[CoachNM0523]

T.J. Walker | Basketball Recruiting Analyst
High-level prep basketball will enter the Bluegrass. Aspire Basketball Academy will leave North Scottsdale, Ariz. and relocate to Louisville.

Aspire Academy will become the first major prep-school in Kentucky and plans to bring in some of the top talent in the country and play a national schedule against other prep-school powerhouses.

In 2016, now Co-Excutive Director of Aspire Academy, Bryan Just planned on starting a prep-school in Kentucky. The initial plan was a grassroots movement to build a team in Louisville and start competitive basketball in the fall of 2016, but when the opportunity presented itself for Aspire to relocate, Just decided to be patient.

"Aspire Academy created a reputable brand in one year through hard work and doing things the right way," Just said. "I am excited to work with them to continue building that brand and creating something special."

A traditional basketball prep-school will bring in top talent across the country and help give those student-atheltes more exposure on the national level. While it's called a prep-school, Aspire Academy's anticipated students will attend DeSales High School in Louisville, while playing basketball for Aspire.

Kentucky has landed several prep-school players, most recently P.J. Washington from Findlay Prep in Nevada.

Aspire Academy participated in the Grind Session last year, a league of prep-school teams that play in events across the country. Benton and Paducah combined to host three Grind Session events during the 2016-2017 season.

The Grind Session may feature over 50 teams in any given year, but 16 core teams, which includes Aspire. Other featured teams include Hillcrest Prep, Prolific Prep and 22 Feet Academy.

Last year Jeremy Kipness was the head coach and Michael Kipness the Executive Director.

Michael Kipness is thrilled to bring Aspire to Louisville.

"This is a match made in heaven," he said. "Louisville is a perfect fit for Aspire Academy and the vision Bryan and his board have are parallel with what we have already began building."

It's unclear how many current Aspire players will make the move to Louisville with the team. Last season Aspire featured a National Team and a Post Graduate Team. The first was the traditional high school team that competed on the Grind Session circuit, the second featuring only fifth-year high school seniors. Only the National Team will exist in Louisville.

Last year the Grind Session circuit started in November.

[CoachNM0523]

Thoughts? I think this is huge for the state of KY.

[ky playmaker]

Why is it huge for ky? There will be very few if any ky kids on it. Ky already has several prep schools now.

[Single Wing 77]

What prep schools does ky currently have?

[ky playmaker]

What prep schools does ky currently have?

Vision prep in berea and Wesley Christian in Allen city

[CoachNM0523]

Vision prep in berea and Wesley Christian in Allen city

Would you consider those major prep schools? Because I lived in Berea a year and had no clue there's Vision Prep there and I wouldn't say Berea is the biggest town.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

I think Prep Schools are absolutely retarded. Why should anyone have to go to a school to focus on any sport. All the high schools should provide that opportunity. No value placed on education these days. A special school for basketball players. Ridiculous. Yeah I know some of you are going to say it is what it is crap. Guys making 100 million dollars playing ball. I think its sad what this country has become. Pay the cops more, pay teachers more, pay people with hard ass jobs more. Nobody is worth a million dollars a year to dribble a basketball, hit a baseball, run a football. Pathetic. My rant is over now.

[CoachNM0523]

I think Prep Schools are absolutely retarded. Why should anyone have to go to a school to focus on any sport. All the high schools should provide that opportunity. No value placed on education these days. A special school for basketball players. Ridiculous. Yeah I know some of you are going to say it is what it is crap. Guys making 100 million dollars playing ball. I think its sad what this country has become. Pay the cops more, pay teachers more, pay people with hard ass jobs more. Nobody is worth a million dollars a year to dribble a basketball, hit a baseball, run a football. Pathetic. My rant is over now.

I get the pay cops and pay teachers more. But at the end of the day cash is still king and as long as you have millions and millions around the world tuning in to NBA, NFL, and MLB games, going to live events, buying merchandise, donating to, and playing video games with these organizations then that's what you're gonna see. I'd like to see teachers make more but teachers aren't bringing in a lot of cash. Most do it for the love of the job and the love of making a difference in a child's life.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

You might as well just said "It is what it is." Yeah, since all those pros are trying to make differences in kids lifes, why dont they donate some of that dough to the youth programs at some of the schools instead of buying 3 million dollar cars. Yeah yeah yeah.

[Reds#1Fan]

If a teacher educates the student that finds the cure for Cancer or some other God awful disease I think that person is a lot more deserving of a 7 figure paycheck. I love sports but it has lost all touch with the real world. The fact that LeBron and others take game off to rest when several people in the crowd have paid money to see them is a joke. If you play every game and win the championship you might play 100 games. Cal Ripken was a true sportsman and gave the fans what they deserved.

