Bryson Warren Q&A

Credit: Overtime Elite

In March 2021, Overtime, a cutting edge sports media company, announced the creation of Overtime Elite (OTE), “a transformative new sports league,” providing an alternative pathway for high school athletes to become professional players. Backed by Overtime’s investors that include Andreessen Horowitz, Sapphire Sport, Spark Capital, Greycroft Ventures, Jeff Bezos, Drake, NBA stars such as Trae Young, Devin Booker, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Durant, and several others, OTE launched a league that features 27 members who play internal and external competition as well as receive a guaranteed minimum salary of at least six figures annually. Besides basketball development, the inaugural league has distinguished itself by developing a platform for its athletes to receive training in education, economic empowerment, life skills instruction, and personal branding. Based in Atlanta, OTE houses a state-of-the-art facility and boosts an experienced front office and coaching staff to help some of the world’s top prospects build successful careers on-and-off the court.

The 14th ranked prospect in ESPN’s 2023 high school class before turning pro last September, Bryson Warren signed with Overtime Elite over high major offers from Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas, Memphis, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Auburn, and many others. At 14 years-old, he received his first scholarship from Oral Roberts. Among the many accolades Warren has earned in his early career, he was the first sophomore to win Arkansas High School Player of the Year after leading Little Rock Central (AR) to a 23-5 record and the Class 6A state title game. In his last high school season prior to OTE, he averaged 24.1 points, 3.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game and shot 44% from 3. Playing on Team Elite for Dave Leitao, the 6’2” guard showcased his upside as a strong jump shooter with fluid footwork, a quick release, and mature shot-making instincts. After winning the first Overtime Elite Championship, Warren will vie for a spot on the USA Basketball U18 National Team this summer.

As part of the Pro Insight Q&A series, Warren highlighted his childhood vision to have his own AAU program, his experience with USA Basketball, his relationship with Arkansas native Joe Johnson and a personal invite to hot yoga class, some notable influencers, artists, and basketball executives who have graced the doors of OTE, and much more.

For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present Overtime Elite’s Bryson Warren, from Little Rock, Arkansas:

Pro Insight: How did you get to where you are today? Talk a bit about your background and family.

Bryson Warren: Yeah, I’m blessed enough just to have both my mom and dad in my household. I got a little brother, a little sister, and an older brother. And really I've just always been a hard worker my whole life. Started taking the game of basketball seriously about 6th grade when I started going early morning 6 AM three days a week and getting it in at night, we were just working hard. That's really when I knew I wanted to take it to another level, so…just growing up, I played baseball, soccer, and basketball. I was better at soccer than I was at basketball, but I just wanted to play basketball more. Growing up, I just feel blessed by all the opportunities I’ve been given.

PI: How did you develop the discipline to workout early in the morning?

BW: Yeah, I mean I'd give a lot of that to my dad. He was the one taking me. He was getting me up, really just [attribute] a lot to him. He wanted it. I wanted it. Just thankful for him being in my corner because he had to get up and take me, but he did. Him just instilling that in me early just really shaped the way I am now.

PI: Any other athletes in the family?

BW: Nah, not really. My mom did a little track in high school and then my dad, he stopped playing basketball in 9th grade. So really just me.

PI: Was there a specific moment that prompted you to focus on basketball?

BW: Definitely like I said, 6th grade when I started getting up early mornings. I think I had pulled my hamstring from playing soccer so I was out. I was playing both sports anyway, but I liked basketball more so I was like, “well, I'm just gonna stop playing soccer 'cause basketball goes year round” so I can get a little bit more serious. That's when my mom’s like, “yeah, basketball is gonna be the way to go.”

PI: For those who aren’t familiar with your game, what are your greatest strengths?

BW: Yeah, I’m a three-level scorer. My mid-range is probably my bread and butter. I like to make people around me better. I like to see myself being a floor general point guard that can score really well [and] defend. I’m just really just working on getting bigger in the weight room. That's what I've been doing every day, so that's pretty much it.

PI: Who do you model your game after or study on film?

BW: I think I play like Anfernee Simons. We both got like a little quick twitch explosive jumper. I don’t got as much athleticism as him right now, but it's definitely coming. But I like to model my game after him. I think we have similar games.

PI: Congrats on starting your own AAU program Bryson Warren United. You have the opportunity to coach some of these young kids — how would you describe yourself as a leader?

BW: Yeah, I feel I'm a great leader and I like to lead by example. I'll talk when I need to, but I like to really lead by example. With the AAU team, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Since I was a little kid, I just wanted to have my own AAU team and through Overtime [and] coming here, I was able to make that happen.

PI: What’s your vision for Bryson Warren United moving forward?

BW: Yeah, I mean honestly, I just see them getting better and better. We’re really focusing on development. We want everybody to be good going into high school or whatever the next grade is or the next day. I let them work out with my trainers for free, so not only they gettin’ maximum work, but also have them go to tournaments and stuff so they get maximum exposure. So I just want them to just keep getting maximum exposure [and] just keep getting better.

PI: in your own development, what do you feel you still need to improve on the most? What have you been working on?

BW: I mean really just gaining weight, getting in the weight room and really just working on my overall game. I feel like I just get better in multiple ways. Lately, jumping I guess, playing above the rim. I feel like I do that, I just gotta show more people, but besides that, I'm just working on ball screen reads. It's pretty much the main part — ball screen reads.

PI: Do you have a training regimen?

BW: Yeah, I mean it's pretty much different. Here [at OTE], it would be like just different types of workouts, but mostly the same thing. Everybody works on what they need to work on so it would be a whole bunch of shots getting put up, a whole bunch of photos being taken, just stuff like that. And then when I work out with my dad, I'm just pretty much just shooting the whole time. We just work on getting shots up.

PI: What are your short term goals you have for yourself as a player?