The Upside

Guy Ragland Jr. Navigates ‘Rare Air’ At the Top

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Mini Books: Concise Adventures

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Standing 6’-8” tall and weighing 240 pounds, Guy Ragland Jr. is a big dude. Even on the basketball court, the West Hartford, Connecticut native, is an imposing figure. His physical stature and talent have brought him to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for basketball. 
 
This rising sophomore plays for Cornell University’s Big Red men’s basketball team. Guy has the athletic gear, his games are on television, and he has an ESPN profile. He’s living out his dream in Ithaca, New York, an hour south of Syracuse, on Cayuga Lake in the countryside. 

The odds of playing Division 1 basketball at an Ivy League school are low. Of the nearly 541,000 boys playing high-school basketball in 2018-2019, only one percent made it to D1 in college (if you’re playing D2 or D3 basketball, you’ve beat the odds, too). Considering that only 0.4% of all college students attend Ivy League schools, the odds are even lower—4 out of 10,000!
 
Guy is spending his time this summer improving his game as any craftsman would. He says, “Early this summer, I went to the U.S. Virgin Islands” [to practice with the team to qualify for the FIBA World Championships]. He received the invitation thanks to his talent and his mother’s heritage in the islands. 

“Ordinarily, I would go up to my old high school (Northwest Catholic) and work out in the gym, lift weights, and then practice a little bit, and then I’d go with my skills trainer, Jaquann Starks, in Manchester, or we would have ‘open run’ with the pro-am team.” 
 
In addition, he’s been busy protecting the rims in the Greater Hartford Pro-Am (GHPA) at the Vale Sports Club in Middletown, Connecticut, ensuring teams don’t get comfortable driving the lane for easy shots.  When he is not harassing offensive players or catching rebounds, you’ll find him setting high screens near the top of the key and sliding off them to launch three-point shots with laser-like accuracy. 
 
Basketball was once a game where tall players, known as “bigs,” waited for the ball in the post. Not anymore. The game has evolved to where bigs like Kevin Durant of the National Basketball Association (NBA), who is 7’ tall, are unstoppable from anywhere on the court. 

There’s some Magic Johnson inside him when it comes to sharing the ball. 

Guy Ragland Jr. dribbling against a defending for the University of Pennsylvania

Guy could average 25 points or more a game this summer with relative ease; however, I had the sense that he’s happiest when all players are involved. There’s some Magic Johnson inside him when it comes to sharing the ball. 
 
It’s not uncommon to see him grab a defensive rebound and push the ball up the court to initiate the offense for The Firm, a first-time entrant into the GHPA, now in its 25th year. The student prefers to hone his game, so there will be no weaknesses next season at Cornell.
 
What People Are Saying  
 
After the game on Saturday, July 23rd, where Calvin “40” (his nickname for his tendency for prolific scoring outbursts) Goodwin put up a dizzying 58 points in an overtime loss to The Firm, I head outside to conduct interviews. 

It’s a scorching hot day in the midst of a heat wave, consistently in the high 90s. I talk to current and former players about Guy, under the small, covered entrance to the building, partially shielding myself from the sun. 
 
Kumar Brown, a graduate student at Westfield State University, with one season of basketball eligibility remaining, is playing in his third year at the GPHA. He’s a teammate of Guy’s on The Firm. They have a 5-3 record, entering their last game on Sunday. Kumar, who is listed at 6-’5,  plays down low. He likes playing in the pro-am and says, “it’s fun, lots of new and old talent, but still pretty good competition for us." 
 
 “Guy’s able to stretch the floor and shoot the three and play down low, it makes my job a lot easier. It makes the defense have to collapse on him. And when the defense does collapse on him, it opens my game up even more. I love being on the floor with him at the same time, and he’s just a great teammate to be around. 

“He’s taught me a lot of things, especially how to be more vocal on the court. When Guy is in the game, you know he is on the floor.” Brown describes Guy as very personable, approachable and friendly away from the game. “But when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. He knows what time it is, especially on the court. That’s what I love about him.” 
 
Another teammate on The Firm, Jordan Riley, plays at Rhode Island College in Providence. He is a rising junior, and this is his first time playing in the GHPA. He feels the competition is “getting him prepared for the upcoming season playing against pro-level competition.” 

He can shoot, spread the floor, play big, he can play the one through five [positions.] 

Guy Ragland Jr. preparing to jump against Brody Limric

​For him, it’s about getting better and sharpening his skills. “The funny thing about Guy,” he says, “We grew up playing AAU together since like 6th, 7th grade. I kept watching him getting better and better, every year, every year. He’s a great player. 
 
“He can shoot, spread the floor, play big, he can play the one through five [positions.] it’s a good experience playing with a D1 player. Guy’s a great player; I love playing with him.” Away from the court, Riley says, “Guy is just a good guy!” He laughs, realizing he used the word “guy.” “I don’t know how to explain it. He does what he has to do on and off the court.” 

