Former FC student Mike Penberthy shares NBA experience

From local pastors to WWII veterans, FC has a long list of spectacular speakers who have dedicated their time to share a message with the student body. On Nov. 16, the campus will be welcoming another exciting speaker, former FC student and NBA champion, Mike Penberthy.

Growing up, Penberthy and his family moved all over the place. He went to multiple schools, but eventually ended up at FC. After spending a year at there, he talked with his family and decided to finish his high school career at Hoover High School in Fresno.

“I grew up all over the place,” Penberthy said. “I went to a new school almost every year. I ended up going to FC my sophomore year of high school. My parents wanted me to go there because it was a Christian school. After a year there, I talked with my dad and we decided that the competition would be better and more intense for me at Hoover.”

After Penberthy played out his final two years of high school at Hoover, he continued his career at Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California. During his time playing for the Mustangs, Penberthy dominated the game. At the conclusion of his career, Penberthy was a two-time NAIA All-American. He also still holds the Master’s College records for total points in a career, total 3-pointers made in a career, most free throws made in a career, and many others.

Despite having an exceptional career at Master’s College, Penberthy went undrafted in the 1997 NBA draft. As discouraging as this was, Penberthy kept working hard to eventually make it into the NBA. He credits his parents, grandmother, and God for giving him the motivation to keep going.

I loved basketball and God. I always wanted to play basketball. I never believed that I wasn’t good enough. That came from my mom, dad, and grandmother. They told me that I could do anything and I believed them. — Mike Penberthy

“I loved basketball and God,” Penberthy said. “I always wanted to play basketball. I never believed that I wasn’t good enough. That came from my mom, dad, and grandmother. They told me that I could do anything and I believed them.”

Penberthy bounced around on many different basketball teams in different professional leagues in America as well as other countries. He was frequently cut from rosters and had to go find new teams. Penberthy was determined to make it to the NBA, but often found himself discouraged.

“The hardest part of my journey to the NBA was getting cut so often,” Penberthy said. “Rejection is hard there because it is the ultimate and at the highest level. All the opportunities that didn’t work out did a number of things for me. It made me tough, made me humble, and built in me a stronger and deeper trust in God and His sovereignty, and actually made me a better player.”

After years of training, all the hard work payed off. Penberthy made it to the NBA on the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers championship roster. On this team was arguably the best duo to ever play in the NBA, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

“Playing with Shaq and Kobe was awesome,” Penberthy said. “Those guys are two of the greatest players to every play the game. To play with them everyday was incredible.”

Currently Penberthy is an NBA consultant and personal coach. He works with multiple players in the NBA helping them with a variety of skills that ultimately improve their game. Penberthy is kept busy with all the big name players that he trains.

“I am an NBA consultant and personal coach to NBA players,” said Penberthy. “I work with Paul George, Reggie Jackson, Ricky Rubio, Devin Harris, Ben Mclemore, Zach Lavine, Chase Bundinger, Joakim Noah, and many other players in the summers. My job is to help the player reach their potential. That could be a basketball skill, career goal, assessments, game plans, weight training, daily schedules, diets, or off season training.”

The FC community is extremely excited to welcome Mike Penberthy to come speak, Nov. 16. Penberthy will also be dedicating his time to coach the varsity boy’s basketball practice after school on Monday. Penberthy is the older brother of current FC co-athletic director and basketball coach, John Penberthy.

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This writer can reached via Twitter: @Phillip11499 and via email: Phillip Christopher