Who is Trent?
I'm a dad and husband first—everything else is built upon these roles.
My journey started as a collegiate point guard with NBA dreams, but when my playing career ended, I discovered something even more fulfilling: helping elite athletes achieve theirs.
My NBA career began in the G-League, where I was first exposed to professional basketball and the caliber of elite athletes. Here I honed my skillset which led to my first contract as a dual-role athletic performance coach and physical therapist with the Detroit Pistons. This was a unique position where I both designed weight room programming and guided players through injury rehabilitation. Over the years, my role continued to evolve - from a hands-on practitioner all the way to executive leadership. I ended up serving as Vice President of Player Health and Performance before exiting the NBA to spend more time with my family.
What began as a "Plan B" became my life's work. I ended up spending nine years in the NBA, and had the privilege of keeping some of the world’s best basketball players healthy and performing at their peak. Because of the way my career progressed, it gave me a 360-degree view of what elite athletes need—not just to recover, but to sustain peak performance over the grueling demands of professional sports.
Okay, so why the interest in tendons?
Back in 2017, I was introduced to groundbreaking ultrasound technology that could monitor tendon structure and it completely changed how I viewed these complex injuries. When faced with an NBA player's severe patellar tendinopathy (severe knee pain), we brought in a leading tendon specialist whose innovative approach opened my eyes to the approach I use today. This player’s remarkable recovery and subsequent major contract signing (which is featured in this LA Times article) validated what I'd begun to suspect: we can treat tendon injuries so much better than the conventional approach. This exposure ignited my passion for tendon research—a field where I'm now pursuing my PhD as a lifelong learner and scientist.
All of these experiences — from playing to coaching to treating to leading — have crystallized my mission: translating specialized research from the lab into real-world application that reaches beyond professional sports. Whether it's with tendons, athletic performance, or on-court basketball skills, the pursuit of excellence drives everything I do. Because when you've seen what's possible at the highest levels, you can't help but want to bring that same standard to every arena.
For more information on my education and experience, head over to my LinkedIn page!