Troy McKoy Jr is a rising senior at Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Virginia, a college-preparatory school about an hour and a half drive west of Washington, D.C. This is his second year playing in the GHPA. His father played at East Harford High School, then the University of South Carolina in the 1990s, and professionally overseas. 

The Hartford Courant named Tory Jr. the next big thing in Windsor in 2021. The kid can play. I caught up with Troy as he waited for his game to begin. The Firm was battling Hip Stop Clothing in overtime. 
 
Troy is averaging 33 points per game at the GHPA, based on the last available data. He says, “I’ve been playing against Guy since 7th grade. I always worked out against him when I was younger. From where I first met him to now has been a great change for him. Last game when I played him, I realized he can slide his feet on defense. 
 
“He hit three clutch threes for them in overtime. He’s the main reason we lost. I can definitely see the growth in his game. His game hasn’t changed but you can tell he’s more polished, and  he’s worked on it to the point he knows he can do it.” 
 
In closing, he says, “Guy’s a great person off the court; on the court, he aspires to be the best person on the court all the time.” 
 
Brooks Sales is watching the action on Saturday from a pub chair and table, a few feet from the basketball stanchion. He starred at Northwest Catholic High School in the 1990s, and played basketball for Villanova. 

Guy Ragland Jr. and Brooks Sales, former Villanova University and professional basketball player

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Mini Books: Concise Adventures

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The 6’-10” Sales was a four-year starter at Villanova, where he scored over 1,000 points and hauled in nearly 900 rebounds. He played in the NBA and overseas in France, Israel, Italy, Hungary, Turkey and Dubai. He retired in 2012. His sister is Nykesha Sales, the UCONN great and former WNBA all-star.
 
I ask Brooks to come outside to talk. Right now, the heat is in full-assault mode, chasing everyone inside. His diamond earrings sparkle. My left arm is stretched toward Brook’s mouth, holding my phone. My neck is craning as I look up at him—Brooks towers over me, and I’m 6’-4”. 
 
He recalls Guy as a freshman at Hall High School in West Hartford when he first met him. Guy was “sitting on the bench,” according to Brooks. From his sophomore year to now, “You can see that his knowledge of the game and his dedication to development has really grown.” 
 
Brooks gives credit to Jaquann Starks, the AAU programs and himself for guiding Guy. The sweat starts trickling down his face as if a leak has sprung.
 
As a former professional basketball player, he knows little things are big differentiators. Brooks is focused on one aspect that makes Guy special. He says, “The one thing that Guy has is he is willing to listen. And I think that’s important. He’s receptive to constructive and positive criticism.” That may be Guy’s superpower. 

Brooks credits Guy’s parents for his willingness to listen. “Taking positive and constructive criticism can only build your talent or your skill.” In terms of Guy’s ceiling, Brooks says, “That’s up to him.” He mentions P.J. Tucker as a guy who played overseas and made it to the NBA. Brooks played against him when they both were in Israel. 
 
“I think he is the ideal kid that any coach would want,“ Brooks continues praising Guy.  He says, “Guy is someone who doesn’t second-guess his coach. He doesn’t second-guess the culture.” 
 
His advice for Guy is to “just keep on the path he is going on. Stay humble. Keep working hard. Stay true to who you are and your family values.” Brooks adds, “People who work hard get good blessings in the end.”   
 
I head back into the refreshing air conditioning and attempt to convince Carmen Feliciano Ragland, Guy’s mother, to talk to me. She gives me a huge smile but hesitates. I say she knows Guy better than anybody. She joins me outside—perhaps to set the record straight. 
 
She calls him a “floor general.” But it wasn’t always that way. She remembers he “fumbled the ball all the time and [had] lots of turnovers” when he was younger. 

She said it was “fun” driving him to Coventry [for basketball practice.] At one point, she was driving him to Massachusetts for practice, not far from the Cape.
 
Finally, Michael “Mike” Calabrese, the 53-year-old Firm coach, referee, and former high-school coach, sends me a text: “Guy has been a great leader for our team this year. He’s a high-character kid, coming from a great high-school program to a great college program. He comes to open runs and performs at a high level and carries that into the games.”

The Play of the Summer

Basketball is a family affair for the Raglands. It’s only fitting that the big man is from a large family. He has one brother and three sisters who are aged 28 to 42. You can often find his mother, father, and other family members in their portable chairs at the games. 

The Ragland family

​I’ve watched all The Firm’s games this summer (my son, Donovan, plays on the team). Guy has been consistent. When the team needs him, he’s there. He shows up for every game, whether providing advice to a teammate to relax on their free throws or hitting a big three. 
 
