Donovan W.

I currently serve as a Graduate Assistant with the USC Men’s Basketball program, where I assist with player development, scouting, film breakdown, and daily basketball operations. I have coached and trained athletes ranging from youth players to high school, collegiate, and professional-level athletes. Through my experience with USC and player development programs, I have worked with Division I athletes, NBA Draft prospects, and NBA players in training and workout environments. I typically work with athletes ages 8 through professional players, with a strong focus on skill development, basketball IQ, and position-specific training. While my expertise comes primarily from my collegiate playing and coaching experience, I continually study modern player development methods used at the NCAA and professional levels.

I competed at the NCAA collegiate level as a point guard at Cal State San Marcos and served as a team captain during my collegiate career. Throughout my basketball journey, I was fortunate to experience success at multiple levels of competition. In high school, I won a CIF Championship, and in college, I helped my program capture a conference championship while competing against high-level NCAA competition. In addition to my accomplishments on the court, I was recognized as a member of the All-Academic Team, demonstrating my commitment to both athletics and academics. My experiences as a championship-winning athlete, team leader, and student-athlete have shaped my understanding of what it takes to succeed and have provided valuable lessons that I now pass on to the athletes I train and mentor.

Every session is tailored to the athlete’s age, position, skill level, and goals. We typically start with ball handling to improve control, pace, and change of direction before progressing into touch shots and finishing around the basket to develop feel and consistency. From there, we work on scoring off the dribble, shooting off the catch and off movement, footwork, and game-speed shooting. As players advance, I incorporate screen reads, pick-and-roll decision-making, attacking closeouts, creating separation, and other live-game scenarios that apply to their position. Throughout the workout, I emphasize proper technique, basketball IQ, and attention to detail while providing constant feedback. Every drill is designed to translate directly to game situations so athletes leave each session with skills they can immediately apply in competition.