“I’ve been coaching and training students for years, and I can see who has both natural ability and the will to transform that talent into true skill. As the Director of Recruiting and Scouting, I’ll bring top talent into AP so that our teams perform well and that our students can help each other improve. After all, iron sharpens iron.”
Gregory Willis
Co Founder
Gregory Willis is a basketball veteran who has spent decades on and around the court, winning championships as a player and a coach. Through his advice and training, he’s helped students advance in the game and place in top universities. Now, using his vast knowledge of the game and his connections throughout the basketball world, Mr. Willis heads up Accelerated Prep recruiting and scouting efforts.
He and his team will comb national and international records, attend games and training sessions, and interview students to find the players with the highest potential. After discovering these top students, he’ll introduce them to the many advantages of AP and recruit them to our program.
By building talented teams of players, Gregory will both be helping AP and the students themselves. Not only will we field strong teams, but those strong teams will elevate the players. As he said in the quote above, “iron sharpens iron.” Talented players who take training seriously will spur one another on to greater and greater things.
A History of Victories
Mr. Willis has been playing basketball since he was a young boy. In elementary school, his team was banned from competing against other teams due to their overwhelming victories. He played under Arkansas basketball legend Gayle Kaundart, going on to have the first undefeated season in state history, and their team was ranked #5 team in the nation.
At the end of his high school career, many of his fellow players – five of whom would be future 1st round NBA picks – decided to follow Coach Kaundart to Westark Community Junior College. Gregory, being 6’ 4” and the smallest center in his conference, decided to pursue his education instead.
With a basketball scholarship to Hendrix College, he went on to earn two majors in psychology and sociology. Business then took him to Colorado, where after just ten very successful years, he was able to retire. He later earned his Master’s in psychology and was then asked to begin working with the newly founded Colorado Hawks Basketball Club.
Gregory decided to work with them, but with the stipulation that the club’s goal had to be to help get kids into college. For 25 years, he did just that, helping hundreds of students earn spots at top universities. “I’m proud that I’ve been able to help so many young people advance their futures in such a positive direction,” said Gregory, “I look forward to bringing students to AP who will receive the benefits of both quality education and expert athletic instruction.”