Jerry Johnson is a Graduate of Rider University & a former professional basketball player in Europe (2005-2018) & Hall of Famer. He is currently Director of Athletics at La Academia Charter School & CEO/Founder of iUNGO World platform.
I'm on the verge of a major pivot, not of a game or a season but for launching my latest project, iUNGO World, a sports social media platform. I've poured much of my life into this new venture, and I need you to understand where I'm coming from. Growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, basketball wasn't just some game we played for fun, it was a lifeline. It was a way out, a way up, a way forward.
Let me briefly step back to where it all began.
Lancaster shaped me as a young man and developed my character and ability to persevere. But basketball molded me, as a small-city kid with big dreams. I first played youth football, but I discovered a passion for basketball at around nine years old. My life revolved around the game, each game a lesson, every season a chapter in my growing story of grit and grind.
The first real pivot came when I entered Rider University, a private university in New Jersey. In these formative four years, I realized I could use basketball as a vehicle to take myself further and create relationships. I remember nights spent not just getting up shots but strategizing plays, like a chess player checking for those next three moves, the right moves for the team to get the best shots possible. I had learned how to connect with my teammates, on and off the court.
Overcoming barriers: Adapting to European basketball
My drive to continue my basketball journey grew as I entered the European basketball system, though I had to overcome numerous challenges. Like every other player growing up in the stateside, I had NBA dreams; Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury were my idols. However, I realized early after college that playing overseas would be my path to becoming a professional basketball player. I had to see the first European contract as an opportunity to continue my dream versus seeing it as a lesser situation.
However, there was a lot I needed to fully embrace going in. I recall my first season at SKS Starogard Gdański in Poland. You're in a foreign country; you don't understand the language. Sometimes, you don't understand the coaching, the fandom, or the culture. Even the dimensions and distances of certain things on the court differed from anything I was used to. The rules and physicality were different.
If I wanted to survive, I had to understand what it took to play outside my comfort zone and figure it out quickly. Playing overseas can be a cutthroat environment; talent alone isn't enough. Agents are angling for their players. Players can be slow to catch on to systems of play. Guys get homesick. Maybe a coach doesn't like you, and you ride the bench. I quickly learned how to be a professional athlete and embrace the accountability required in running a team as the lead guard.
But I pushed through and made a great career for myself. I played professionally in Belgium, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Poland, and Turkey. I contributed to a winning culture wherever I played and won a few trophies along the way.
In this part of the world, basketball was not just a sport; it was a culture, a community, and a global language that I learned to speak fluently. But the most crucial lesson in those 13 seasons on a basketball court was continuing to learn and connect with people off of it. I met people who would become more than my teammates or front office personnel. They became some of my closest friends, trusted advisors, and even business partners.
I'll be honest here: the transition from an athlete to a retired player was anything but smooth. Many athletes struggle with this change, but I saw it as an opportunity to redefine myself.
Midway through my career, I dove heavily into real estate—a field with ups and downs. But in those years, I also learned about investments, found long-lasting connections, and joined valuable networks.
Yet, while I succeeded in building a portfolio, the thrill of the game and the creation and joy of community somehow felt missing in these transactions. I also saw some new possibilities during my journey, which is where the seed for iUNGO World, as a sports social media platform, was planted. The term iungo means to connect or unite.
Creating space for global sports conversations
I thought about what I loved most about sports, dating back to my childhood. It was the real connections, the community, and the way it brought diverse people together. Even today, Lancaster is a melting pot, with people from everywhere. Why not create a platform encapsulating all these elements while encompassing overlooked parts of the world? Why not build a community as vibrant and dynamic as any sports team I had been a part of?
iUNGO World is more than just another social media network. It's a realization of every lesson the game of basketball has ever taught me about teamwork, staying solid in the face of pressure, and the collective might required in marching toward a common goal.
