to present a great opportunity for area ballers!

Missouri State Alumni, NBA player, and ally of The Basketball Movement, Alize Johnson is headed back to Springfield, MO to put on a camp for 3rd graders up to 12th.

The Basketball Movement is proud to host Johnson’s “Blueprint to the Stars of the Game” camp to give community players an opportunity to learn from top-tier talent. Alize has been tearing it up in the NBA Summer League, recently earning a guaranteed contract with the Indiana Pacers. He is using his limited time off to spread a bit of knowledge on what it takes!

In his hometown in Pennsylvania, Alize is about to host a couple of these camps and they sold out quickly. Contact The Basketball Movement at basketballmovement@yahoo.com to get in while you can because spots are limited.

The camp is open to boys and girls. 3rd-6th grade is July 22nd, 9:00 am-3:00 pm. 7th-12th grade is July 23rd, 9:00 am-3:00 pm. You don’t want to miss this opportunity!

We hope to see you there!

Alize Johnson gives back to his community

Ally of The Basketball Movement, Missouri State Alum, and NBA forward, Alize Johnson is using his platform to improve his community and change lives.

At The Basketball Movement, we talk about using basketball to give back to the community quite a bit and we are thrilled to see that our friend, Alize Johnson is doing just that. When he was coming into our facility to get work while he was attending Missouri State, Alize was a bad man on the floor and a good one off of it. Things don’t appear to have changed, which is awesome to see.

The Indiana Pacers signed Johnson to a two-way contract in his rookie season, which means that he played plenty of G-League ball, but was also available to play minutes with the Pacers. Never the biggest player on the court, he still did an excellent job of crashing the glass all season and turned in a nice rookie campaign.

Despite staying plenty busy all season, Alize has still found time to do big things through the Alize Johnson Foundation.

Originally from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Johnson is clearly remembering his roots, as this will be the site of his foundation’s big project. He will be putting in three NBA regulation outdoor courts. The project includes adjustable hoops, lights, fencing, and new bleachers. The courts will have a security guard stationed from 4-8 pm to aid in making this a safe space for the youth of Williamsport.

The project is titled WtaWtaW (Where there’s a Will, there’s a Way). The project is also sponsored by PRN Home Health Services and the Pepsi Bottling Group in Williamsport. Their donation page can be found here: https://fundrazr.com/41ShQ7?ref=sh_c7ssh2_ab_319MbZF7yHP319MbZF7yHP

We are proud of Alize for supporting his community in this way. Basketball is obviously his bread and butter, so finding a way to channel that into something bigger is incredible to see.

The Basketball Movement is focused daily on helping players on the court. However, there is nothing better than seeing athletes (especially ones we’ve had the pleasure of working with) use basketball for an even greater purpose.

Props to Alize for making big moves that will positively affect lives in his community. No doubt he continues the good work through his career and beyond.

NBA Summer League: More highlights

2018 NBA Summer League action is wrapping up. We take a look at a few more highlights including some of The Basketball Movement's top talent.

We have already taken a dive into Deonte Burton's stellar NBA Summer League. He averaged 11/6/3 with nearly two steals and blocks per contest. Even before his strong play, he inked a two-way deal with the OKC Thunder. How have other Basketball Movement standouts fared?

Indiana Pacers forward and former Missouri State University standout Alize Johnson has had a big Summer. After being selected in the second round of the NBA Draft (50th), Johnson has now officially signed a contract with the Pacers. The terms have not been released.

In just 23 minutes per contest, Alize average 12.4 points, 8.6 boards, and 1.6 steals. Despite not being the biggest player out there, Alize's 8.6 rebounds have landed him 13th in Summer League so far in that category.

Another player to pass through The Basketball Movement's doors on his way to the top is Monte Morris. After a strong season last year on his two-way contract, the Denver Nuggets only needed four games out of Morris to be reminded of what he can do. He average a whopping 17.5 points on 50 percent shooting to go with 6.3 assists.

Morris has yet to re-sign a deal, but has shown enough to certainly warrant another contract. The Nuggets have recently gotten deeper at guard with the signing of Isaiah Thomas, but someone will make room for Monte.

The rest of NBA Summer League

NBA Summer League ends tonight with the championship game between the Lakers and Trailblazers. The Lakers are headlined by NBA sophomore Josh Hart, who is currently leading Summer League in scoring at 24.2 points per game. That match will be tonight at 9:00 PM Central on ESPN.

