Coming home has always been exciting for Mahomet Native Nick Washburn.
After graduating from D-II Hillsdale College in Michigan, the 2009 Mahomet-Seymour graduate left the United States to play professional basketball overseas in Spain. Then, the 6’10” center spent 10 months playing basketball in Portugal.
Now, Washburn is excited to come home to Mahomet during the summer months to host the Washburn Elite Basketball Camp for area junior high and high school students July 18-20.
“I think there’s so much potential in basketball players in this area,” Washburn said. “I’d love to help them and guide them in basketball. I think there is a lot of opportunities for them if that’s what they want to do. I want to show them things they can work on to improve their game to realize those dreams.”
Washburn said he would not consider himself the best player on his high school team. The then 6’8” teenager said he hadn’t quite reached his potential in coordination, but he also underwent major surgery when he had his first rib removed near his senior year that sidelined him.
“If you would have told me in high school that I would play professional basketball one day, I would have told you that you were crazy,” he said.
Through a variety of coaches, who pushed him to became a quicker, more efficient player, Washburn realized his potential as a collegiate and professional basketball player.
“You mature and you learn things you didn’t see as you practice more,” he said. “The more you practice, the better you get. I think it’s really cool because in basketball you can see those gains.”
Washburn hopes to help young player bridge gaps in fundamental skills, but also give them a new way to look at basketball through his Elite camp.
Having trained with Kobe Bryant’s personal game trainer, attended workouts with Tim Grover (Michael Jordan’s Personal Trainer), participated in Pete Newell’s Big Man Camp (Hawaii) and even a shooting camp with Mark Price (ex NBA All-Star) and Bruce Kreutzer (professional shooting coach), Nick has been equipped with a well-rounded basketball portfolio.
Washburn will also be joined by former Mahomet-Seymour basketball player and a friend, who also plays professional basketball in Spain.
“As cliche as it sounds, I’d love to just give back to the community and be a part of these kids’ lives,” he said. “If I can help them in anyway, that’s really what I want to do.”
Washburn also hopes to teach young athletes about mental toughness during his camp. While talking about his time overseas, Washburn had to rely on himself after a bad game or through the holidays while playing a grueling 60-game season with over 290 practices.
He hopes that the young athletes who attend the camp will reach out to him as they go through their basketball careers, so that he can give them advice from the perspective of someone who has been through various levels of play.
Registration for Washburn’s Elite Basketball Camp is currently open. Players who register before June 18 can participate for $60. The price will go up to $65 after the 18th.
“I’m really excited to give back to these kids,” he said.