Our sports social media platform offers a global community with opportunities for discovery and multinational growth. We've designed the application to be a rich space for every young athlete who needs a showcase, every fan searching for deeper global sports engagement, and every prospective sports professional looking for their next big break. What sets us apart is our unique blend of personalized updates, live streaming of events, and a robust but underserved global network, making it a hub for community-building and capturing unparalleled opportunities.
My mission to democratize the sports experience and make it accessible to everyone lies at the heart of iUNGO World.
Moreover, iUNGO World is not just about pursuing likes and follows; it extends beyond the standard limits of social media by encouraging authentic connections—a community spirit pulling worlds together. From engaging in lively discussions about live games to executing unexplored promotional avenues and e-commerce, iUNGO World is poised to be the epicenter of an expansive sports network.
By diversifying its revenue via advertising spaces, in-app purchases, and exclusive event promotions, iUNGO World will have the tools to provide a stable and prosperous ecosystem within the platform. These offerings will enhance user experience while opening income channels that serve a sustainable business model. Through technological advances and our commitment to innovation, our platform will also excel in its strategic approach to sustainability and growth
We've already acquired a partnership with the Accra (Ghana) Basketball League to produce event streaming and additional media coverage. As we continue to work with the Ghana Basketball Association and other national entities across the African continent, our platform is a vital tool for gaining international exposure, which will boost marketing and advertising opportunities for the leagues and their players.
As with developing anything involving difficulty, the oncoming challenges will serve as opportunities for us to learn and grow—and they won't stop coming. The tech world, like sports, is ultra-competitive to its core. Creating iUNGO World has been like walking onto a court in a new league with better players for the first time. It has been daunting, exhilarating, and with a pretty steep learning curve. We faced technological challenges—from coding to user interface design. But it's not unlike learning a new playing style or adapting to a different coach's tactics. I have to constantly remember that this is supposed to be hard.
My vision for iUNGO World is straightforward as I look to the future. I see it as a beacon for the global sports community, a hub that brings together the best elements of sports, technology, and social engagement. This isn't just about building a successful business—it's about building a thriving ecosystem that supports, celebrates, and propels the sports culture forward.
This sports social media platform, this venture, isn't just a business or the next thing for a retired, rundown ball player; it's a mission. It's about creating a legacy that goes beyond the scoreboard. Every hurdle we've cleared has only strengthened my resolve.
So, what has basketball done for me? It's done everything. It taught me the value of hard work, the importance of strategy, and the power of connecting with others. As I take this next step in my journey, I don't just want to succeed. I need to succeed—for the community, the next generation of athletes, and every young kid who dreams of making it big from a place like Lancaster, Pennsylvania, or Lagos, Nigeria, or Lublin, Poland.
Into the future for iUNGO world
This summer, our team will travel to Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo to kick off our in-app streaming pilot program. We'll also strengthen and expand our sports marketing and broadcasting partnerships.
We will start a similar pilot streaming initiative in Lancaster, PA, in June, using an eight-to-ten-team high school boys' basketball league. The program will consist of live interviews, live-streamed games, commentary, and highlights all accessible via the iUNGO World app.
As we finalize our global sports social media concept, we're excited to introduce new features and conduct testing with our partners in Africa and Lancaster. These early tests will showcase iUNGO World's potential to the sports community. The platform will be available on all devices (Apple iOS, Android, Google Play and Desktop version).
As we push along in our journey, I’ll personally keep you up-to-date on our progress, from month to month, and provide more stories from my basketball career that continue to inform my personal mission.
See you on iUNGO World!
Read more from Jerry Johnson
Jerry Johnson, Global Sports Business Enthusiast
Jerry Johnson is a true leader who is immersed in presenting sports opportunities and global sports business. Understanding the power of sports and opportunities is a life changer when used strategically. Johnson has since come back to his hometown to create sports opportunities for high schoolers at La Academia who have never had sports programming in the 20 years of school existence until . He is CEO/Founder of iUNGO World “The Evolution of Sports Social Media” platform.
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