Another second-year NBA man, John Collins of the Hawks was on fire this Summer, averaging 24 points and 8.5 boards. His rookie teammate Trae Young averaged 17 points after a slow first few games to go with seven assists.

A couple of other rookie standouts were Kevin Knox of the Knicks and Collin Sexton of the Cavaliers. First overall pick in the NBA Draft, Deandre Ayton averaged 14.5 points and 10.5 boards for the Suns to go with solid defense. Another hyped-up draft pick, Luka Doncic did not play due to injury.

There has been a lot to sift through already from these guys with more on the way with the championship matchup of this league tournament coming up tonight.

Stay locked in with The Basketball Movement as we follow our guys, and basketball as a whole. Keep grinding!

All stats per NBA.com

2018 NBA Draft pick Alize Johnson - The Basketball Movement

Missouri State Alum Alize Johnson talks with The Basketball Movement after being selected in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The first Missouri State Bear selected in the NBA Draft since Winston Garland (1987), Alize Johnson is a versatile threat destined for professional basketball at the highest level. No stranger to The Basketball Movement, we had the opportunity to talk to him after the draft.

Fans of Missouri State basketball are very familiar with Alize's game. He is a capable scorer and is a 20-rebound threat despite his versatility as a stretch-big. With the size and quickness to guard multiple positions, he was coveted by several NBA teams.

Alize Johnson has had a very busy Summer, working out with 12 NBA teams all over the country. He said that it was a "Dream come true" being in all of those facilities and meeting the personnel.

Players or fans alike would recognize another versatile big man named Johnson that Alize got to meet recently. "Meeting Magic Johnson in LA was not normal" Alize said. "I had to act normal, but to meet someone on his level with his experience... it was definitely cool."

He has encountered players at all levels on his journey. He said of his fellow draftee, Dante DiVincenzo that he was not surprised in the least that he went 17th. He also mentioned De'Aaron Fox, who was drafted last season but is technically younger than Alize. "He has been great to defend this offseason. I've learned where I need to be in my lateral movement from his speed."

The Draft

Hearing your name selected in the NBA draft is an incredible accomplishment for basketball players from every corner of the world. In case he was not tired of answering the question already, we asked Alize what it felt like to get drafted:

“It felt like a dream. I have worked extremely hard and been through a lot with my family. It was an emotional night, but now I’m looking forward to getting to play with the best players in the world.”

— Alize Johnson

When asked what the next step is for him, Alize explained that NBA Summer League is the next big moment. "I'm learning plays and getting a feel for how they want to use me" Alize said. He aims to impress them with his ability to fill any role on the floor. He says he would be comfortable at the 3 or 4 position - whatever the team needs.

From a 5’9 PG at a 1A school to a 6’7 SR. Non-qualifier & 0 D1 offers. 2 yrs JUCO unranked. 2 yrs at a mid-major D1. 2x 1st team all-MVC. MVP at Adidas nation. 5th in nation rebounding SR yr. NBA combine invite. 2 college degrees. Picked 50th overall in NBA draft. NEVER give up!

— Alize Johnson (@AlizeJohnson) July 5, 2018

He said he is currently working on conditioning and getting back to being a knock-down three-point shooter like he was his Junior year at MSU. Speaking of putting in work...

Alize Johnson and The Basketball Movement

His time at Missouri State is what led to meeting Rob Yanders and working out at The Basketball Movement. He said that he heard this is where local guys came to get great workouts.

“Rob is a great guy - very genuine. He can explain how to work out efficiently for you specifically. He’s a great trainer but an even better dude.”

— Alize Johnson on Rob Yanders

As it is often goes with time spent at The Basketball Movement, it is easier to show you the work than to explain it in words. Check out the video below for some of the work Alize Johnson put in here at The Movement.

Asked to give advice to The Basketball Movement's up-and-comers on how to get your name called in the draft, he had a few simple tips.

Our personal favorite is "Use Rob." Alize explained that Rob has played as a professional and had players come through his doors from the highest level. Having such a resource here in the Midwest is a great way for players to get ahead.

Beyond that, Johnson spoke on the importance of character and leaning on whatever religion you may follow. He said to remain humble, but also to work extremely hard.

If working "extremely hard" doesn't scare you off of your path to the top, contact The Basketball Movement to get to work right away.

We wish our friend, Alize Johnson the best of luck in the NBA! Summer League in Vegas starts tonight with all games televised on either NBA TV, ESPN, or ESPN U, so don't forget to tune in!