Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabe Alexander

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

My name is Gabriel Alexander. I’m a professional basketball player, dunker, and entrepreneur from Marksville, Louisiana. I was born and raised in Louisiana. I also continued my education after high school in Louisiana as a student-athlete at Southern-University Shreveport on a basketball scholarship and McNeese State University as a track and field athlete. I grew up living with my mother, sister and niece for most of my life and visiting my father prior to graduating high school . I was a very simple kid growing. I was a very vibrant and enthusiastic personality but I enjoyed staying to myself and playing video games, interacting with my friends online, and playing basketball in my leisure . I began playing basketball at 7 years old for my catholic school when I made the team’s B-team. I was horrible . I only knew one move and that was to tuck the ball under my stomach and protect it from being stolen if it ever got passed to me . I loved the experience and eventually became more and more interested in sports and basketball and thankfully became better and more athletic as well as time went on. I was a troublesome kid the older I got and was even almost diagnosed with ADHD while I was in grade school because of how gifted and expressive I was. My freshman year of high school I immediately met my soon-to-be high school coach Chris Dupuy in the halls of Marksville High School in the fall of 2008 and asked him what I needed to do to try out for the team and the rest was history. However, my basketball journey came to a screeching halt that same year , when I was on the freshman basketball team. The season was just beginning and I was excited to make my pursuit for a basketball scholarship and then I break my right leg on a bad fall while playing pickup basketball on a sprained ankle in between classes . Season over. I sat in a cast for 5 months healing from a broken tibial bone crushed that I was no longer able to play basketball with my friends on the school’s team… Thankful for the support of my mom and dad , and rest of family , including my sister’s boyfriend at the time , Chris Collins. I was able to make a successful recovery, rejoin the basketball team the next year and almost 14 years later, now I’m the first and only active professional dunker from my hometown !

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

It was nowhere near a smooth journey. If there’s anything I can share with anyone that would want to know what it takes to succeed in any aspect of life , I’d say that anything that comes easy doesn’t last and anything worth having is worth struggling for until you achieve it or receive it.

Some of the struggles I faced were financial setbacks, self-esteem issues, homelessness, lack of opportunity coming from a small-town with not many available resources or avenues to propel local talent into the major networks and opportunities bigger cities had.

I also spent time in rehab after finishing college and moving to Texas because I was not ok with my current situation and position in life and I recognized that I needed help. I moved back home to Louisiana around 2018 or 2019 and reached out to my family about seeking help after my life had became unmanageable from trying to figure out life on my own with student loans waiting on me, bills, investing in my basketball brand and career out-of-pocket, no job offers in my field of study , and the stresses of trying to survive while also trying to cope with those stresses through alcohol ABUSE and drug ABUSE… I put emphasis on the words of abuse because … the dependencies and abuse of those things were what led to me losing myself and the basketball playing Gabriel that I knew.

In so many words I faced soo many struggles and overcame so many obstacles beyond a basketball court that’ll never be seen on a stat sheet or scoreboard, but definitely made a difference in me being where I am today with the help of my friends , family and supporters God placed in my path along the way.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

Of course! Well I’m a professional basketball player and dunker. Over the past 25 years basketball has grown into this immeasurable platform that has allowed guys like me and females to be able to legitimately call this a career even if we never make an NBA/WNBA or overseas roster .

I’m blessed to be able to travel all over the country and hopefully the world at some point, as a basketball and dunker that performs and plays wherever an organization or community needs a superstar slam dunker ! I specialize in dunking, but I’m very skilled at basketball as a whole, so I’d refer to myself as a “hooper” in colloquial terms haha. I’m most proud of the fact that I’m able to use my talents , skills and personality to bring joy and smile to people of all demographics and all walks of life and inspire so many people from near and afar with just the help of a basketball and the amazing friends that also share this ability to influence the communities in a positive way. What sets me apart in my opinion would be the fact that I’m just being myself in the midst of it all… Ive met some very established professionals in my field over the years and I was most excited to learn that many of them were just being their true selves everywhere they went and that’s when I knew that just being myself would be enough for me to thrive on this basketball court. People will meet the player , and if you’re good enough , they’ll eventually want to know the person. Once they get to know me as a person… that’s when I become Gabe and not just another basketball player.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?

I’d like to just take this opportunity to thank God and every one of my friends and family that have helped get me to this point where I’m able to share my journey with you guys.

I’ve spent nights on so many couches , borrowed gas money and food money from so many friends, asked for so much guidance and advice, got saved from so much drama and confusion that comes with everyday life that could’ve derailed my journey . I sincerely want to thank everyone that genuinely helped me stay on these basketball courts whether they realize it or not . Most people don’t know that my field of work as a basketball player is nowhere near as ideal as it would be if I were in the NBA. If you don’t have that foundation and support under you to keep you afloat until you get that one phone call or one opportunity to change your circumstances for the better, it’s almost impossible to not get discouraged and give up, so I thank my mom, my dad, my siblings, my friends , my family and even stranger that showed me that being a kind person in 2024 is still a cool thing to do. And if there’s any of my friends that I owe $10 to for a McDonald’s burger or a tank of gas on my way to basketball games and dunk competitions that I forgot to pay back . My bad, just text me hahaha

Pricing:

• Slam Dunk Contest Performance
• Basketball Training
• Guest Speaking
• Basketball Games

Contact Info:

• Website: https://allmylinks.com/gabedunks
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabedunks?igsh=MXdpazVjeDB0Y2g5Mw==

Image Credits

BP Photography 713

Carters Captures

Three One Eight Photography

AstroHoops

MillTicket Media