He may not be the flashiest player (neither was Naismith Hall of Famer Tim Duncan), but the team wouldn’t be where it is without him. There have been plays where Guy rebounds the ball, dribbles down the court and passes it to a teammate for an easy assist. 
 
Perhaps the play of the summer for Guy was when he found himself staring at the basket with an open lane—as if it was reserved for him with a VIP sign and red carpet. He jumped off of one foot and released his fury for a two-hand dunk as the basketball stanchion collapsed—a la Shaquille O’Neal. His teammates and people watching didn’t believe what they saw. They were in awe. 
 
I call Pete Higgins, the founder of the GHPA, on July 22nd because he was the announcer that day, as he often is. He couldn’t believe it. Over the telephone, he recaps that moment from a few days ago. His amazement is still there. He says, “Oh, my goodness. I mean, the crazy thing is he’s a legit 6’-8”. He’s a big body.” 

Oh, my goodness. I mean, the crazy thing is he’s a legit 6’-8”. He’s a big body.” 

Pete, 52, says Guy is ”a very mellow, cool, calm fellow. But he definitely steps up when the team needs him to make a big shot.” 
 
Project Self-Confidence 
 
Guy, the player you see today, wasn’t always that way. His love for the game started in the 3rd grade. “I would play at recess. I wasn’t very good, but I wanted to be better,” he says with brutal honesty. “I loved playing. I loved how it felt when the shots went it. I just wanted to play and be the best player in my school. And so the following year, I got my dad to put me on the YMCA team, and it just kept going from there.” 
 
When he was younger, he watched many NBA players and took pieces from their games, from such notables as Klay Thompson, Ray Allen, Dwayne Wade and Giannis Antetokounmpo. 
 
“When I first started falling in love with basketball, I went on YouTube, TV or to the {Naismith Basketball] Hall of Fame or wherever I could find more basketball.” He absorbed as much knowledge as he could about the game.
 
He says, “I always was a fan of Kobe growing up. Bless his soul. As I learned more about him, I was inspired by his mentality, so I did my best to adapt that into my game and practices to always give everything I have.” 

On July 15th, I call John Mirabello, the Northwest Catholic High School coaching legend entering his 35th year, whose teams have won 4 state boys basketball championships. He remembers those early days with Guy. “When he first started playing, his range was just inside the free throw line. He could not make a shot past that. We said, ‘Look, don’t worry about that. Just make sure your form is right.’”
 
Guy knows there were tough times. “I was never totally sure of myself. Things sort of happened. I’d be like, wow, that was lucky. But I didn’t really get that sort of confidence until later years in high school when I was confident in myself. I always had people say I was good and stuff like that. But I always felt like I had imposter syndrome. I was getting lucky.” 
 
He improved. “When I think about when we first had him and where he is now, it’s an amazing transformation for somebody who lacked confidence, “ says John.
 
“His skills weren’t where they are right now, and he’s [was] just open ears.” John describes Guy as “coachable, such a great kid, a quick learner, a great teammate and [he] developed into a great leader for us.” 

Coach John Mirabello, Norhwest Catholic High School, Boys Basketball

​John, 58, coached the East team in the 41st McDonald’s High School All-American game in Atlanta in 2018, a team that included future NBA players Zion Williams, R. J. Barrett and Romeo Lanford. His disappointment Guy’s senior year was cut short when the playoffs were canceled due to the pandemic—they had a 20-4 record. 
 
To work on his game and increase the likelihood of a D1 offer, Guy attended St. Thomas Moore in Oakdale, Connecticut, for a post-graduate year. Bad news would follow him as the season was canceled. On a positive note, coach Jere Quinn oversaw competitive scrimmages every weekend. While there was no official season, Guy continued to work. 
 
Rare Air: Winning in Life 
 
Guy wasn’t sure he was a D1 player until he started playing with Jonathan Diamond, the founder and coach of Diamond Basketball Club (DBC), an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. He played in the summer and fall of 2018 and summer of 2019. That year was critical in developing his game and mindset. 
 
I call Jonathan on July 22nd. He met Guy in the summer of 2018. The practices were in Jonathan’s hometown of Coventry, about a 30-minute drive from West Hartford. 

I could see there was potential there.

Guy's parents would drive him to practice. For some voluntary workouts, he was the only one who showed up. Jonathan says, “So that was kind of the early signs of his character and his drive. That’s when I really got to know him.”
 
At the time, Jonathan was 21 years old, with little coaching experience. What he lacked in experience, he made up with his work ethic and desire to learn as much as possible. Guy was on that first DBC team.
 
One thing that stood out to Jonathan was how Guy always looked him in the eye when they talked. And he would always implement suggested changes immediately. “I could see there was potential there,” Jonathan says. He remembers Guy as a gangly sophomore who was 6’-6” tall. But he  was “very raw.” 
 
