Meet Rodney Pryor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rodney Pryor.

Hi Rodney, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Evanston, Illinois native. I am the fourth of seven children. pioneer of my family, being the first to enroll in and complete college. I fell in love with the Lord at an early age, and those convictions followed me when I committed to basketball, despite the fact that I received no scholarships after high school. I had to go junior college, where I didn’t play much and eventually transferred. I broke my foot while playing at my second junior college. At the time, I was living well below the standard that God had set for me. In my third year of junior college, I returned healthy only to tear my ACL on the first day of practice. This was the point at which I gave my life to the Lord and began to take my walk seriously. Preaching and walking in discipline began. I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to Robert Morris University, where I dominated for two seasons scoring over 1,000 points before completing a graduate year at Georgetown University where I made All Big East Honorable mention. Six seasons as a pro overseas and in the NBA G League. Now married, with a two-year-old son and a baby daughter due in December.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life has been a series of obstacles and challenges, but through it all, I have emerged stronger and more resilient. From battling an identity crisis in a culture filled with negativity and sin, to overcoming the struggles of a broken household, enduring four surgeries that prevented me from playing the game I loved, and facing the disappointment of not receiving immediate scholarships after high school, my path has been far from easy. However, through it all, I have felt the hand of God guiding me, delivering me from the depths of despair and leading me towards a path of redemption. With unwavering faith and an unyielding determination, I have found the strength to rise above my circumstances, embracing the difficult path that has shaped me into the person I am today.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

Athlete at the highest level. I now have my own mentorship program called Rise Mentorship. I have participated in off-court player development initiatives with the NBA.

Specialize in mentoring and guiding athletes through their path. Truly proud I took advantage of the chance to become the person I needed to be when I was younger.

What distinguishes me is God’s call on my life to assist the next generation of athletes. My purpose is my driving force, and because I was blessed to reach the top 1% of the world in basketball, which is where every kid serious about the game aspires to be, it helped set me apart and gave me the influence to persuade them to recognize and accept having standards and character.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Connecting me with high school coaches and athletes. Would love to collaborate with adding valuable teaching and information and network to the mentorship program.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: R_d_p11
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-pryor-55a114179

• Twitter: rise_mentorship