Our Story
“King Basketball Academy began in 2014 with a simple idea: use the game of basketball to change lives.
While I was a student at Oral Roberts University preparing for ministry, basketball was already a major part of my life. Growing up, I learned that basketball teaches lessons that extend far beyond the court. The game taught me discipline, perseverance, teamwork, accountability, leadership, how to handle adversity, and how to keep working when things don’t go your way.
I came to realize that basketball could be more than a game. It could be a platform for ministry, mentorship, and personal development.
So, I started hosting open gym nights in Tulsa.
What began simply as an opportunity for young people to play basketball quickly became something much bigger. Some of the best high school basketball players in Tulsa began showing up—not because there was a formal program or elaborate facility, but because they wanted a place to play, compete, and belong.
As those relationships developed, basketball became an avenue for something deeper.
I began individually training many of these athletes in skill development, basketball IQ, leadership, and character. We spent hours in the gym working on basketball, but we also spent time talking about life, faith, responsibility, goals, failure, success, and the kind of people they wanted to become.
Over the years, those relationships have continued to shape the vision of what King Basketball Academy is today.
I have now had the privilege of coaching and mentoring hundreds of athletes, and one of the greatest rewards has not simply been watching players become better basketball players. It has been watching young men and women grow in confidence, character, leadership, discipline, and faith.
King Basketball Academy was born out of that experience.
Our goal is simple: “make better basketball players while helping prepare young people to succeed in life as followers of Christ.”
— Coach Jackson Lahmeyer
Founder, King Basketball Academy
More Than Basketball
At King Basketball Academy, we believe basketball is one of the greatest training grounds for life. A basketball court teaches things that cannot always be learned in a classroom. It teaches you how to lose. It teaches you how to win without becoming arrogant. It teaches you how to receive correction. It teaches you that improvement requires repetition.
We develop people through basketball.
Our athletes should leave KBA with more than a better jump shot. We want them to become more disciplined, more confident, more resilient and more coachable. We want them to understand that their identity is bigger than their performance.
The KING Philosophy
The foundation of King Basketball Academy is our KING philosophy.
These four principles define the culture we want every athlete, coach, and family to experience.
K — Kingdom First
We believe everything begins with putting God first. Basketball is a gift, an opportunity, and a platform. Our desire is to use basketball to help young people grow in their relationship with Christ, discover their purpose, and learn how to use their gifts to serve others.
I — Integrity Always
Character matters. We want our athletes to do the right thing when everyone is watching and when nobody is watching. Integrity means being honest. It means keeping your word. It means taking responsibility for mistakes instead of making excuses. It means respecting coaches, teammates, opponents, officials, and yourself.
N — Never Quit
Basketball will test you. There will be difficult practices, missed shots, turnovers, losses, injuries, setbacks and criticism. Those moments are part of the process. At KBA, we want athletes to learn how to respond to adversity with perseverance and toughness.
G — Growth Gradually
Every athlete has room to grow. We don’t expect perfection. We expect progress.
Growth requires humility because you have to recognize that you don’t know everything. It requires discipline because improvement doesn’t happen by over night. And it requires consistency because becoming better takes time.
K
Kingdom First
We believe everything begins with putting God first. Basketball is a gift, an opportunity, and a platform. Our desire is to use basketball to help young people grow in their relationship with Christ, discover their purpose, and learn how to use their gifts to serve others.