Jonathan remembers the time that Guy wore a “25-pound weight vest” to practice. He recalls him wearing it the entire practice. That exemplified the dedication that Guy had.
 
One of the final DBC teams featured Guy Ragland Jr, Jaylin Palmer, Ciaran Sandy, Gabe Charleston, Symien Jemison, Brian Geitner and Aiden O'Brien. Jonathan learned from his players. All would go on to play college basketball. 

17U AAU State Champions, 2019, L to Right: Coach Jonathan Diamond, Brian Geitner, Jaylen Palmer, Guy Ragland Jr., Symien Jemison, Ciaran Sandy, Aidan O'Brien, Coach John Carter and Gabe Charleston (sitting, center)

​“I think in those early years, the relationship with him (Guy) and a lot of those other players really sort of fine-tuned my coaching style. How to get the best out of them and be there for them in the correct way,” he says. 
 
It was more than basketball. Jonathan and Guy would become close over the next year. And to this day, they remain close. Guy still calls him Coach Diamond. Back then, they talked about everything, from music to movies. 
 
Guy says, “He introduced me to the recruiting aspect of things, and until I started playing with him, I didn’t realize my potential to be a Division 1 athlete. And he helped me so much in that part of my game, that part of my mindset.” 
 
Jonathan laughs when he says Guy is the only player who didn’t want rap, hip-hop music or a beat for his promotional video. He wanted a Queen song. “That was the first time and last time,” that happened, says Jonathan, with a laugh. 

My parents told me I’ve always been that sort of kid that always did his own thing.

Guy knows he’s different. “My parents told me I’ve always been that sort of kid that always did his own thing.” Guy gets his musical tastes from his family. He listens to classical music, Duke Ellington, the British Invasion (the Beatles, The Who), The Rolling Stones, the 70s, 80s, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Patti LaBelle and Whitney Houston. 
 
Before a game, he listens to mellow music to get into a Zen-like state. And when he’s away from the game, he likes to build with Lego bricks.  
 
For someone who didn’t know much about coaching an AAU team, Jonathan would get two players (Ciaran Sandy & Guy) to D1 schools in the span of a year. Not bad. The pandemic struck strike and led to the cancellation of the summer 2020 games. Jonathan had been anticipating a great season. He didn’t know it then, but that was his last season. 
 
Today, the 2022 Nichols College graduate has hung up his coaching whistle. He misses coaching but is happy to begin pursuing his MBA at UCONN in the fall. Currently, he is evaluating several startups. 

At The Top 
 
When he was at St. Thomas Moore, schools were inquiring about Guy. At one time or another, Central Connecticut State University, Boston College and Holy Cross had expressed interest. 
 
Guy knows an opportunity when he sees it. He committed to Cornell early in the recruiting process. He says, “Advice most coaches give you when it comes to recruiting is to go where they want you the most.” Cornell “by far showed the most interest” in recruiting Guy. 
 
When Carmen learned that Guy planned to accept Cornell’s offer, she says, “We were like, ‘What!’ We couldn’t believe it. We were like, ‘Are you sure?’ He was like, “Yeah.’” 

My heart just bursts with pride for him. He looks so good; he’s getting better and better every time. It’s just unbelievable.

Carmen, Guy Jr. and Guy Ragland, wearing Cornell Big Red gear

“Oh, my god. It’s unexplainable,” says Carmen. “My heart just bursts with pride for him. He looks so good; he’s getting better and better every time. It’s just unbelievable.” 
 
Guy was numb. All his hard work had paid off. 
 
Coach Mirabello roars on the phone, “Not just Division 1, Ivy League! I said, ‘Guy, are you kidding me? You don’t have to play a second for four years. You’re going to graduate from an Ivy League school. You pretty much got a giant leap ahead on the rest of your life.’”
 
A highlight of the 2021-2022 season was when Guy played twice against Matt Knowling’s Yale team. They had played against each other in high school in Connecticut. They talked before the game (Yale would go on to win the Ivy League Championship in 2022. Matt scored 12 points.)
 
Guy says, “It’s not actually all that often that you see somebody you know at that level. It was very cool to see him. It’s rare air between us at the top.” 
 
Cornell completed the season at 15-11 and fell one game short of playing for the Ivy League Championship. Guy averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 24 contests, coming off the bench. He shot 38.4% (28 out of 73) from behind the three-point line.
 
The international business major with a minor in Mandarin dreams of winning the Ivy League Championship and playing in the NCAA tournament. 
 
After graduating, he would like to play professional basketball. And based on playing with the U.S. Virgin Islands national team, he knows he is not too far off from his goal. 
 
And when he does stop dribbling the basketball in the future, he will find something else that will fill him with excitement. That’s who Guy is. 

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Mini Books: Concise Adventures

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Author

Anthony Price is an entrepreneur, writer and publisher of Mini Books, concise adventures for people who are curious about the world. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​