Mentoring at The Next Level: Partnering with the NBA Foundation
August 8, 2025
MENTOR Staff, Corporate Engagement
On July 24 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to partner with the NBA Foundation in Miami Beach to lead a 90-minute training:
“Adopting the Mentoring Mindset: Becoming a Better Mentor.”
This was more than a professional moment, it was a personal one.
The opportunity came through a powerful connection with Candice Haynes, Director at the NBA, who I first met via email MENTOR National, and later in person at the National Mentoring Summit. That one authentic conversation sparked a collaboration that brought me into a room filled with mentors guiding the next generation of NBA and WNBA prospects.
What happened in that session was special.
Candice’s mentors turned a training into a colorful, vulnerable, and deeply respectful conversation. Their engagement, honesty, and commitment were inspiring. They didn’t just show up, they leaned in, asked hard questions, and modeled exactly what mentorship should look like at the highest level.
The NBA Foundation is proving that mentorship isn’t optional, it’s essential. Not just for success on the court, but for growth, leadership, and legacy off the court.
To Candice: thank you for your trust and vision.
To the mentors: your presence matters.
To Both: Thank you for your time and energy.
Fred T. Whitted Jr., Director of Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives, MENTOR