[HCS]

What kind of limits would you set an NBA player. How do the NBA owners go about sending that extra money to teachers and police officers, or is everyone just going to pay twice as much in taxes?
Would you limit how much actors and musicians make? Who decides which jobs are important enough to make lots of money?

[Reds#1Fan]

I think any form of entertainment should pay a higher tax and should go to fund public service jobs. Regular people are the people that pay the money for those big salaries so some of it should come back to those regular people that protect and serve the "famous" people. In my opinion.

[Milkcrate52]

I don't understand why you guys are bashing pro athletes. It's more than likely because you guys don't have the talent or the work ethic to make it to the pros. There's nothing wrong these guys making that money when they have spend more time in the gym than you do at your job. Yeah, teachers should get paid more, but its not pro athletes cutting their wages, its the government.

[Single Wing 77]

If you're so vehemently against the way things are, then be the change you want to see in the world. Donate money to your local school system, and stop watching pro sports. I personally think prep schools are a good idea. Get the young men with the most talent the best coaching and the most structure. The schools still have to meet state curriculum. At the worst they'll do as good a job or better than some of the bottom feeders in the state. That being said, I expect them to be similar to the private schools in the state who are much better than most public schools in the state. Going to a prep school COULD be the difference in a kid reaching his potential and being a cautionary tale in his hometown.

[HAROLD]

I remember 10-15 years ago, Millersburg Military was considered turning into an Oak Hill type basketball school but it never came to fruition.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

I can promise you that there aint money of them that have worked any harder than I ever did. Just wasnt given the god given gift of being 6'8 or 6'9. I really never considered lifting weights, running, playing sports, or practicing to be any type of WORK. When people say PUTTING IN THE WORK, I laugh my ass off. I know people that are 6'3 and smaller have to train and practice a whole lot harder than people 6'8 or bigger do. But heck there isnt any reason to talk about any of this stuff. The guys shouldnt make anything over a million a year. It is a sad reality how much these god like figures make. 99% of them were blessed with the god given size and athletism. As far as them working hard and earning that 10.2 million a year. Thats a friggin joke. It is what it is.

[Single Wing 77]

There are droves of guys who are 6'8" or taller who are working stiffs just like the rest of us. The ones who make it to the NBA are the ones who are that big AND work their tails off. The good thing is, that a lot of guys can be a successful high school players if they'll put in the work. At the end of the day, they do have god given ability, and they reach their full potential. Everyone complains about the players making so much money, the owners make enough to pay the players what they make and still make a great profit. Like I said, if you don't like it don't watch it.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

I like basketball and I will watch what I want. You keep on buying your 200 dollar Lebron replica jerseys bro and keep on keeping them up. I watch more College ball than the NBA. Our country has some issues and I think thats one of the biggest ones. A lot of people here dont get what they are worth. Wished Trump would do something about this.

[Single Wing 77]

I haven't watched an NBA game since Shaq played for the heat. The only basketball teams I care about are the wildcats and the redhounds. I do however recognize that the cash flow into professional sports is in the billions. It's good business and it helps the economies of the cities where it's located. Stop looking for someone else to get you "what you're worth". Go find it your self. Increase your education, move to somewhere OTHER than where you grew up. If you're not willing to got get "what you're worth" yourself, then you don't deserve it in my honest opinion. I would also like to note that my comments are not directed at any one person or avatar. When I type "you" I just mean anyone.

[Reds#1Fan]

I am a Rank 1 teacher and go to work everyday in my hometown trying to make a difference in the place where I grew up. I don't need millions to be happy, I can promise I live a better life than a lot of NBA players. I might not have their money but if you have to have money to have a good life then you are in a lot of trouble. Professional athletes just aren't what they should be in my eyes. Very few are the role models our youth need. Kids today are drawn to the flashiest thing around and a lot of the time that isn't a good thing. For every 1 Tim Tebow there's 25 Ray Rice.

[Milkcrate52]

Every single one of them has worked harder than any of us. What about the guards that are in the pros that are only 6 foot? Even lower, Isiah Thomas is 5'9 and averaged almost 30 a game this season. You may have been a hard worker, but nothing near these athletes.

[Milkcrate52]

I like basketball and I will watch what I want. You keep on buying your 200 dollar Lebron replica jerseys bro and keep on keeping them up. I watch more College ball than the NBA. Our country has some issues and I think thats one of the biggest ones. A lot of people here dont get what they are worth. Wished Trump would do something about this.

