After the Buzzer
Jabari Hearn
Growing up in the Michael Jordan era in Chicago, I idolized the Bulls’ great.
I wanted to model my life after him, not just by playing basketball but by embodying what he stood for.
Through Nike commercials and interviews, Jordan was held up to be the guy who only focused on basketball, never got in trouble, spoke well and prioritized education.
I aspired to be the guy on the Wheaties box because basketball in the 90s was cool.
Hip hop and basketball collided – the music was edgier, the jerseys were baggier.
Nike transformed basketball into a culture, and I was obsessed with every aspect of it.
I never dreamed I’d be the guy on the court, but I wanted a shot at shooting the commercials, shaping the stories.
My life was bigger than basketball, but basketball was my safe haven when life got tough.
I refined my shot with every crumpled piece of paper and trash can basket.
I wasn’t recruited heavily out of high school, but that didn’t matter when I found SMU.
The campus was the perfect size; large enough for opportunities but small enough where I felt I could excel. Everyone and everything was just so beautiful there.
I was being recruited by a Black coach and would be joining a largely Black team. It felt like home.
Flash forward after college, I’ve immersed myself in the heartbeat of pop culture, working for some of the brands I idolized as a kid.
I’m still waiting on that Wheaties box, but I’ve found a greater, people-oriented purpose.
In giving to others I find the most fulfillment in my life.
Be the Change
One of the biggest turning points in my career and life happened during the pandemic when I worked at Lyft.
I had to lay off 200 of my 250-person team in one day. Over a Zoom call.
It was one of the most challenging and depressing experiences I’ve ever had.
It made me reflect on the impact I wanted to have on the world.
I reached out to my best friend, Julian Duncan and we decided to make a post on LinkedIn offering to host office hours on Zoom to help people out.
I went to bed with an idea and woke up to thousands of people activating a plan.
My inbox burst with suggestions for registration software, questionnaires and how to install a Zoom business account.
Woah.
This was really happening.
Someone even came up with a name: Monday Night Mentorship.
It was a viral phenomenon, and it made me realize the power of community and the impact we can have when we come together to support one another.
We’ve been doing Monday Night Mentorship for over four years now, and it’s been the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done.
I’ve learned that you grow by giving.
I was always so focused on climbing the corporate ladder and becoming a chief marketing officer.
But when I started mentoring young people, I realized that creating 10,000 more leaders is more important than becoming a better leader myself.
The Apple Seed Philosophy
When we think about fulfillment, it’s important to recognize that it’s a deeply personal and individualized journey.
I like to think of my life as an apple seed.
Just like an apple seed is born to become a magnificent apple tree, each of us is born with the potential to become the best version of ourselves.
But, like the seed, we need the right environment and nutrients to grow and reach our full potential.
If you plant an apple seed in the desert, it’ll shrivel in the drought.
And if you place it in the rainforest, it might grow, but not to its fullest potential.
We are the same way.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in environments that don’t nourish us and prevent us from becoming who we were meant to be.
I’ve learned this lesson firsthand throughout my life.
I’ve been in situations where I didn’t have the right nutrients to grow. I was in a role I thought I wanted, but I wasn’t surrounding myself with people who wanted me to succeed.
It’s taken practice and self-awareness to discern between the voices of ego and instinct and to follow the path that was meant for me.
Recently, that path led me back to SMU where it all started.
When we think about fulfillment, it’s important to recognize that it’s a deeply personal and individualized journey. I like to think of my life as an apple seed. Just like an apple seed is born to become a magnificent apple tree, each of us is born with the potential to become the best version of ourselves. But, like the seed, we need the right environment and nutrients to grow and reach our full potential.
The Varsity Team
When I return to SMU for the Black Excellence brunch in a few days, I can’t wait to meet many of the current student-athletes and be a resource and role model for them.
In sports, as soon as you reach the next level, you turn around and help the rookies.
Varsity players help the JV guys, college athletes volunteer at the high schools.
I wish we could take the tenets of sport and apply them to business.
Once we get into our careers, we often forget about the people behind us and the impact we can have on their lives.
If we adopted a community-oriented mindset, we would have a larger pool of talent to recruit from and wouldn’t have to search far and wide for the right people.
When LeBron James gets hurt, the Lakers aren’t freaking out because they don’t have anyone left on their roster – they go to the G league, college, etc.
By mentoring and supporting others, we not only create a better future for them, but we also create a stronger future for ourselves.
It’s about finding our greenhouse, our right environment, and helping others do the same.
That’s how we grow.
I don’t need to live like Jordan to find fulfillment, I just need to be the best version of Jabari.
Alex Glover, Jabari Hearn and Kenneth Imo are the panelists for the 2025 Black Excellence Brunch at the Flanagan Family Training Table in the Garry Weber End Zone Complex on Saturday, February 22 at noon (REGISTER).
The panelists will be honored at the Men’s Basketball game versus Clemson that tips at 3 p.m. at Moody Coliseum (TICKETS)