NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — It’s a pretty quiet time in sports right now, but if you’re a basketball fan and you’re looking for some good action, look no further than Noblesville.
Kyle Guy grew up on the hardwood in Indianapolis. From a star at Lawrence Central to winning a national championship at Virginia to now, at 24 years old, playing in the NBA at the highest level.
"Basketball is ingrained in my blood because I’m from here," Guy said. "Maybe I would’ve liked it the same if I was from Montana, I don't know, but just being from here it means something. People say, 'In 49 states it’s just basketball.' It’s cliché, but it’s so true."
No matter where Guy goes, he always returns home. He’s been training with Derick Grant for the last decade. Last summer, they took things to another level.
"We started doing these open gyms because he was working me out, but we never went live so we started inviting all these guys," Guy said. "The games got so competitive and we got so many good players that it made sense to turn this into something for the city, for the state and for the players."
That’s how the Dizzy Runs Pro-Am was born.
There will be multiple games every Tuesday night from July 12 to August 2 at the MoJo Up Sports Complex. The championship game will be played on August 6.
There are six teams, about 50 players, and the talent is off the charts.
There's familiar names, like Lance Stephenson and former Butler standout Kelan Martin. The Teague brothers are playing, Hamilton Southeastern alum Gary Harris is locked in and you may even see Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton getting in on the action.
You’ll recognize a lot of the faces out there and that’s part of the point. Guy wants to showcase the insane amount of talent the Hoosier State has to offer.
"In my time in the NBA, I’m in these locker rooms, always vouching for guys from Indiana", Guy said. "They’re like, 'Dang, he’s cold!' and I’m like, 'Yeah, he’s from Indiana!' and they’re like, 'Huh?' So I just want people to remember. Everyone knows how good high school basketball is here as in teams and coaches and the gym sizes and that's great, but they don’t always remember the players. That's why we want a big Indy presence."
Not only will there be pro and college players on the court, many from Purdue, IU and Butler, but some central Indiana high school stars like Myles Colvin will be out there, too. The Heritage Christian senior and Purdue commit is taking advantage of the opportunity to hoop with these guys.
"I'm blessed to be around these guys, pro guys, seeing where I want to be and how much hard work it takes," said Colvin. "Kyle has really taken me under his wing and given me knowledge and I'm just soaking it up."
It all started with an idea. Guy and his trainer had a vision to grow the game, and now, through the Dizzy Runs Pro-Am, others can see it, too.
"I have a son now. I want him to be proud of where he’s from and proud of me," Guy said. "So I’m just trying to give back to the next generation and the city and state the best I can."
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