E.M.B.A.R.K humbly appreciated the opportunity to have a phone interview with...Alonzo ‘Amazn’ Miles from AND 1…
(A.M) Our purpose is very simple, “follow your heart, you find your passion, from your passion find your talent, through your talent you find your purpose, through your purpose you find why you’re here on this earth.” Here at AND 1 live our passion is ‘basketball.’ Which, we end up finding our talent, through our talent, we find our purpose and that is giving back to the kids. Through our purpose we find out what were here for and that is to encourage, inspire, and motivate the youth to follow their dreams.
(EM) How did you get the nickname ‘Amazn’?
(A.M) A lot of my games are ‘swag,’ I love to have fun. But, I can score a lot, I can shoot, I can hit score points. Linda Hill who it the CEO of B-Ball and Company Inc., gave me my name. I came in the game first as ‘Showstopper’ and it really coincides with ‘Amazin’ too which is funny. But, Linda really liked the sound and the name because she knows I do a lot of motivational speaking and the type of player I am and what community outreach means to me.
(EM) What would be your definition of a clutch player?
(A.M) A clutch player is a person who is not afraid of the moment. I have been reading these books that teach you to be 110 percent in the moment and not be afraid of it. A clutch player see their moment, they love it, and embrace their moment. I look at Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, or Reggie Miller they are one that look for their moment. I’ve seen Kobe miss 12 straight shots and then make the winning shot; I’ve seen Reggie do it too. When their moment comes they get in their moment. We let things cloud our thinking with what if I don’t make this shot, what the world is going to say. It’s just a shot. So, bring yourself to that moment and live it!!!
(EM) We at E.M.B.A.R.K are music enthusiasts. We would like to know what Alonzo Miles plays before a game or who do you listen to in general?
(A.M) I love everything. But, my favorite rapper is Jay Z, if I was to compare him to basketball like I do a lot of things. I would say Biggie and Tupac were the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird of Hip-Hop. The culture is on its way down. For example, you had the era when Def Jam dominated the culture. There was Gangsta Rap within Hip-Hop there was a variety of music. When Biggie and Tupac past away Jay Z assisted like Michael Jordan. Jay Z by far is the best lyrically than Nas, but not only that, he taught the whole world how to get paid off being a rapper, he teaches you that it’s okay to be yourself.
(A.M) Well that’s easy, were going to take it back to the culture of what it is bringing streetball as a whole. AND1 will continue to travel the world, be the best dunkers, and we have a documentary in the works. Everything about AND 1 is a culture the swagger of basketball and streetball. We are going to take it back to the blood, sweat, tears, and your grind. With streetball you play on concrete, holes in the backboard, chain nets, everything possible that would make you not want to play but the ‘LOVE’ will make you play.
(A.M) Well, personally I got to follow my dreams that’s why I am so adamant about telling the youth to follow their dreams. When I was growing up I wanted to go to the N.B.A; however I had a different path in my life. The thing’s that AND 1 taught me is far more valuable than partying in Bangkok. The two things I love are kids and playing basketball. And, yet I followed my heart and God guided me. A wise man once told me a long time ago to find something you love and do it everyday of your life. I have the blessing to get paid doing what I love to do.
(EM) Looking back on your journey could you give us one word that describes the evolution of Alonzo Miles?
(A.M) I would say ‘Growth’ because as child I was wild, hard headed you couldn’t tell me anything but there were great qualities. You find great qualities in negative aspects in people’s life. You couldn’t tell me anything I always wanted to talk back, but the thing is I turned that negative aspect into a positive and I grew into the man I was supposed to be. The evolution would be is that I started out as a hard headed child that didn’t want to work hard, to now growing into a great basketball player because I follow my heart with passion and taking steps to grow into a great man. I might have caused a couple of headaches when I was younger now that I’m a grown man I think for myself and I think sky’s the limit. There is no telling what I can do because my heart is always in the right place. The scripture Proverbs 3:5 says ‘Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lead not into thy own understanding.’
(EM) To conclude do you have any words of encouragement for any aspiring visionaries overcoming obstacles during their journey?
(A.M) Look at failures as if it was meant to happen to push you in a direction that God is trying to get you to see. We get sidetrack with our failures, if you just understand it really doesn’t exist learn to accept life, and live in the moment. Intensify your focus and see what God is trying to tell you. Sometimes, we fight our focus. We are all meant to be great in our own way, just claim it.
Editor’s Note: It was an honor speaking to Alonzo Miles from AND 1 and we thank the CEO of B-Ball and Company Inc., Linda Hill. We look forward connecting more in the future.
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