OTE Basketball has become one of the most talked-about leagues over the past few years, and it’s led to some players getting drafted into the NBA. In the 2024 NBA Draft, Alex Sarr, Rob Dillingham and Tyler Smith were the players who had a stint in OTE Basketball at some time in their careers and were since drafted.
Damien Wilkins is the man behind the development, as he’s the head of basketball at OTE. He spoke with rolling out about former players getting drafted, Alex Sarr and his leadership style.
How was it seeing some of the former OTE players recently get drafted?
For all of our guys that get that opportunity, it’s great. From Alex Sarr and Rob Dillingham to Tyler Smith, all of those guys that get the opportunity to get drafted and live out their dreams, [and]we’re just happy to be a part of their journey.
How bad did you want Alex Sarr to get drafted to Atlanta?
You know how badly we wanted him to go there, but I think he went to the place where he’s going to fit the best. I always said it; I’ve been joking about it: if I was the Hawks, I would have drafted him anyway. But I think he went where he wanted to go. I think he went somewhere where he felt like he could fit in well and be a cornerstone of what they’re doing in their rebuild, and he’ll get the opportunity to grow real fast.
What are some things that you’re telling prospects who are going to the league?
Listen more than anything — just listen. Go in, try to learn as much as you can and have fun with it. There’s going to be a lot of people that are telling you the right things to do. Oftentimes, people get there, and they think they know it all already. Trust me — they don’t know anything. It’s almost like their basketball career starting over at this point. Listen, learn, have fun, work your butt off and everything else will take care of itself.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I think it’s a mixture of that quiet leadership. I’m also someone who knows that I don’t know everything. I like to learn from the people that I work with, but I’m also assertive. When I see things that need to be done, we have to get them done. I’m not a micromanager, either, so I like to let people do the job that we brought them in here to do.
