EP#85 | James Gist: Life After Pro Basketball, Mentorship & the Next Generation

Former EuroLeague standout James Gist joins The Benas Podcast to talk honestly about life after pro basketball, chasing the NBA dream, and preparing for basketball retirement.

Drafted by the San Antonio Spurs and stashed in Europe, James built a high-level career with elite clubs like Partizan and Panathinaikos, winning titles across Europe. He shares what it was like balancing NBA aspirations while fully committing to a professional career overseas — and why mentorship played a key role in his development.

James also opens up about his transition into coaching high school players, passing on lessons from his career, and helping the next generation prepare for life both on and off the court. This episode offers valuable insight for players and coaches thinking about retirement and what comes next after basketball.

Topics:

00:00 Intro

1:00 Rookie in Europe & mentorship

9:55 NBA dreams

19:10 Fan bases & Cultures

33:20 Euro coaching vs US coaching

40:20 ⁠ProBallers.com⁠

45:15 Retirement Process & Identity

52:15 Next Generation Mindset

1:01:40 Unlearning habits

1:05:15 New realizations as a coach

1:16:10 ATOs

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#JamesGist #Panathinaikos #LifeAfterBasketball #BasketballRetirement #ProBasketball #EuroLeague #Mentorship

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