With much wisdom, comes many learned lessons. With podcast D&K in the Lab, learn from co-hosts Dex G and Kurt Lee about how to overcome your odds with some inspirational basketball stories. Dex played highschool and college basketball while being told that he couldn’t and it wouldn’t be worth it. After doing what he loved anyway, he shared the secrets to getting your mind right when you are faced with adversity.
While Dex and Kurt are usually delving into Division 1 basketball players and their stats, they are also going into Dex’s history with D1 basketball. “Even though this podcast is about sports, a lot of the content anyone can relate to. We really go over how to get into the right mentality to face your challenges and overcome obstacles,” they explain.
D&K in the Lab has a lot of humor and wit as they talk about various topics. “We wanted it to be fun and have a good connection with our audience. I truly think we’re succeeding because we are so relatable. Dex’s history is really good for tying everything together with the encouraging message,” Kurt adds.
Dex started his own basketball career at Suffern High School in New York. After he graduated from Marist College, he continued his education at Montclair State. “I joined their basketball club and helped them go undefeated at 7-0 during that first semester,” he remembers. “What made this so awesome was that MSU competed in the NCBBA. This gave me so much confidence that I kept playing even while I was taking classes at different schools to become a medical records professional.”
Dex went on to be a member of the team at SUNY Ulster Community College, a division 2 NJCAA. “I felt proud to be one of the four players who made it to the next level. I actually committed to playing at County College of Morris after Montclair, but after a month and a half on the team, I transferred to SUNY Ulster and walked on the team later on in the season. I also played semi-pro for the East Carolina Cardinals.”
Dex decided to take his love for basketball in a new direction by starting his podcast with Kurt. “It was actually his idea,” Dex says. “During the pandemic, we couldn’t play basketball and were looking for something to do, so he suggested talking about my life and other players’ to try to inspire the next generation of players and anyone else who faces a tough road to achieving their dreams.” Kurt, while not a player, is an avid watcher of the game and knows the stats of every player, so he was the perfect partner for Dex.
“To understand our podcast, you have to understand how difficult it is for high school players to make it onto a Division 1 team in college,” Dex says. “It’s not easy to do. At that level, it’s all about winning – losing isn’t acceptable. Yet, so many high schoolers are aiming for that dream. That’s one reason they’ll like this podcast, as will anyone interested in inspirational stories. I interview Division 1 players like Ahmad Clark, who plays for Albany University, and Chris Galbreath, who plays for Sam Houston State. They get real about how hard you must work to make it to that level, how you have to eat, and how brutal the training really is.”
Dex also brings his own life story into the podcast to encourage others to go after what they want. “I have played on teams, but no one ever thought that I would. I had a lot of people doubting what I could do, so I would like to use my story to help people who are also having to overcome the naysayers. Sometimes you really do just have to ignore other people and believe in yourself.”
Some of the greatest battles we will face will be the ones with ourselves. “You have to know what you want and fight for it,” Dex says. “That is one of the most important things that you can do. Get your mind right and go for it.” Success isn’t a one size fits all strategy, but it starts in the mind first. Once you’ve won in your mind you have the right motivation to win physically.