If you think pro athletes wages is one of the biggest problems our country has you are incredibly under-informed and uneducated

[Bulldogs4Ever]

Milkcrate I can guarantee that I have a better education than you do pal. Paying these so called Gods all this cash is a problem. We live in a dream world in the USA.

Yes those little 6'4 and under guys do have to work a lot harder I agree.

Singlewing, why should I have to move in order to make a good comfortable living? I love living here in Eastern Kentucky. I have traveled all over the United States and I'd rather live in my little hick town any day of the week. My question is, why cant I make a good living in Eastern Kentucky? You know, I have it pretty good but I'd love to have a new car but on my salary, I cant even afford a 300 dollar a month car payment and full coverage insurance. I have 3 college degrees and a state job. Not going to go into to much detail about what I do for a living. Whats sad, is that a pro athlete can play one game and make more money that what I will make in 10-15 years. Come on. Really? Nobody is worth that unless they do find a cure for cancer. Our soldiers dont make enough money, our police officers, our teachers, cab drivers, fast food employees, you name it. People that are on the draw have it better than we do. And when someone is disabled drawing disability, thats fine but for someone that is to sorry to work, thats a different story. I could care less about a Prep School. Sorry. Love basktball as much as anyone but I think they all should have to get an education like anyone else. I think they should have to go to college for 4 years as well. Education Pays. Really? LOL

[Single Wing 77]

Education doesn't pay if you get a horrible degree. Nobody ever won a job because they had a bachelors in philosophy. You would be better off to learn a skilled trade and work for yourself. I know guys who can barely read that make $100,000 a year doing plumbing, masonry, mechanical work, hvac, etc. even in these little "hick towns" you talk about. I never said you had to move. I said that if you weren't getting "what you're worth" that you should go get it. It's not the President's job to make some company come to Hazard to pay you "what you're worth". If you have three degrees and can't get what you want as far as salary goes, then you should have gotten better degrees, obviously they haven't helped you very much.

Those guys who are leading medical experts are just as blessed as NBA basketball players. It is just in a different area. I know more than one person who has a tested IQ of over 130 who have ended up hooked on drugs or in prison. Everyone has to meet their potential to achieve greatness. No matter what field their in. I can guarantee they don't set around and complain about how they're not getting "what their worth".

And as far as a $300 car payment goes, I wouldn't buy a brand new car if I could afford $1,000 a month on a payment. New cars are the worst financial decision a human can make. You throw away $10,000 when you drive off the lot. prestige is a hard thing to buy, it is VERY expensive and it depreciates QUICKLY.

[Single Wing 77]

Back to the original topic. I hope this prep school does come to Louisville. It would be cool to potentially get to watch a kid that might commit to Kentucky play in highschool.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

Dang Singlewing you sound like you have it all figured out. You should of ran for president against Trump. I can set here all night and argue back and forth. I dont care if UK gets the next Micheal Jordan, I wont be there treating them kids like gods. Heck Id say half the kids that played at UK got a million in their bank accounts already. lol. I just dont think any pro athlete, college, or ehatever is worth it. Look at Money Mayweather for instance. He worth 30 million to fight one fight????? And for the record, I do love my job. If I didnt, Id quit a long time ago. I just dont really understand how peoples pay scales can be so different. I just think every working person should get paid good. Thats pretty much it. If everyones gonna keep on worshipping these guys, thats fine with me. I wont be.

[Milkcrate52]

Milkcrate I can guarantee that I have a better education than you do pal. Paying these so called Gods all this cash is a problem. We live in a dream world in the USA.

Yes those little 6'4 and under guys do have to work a lot harder I agree.

You may have a better education in general, but it doesn't matter if you're ignorant on the matter you're talking about. In this case you are. And you saying every kid should have to get a degree before they leave college is stupid. Wouldn't you have dropped out of college if you got paid better and working at a job you love? Why should it be different for athletes?

[Bulldogs4Ever]

Milkcrate, I shouldnt said anything about my education being better than yours. That was stupid I admit. So sorry about that. Now, are you saying that just because these boys are great athletes, they shouldnt have to be educated? What if our country went to war and there wasnt any pro sports any more? What could they do? Just saying. To many people dont have a backup plan. I feel like all Americans should have to be educated.

[Easy Wind]

Milkcrate, I shouldnt said anything about my education being better than yours. That was stupid I admit. So sorry about that. Now, are you saying that just because these boys are great athletes, they shouldnt have to be educated? What if our country went to war and there wasnt any pro sports any more? What could they do? Just saying. To many people dont have a backup plan. I feel like all Americans should have to be educated.

College is not for everyone.

[Bulldogs4Ever]

High School or vocational school isnt? Do they really get an education at a prep school especially if they are on a plane every other day going from Louisville to Vegas for example.