Like many young athletes, growing up to play professionally is a goal that everyone sets their eyes on or even represent their country on the global stage. Dylan Travis, a 2015 graduate of Florida Southern College and the MVP of the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship game in which the Moccasins won, grew up on the Southeast side of Omaha, Neb. where the town is known for hard-working, blue-collar people.
"I think this upbringing shows with how I play basketball – tough & a never ending motor or work ethic," Travis stated.
Dylan started playing ball at the local YMCA and Catholic school league before taking an interest in playing travel / AAU in the 5
th grade. "I realized I was talented and started playing select/travel basketball in the 5
th grade and took the game serious ever since then."
A First Team All-Nebraska selection in high school, Dylan, who played AAU for the Nebraska Bison, would see four of the five of his select team make the jump to collegiate ball at the Division I level. His highest offer coming out of high school and travel basketball was an NAIA school in Fremont, Neb., Midland University.
After coming off the bench in 25 games for the Warriors, he realized it wasn't the right fit and transferred to Iowa Central Community College and played for one year.
"I played for Hall of Fame coach Dennis Pilcher and his assistants, Chad Helle and Nathan West. These coaches helped me on and off the court where I had numerous offers after one year there, then signed with Florida Southern."
Dylan played two years at Florida Southern and helped guide the Moccasins to the 2015 NCAA DII Men's Basketball National Championship, where in the title game he was the leading scorer with 18 points off the bench going 6-for-9 from the field including four three-pointers. He closed his career 69 points shy of 1,000 points and is just one of five players in FSC history to record a triple-double.
"I knew from the moment I stepped on campus for my visit that FSC was a special place."
As everyone dreams, the time came, to sit down and talk with an agent about playing at the next level.
"It had always been a goal of mine since I was in the eighth grade to play professional basketball. After my senior year, I had a pretty good season stat wise, and this was enough to garner attention from scouts and agents in Europe."
Dylan started 23 of 24 games in 2015-16 and scored 517 points (21.5 per game) while tallying 176 rebounds, 117 assists, and 50 steals.
"Coach Donnelly and I sat down and talked to an agent from Germany. I signed with him and played for my first professional season in Cuxhaven, Germany."
After four seasons of professional ball in Germany and Australia, COVID-19 struck the world and canceled his 2020 aspirations to return to Australia. He returned home and retired from basketball to embark on the next step in his life, a job post-basketball.
"I retired from basketball and worked my real first job as a special education teacher at an inner-city high school in Omaha. A friend of mine has asked me to play in a 3-on-3 (3x3) tournament for a team called '3Ball'."
Dylan and his 3Ball team went on to play in numerous tournaments on the weekends in the United States, allowing for him to miss minimal time at work and get back into the game of basketball. His team would eventually qualify for the FIBA WorldTour where he would use time off from work on Thursdays and Fridays to travel the world to play 3x3 on the weekends.
After playing well for 3Ball, Dylan was offered a contract to play for Team USA, quitting his teaching job, and competing in world tournaments. He went on to represent the country and helped capture the 2022 Americup Gold Medal, the 2023 World Cup Silver Medal, and another gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games.
"I had to take a few detours in my route to playing professionally but at each stop I learned something about myself and the game of basketball. I didn't quit when times got hard and kept my faith. That is why the current moment is so sweet for me, most people would've folded with some of the situations I was in early on in my career. Just remember why it's your dream and don't let anybody stop you from getting there. Faith, work ethic, be a good person, and then produce when you're on the court!"
Being selected to compete for Team USA was a dream come true. "In a roundabout way through 3x3, my basketball career had another chance, not only to do something I love for a living but to wear USA across my chest in three tournaments."
Over the past year and a half, he has played in 20-25 tournaments and stayed hopeful to qualify for the Olympic roster for Team USA in Paris.
On March 26, USA Basketball announced the group of four to represent the country in the summer games.
Dream to reality.
Dylan Travis was selected as one of four players to represent the United States of America to make his Olympic debut along with Jimmer Fredette, as the duo are teamed up with veterans Canyon Barry and Kareem Maddox. The quartet all played together over the last year in multiple tournaments to prepare for this opportunity. The squad will be cemented in history as the first-ever U.S. Olympic 3x3 men's basketball team.
"It doesn't seem too long ago I was in Omaha with 0 D1 offers in high school and was on my last chance U grind at Iowa Central. I'm happy I stayed with my dream and goal and persevered through some tough times."
The group of four, Jimmer, Canyon, Kareem, and Dylan, have endured USA training camp the past few months to prepare for the Olympic games in Paris where eight teams will compete for the 3x3 title. Team USA 3x3 did not qualify for the 2020 Tokyo games where the group of Robbie Hummel, Dominique Jones, Joey King, and Kareem Maddox looked to honor the country. Team USA earned one of three berths from the FIBA 3x3 World Rankings to qualify for the 2024 Pairs games.
USA 3X3 (L to R): Jimmer Fredette (5), Canyon Barry (6), Kareem Maddox (9), Dylan Travis (15) (USA Basketball)
"There is no better feeling or honor (to represent the country on the world stage). I can't even put it in words the emotion you feel when you have those letters across your chest. It comes with a great sense of pride and responsibility. Gold medals are the expectation when you are from the United States in any competition."
The 2024 Olympic games are set to run from July 24 to August 11, with 3x3 basketball set to be played on July 30 with the gold medal game on August 5. The men's 3x3 team is slated to open with Serbia on the 30
th, and will then face Poland (July 31), Lithuania (Aug. 1), and both France and China on Aug. 2
nd and close with the Netherlands on Aug. 4 before the semifinals and medal games on the 5
th.
As his dream came true to play on the world's largest stage and represent his country in the Olympics, training is in progress before heading to France. Dylan has stayed humbled and remembers his steps to getting selected to Team USA.
"There is talent everywhere and at every level. My goal was Division I and I got overlooked. Everyone develops at different times and playing D2 basketball was a great experience. There are so many good players at this (D2) level. If you have any offer to a team in the Sunshine State Conference, you'd be a fool to not go on the visit and really consider it. Florida Southern was some of the best years of my life."
Dylan now joins the long list of former Florida Southern coaches and players to represent their respective country on the world stage and is now an Olympian.
