Impact Of A Scholarship: Travis Garrison

Travis Garrison recalls a two-hour-long conversation over a decade ago with a group of guys who covered high school sports outside of the IHOP on Baltimore Avenue. The former Maryland basketball star was giving advice by being transparent about his life experiences - something he says he's passionate about. 

Garrison was in Turkey playing professional basketball several months later when one of the individuals contacted him and thanked him through Facebook. He told Garrison he was inspired and recommended Garrison to share his story in a book. Initially, Garrison was hesitant to be vulnerable to a large audience. However, the individual doubled down on his suggestion and proposed how his story could help other young athletes. 

Garrison regards this interaction as the start of his career path after basketball. He later began sharing his story to teach the youth critical life skills on and off the basketball court. He aims to help build better and brighter futures for themselves and their communities. 

"I've always had a passion for giving back. My parents were a big advocate of just helping others, so it was kind of like [instilled] inside of me," Garrison said. "I was fortunate enough to be a pretty good basketball player, and very experienced in the highs and the lows. Every time I used to be asked to speak to players or when I spoke to parents about my experiences, it always gave me such joy and pleasure."

Garrison reassessed his decision and published his first book in 2012 titled "Never Satisfied, An Athlete's Battle." The book detailed the stories he told that night a few years prior. 

As a native of Suitland, MD, Garrison attended nearby DeMatha Catholic High School. He was a highly touted basketball prospect coming out of high school. He was a McDonald's All-American and played in the inaugural Jordan Brand Classic in 2002, where he shared the court with many future NBA stars in each game. 

Garrison committed to play at the University of Maryland, where he would play under head coach Gary Williams, a year removed from winning a national championship. The 6-foot-8, 241-pound forward played for the Terps from 2002-06 and was a key contributor throughout his career. 

But one game sticks out to Garrison when reflecting on his time at Maryland. He often uses the Terps' 21-point comeback win over No. 17 NC State in the 2004 ACC Tournament semifinals as a teaching moment. 

He compared the game of basketball to life in his third and most recent book titled "The Crossover, A Bridge From The Court To Life." In the book, he uses metaphors such as rebounding to respond to life's ups and downs and never quitting. He expanded on that comparison by using the game as an example.

"Everybody's leaving, nobody can believe in us. But we believed in ourselves," Garrison recalled that March 13 night. "And we kept fighting and we bounced back. And we ended up winning that game. And as you know, we ended up winning the whole thing. So it's things like that. I've seen too many times where things turned around when you didn't give up and quit."

The Terps completed the largest comeback in ACC tournament history up to that point, and it was Garrison who tied the game at 53 with a basket at the 12:50 mark in the second half. The Terps defeated No. 5 Duke the next day in overtime to end a 20-year ACC Title drought. 

Garrison left school early in 2006 to pursue a career in professional basketball. His goal was always to play in the NBA, but after he went undrafted, he passed up opportunities to attend the team's training camps and workouts to play professionally overseas - something he advocates for if there aren't many opportunities for athletes in the US. 

Garrison played for 16 teams in various countries during his 11-year professional career from 2006-2017. 

"It was a great opportunity because I still have friends. It's like family there," Garrison said about playing professional basketball overseas. "To learn different cultures, to learn how different cultures operated. I got to see the world after doing something I love to do, and it's playing basketball."

Garrison published his second of three books in 2019 titled "The Gamble, Was it Worth It?" He considers it a sequel to his first book, where he detailed his experiences with ups and downs throughout his career. 

"I don't just talk about the good stuff," Garrison said. "I talk about everything so they can get a full picture of what to expect if they really want to pursue basketball at the highest level."

However, Garrison would transition to a more hands-on approach to spread his message through public speaking and providing youth development programs. He founded First Think Global in 2022, a nonprofit organization that addresses mental health, physical and financial wellness, and emotional resilience training to build stronger, healthier, and wealthier communities worldwide.

Like his third book, the organization uses basketball as a teaching tool. Think First Global offers basketball and life skills workshops that equip the youth with the tools required to "Think First" and make positive life choices.

However, First Think Global started as a much smaller brand. Garrison created it as something just for himself, but he started wearing apparel for his brand, and people began to like the concept and message behind the "Think First" motto. 

Garrison began preaching to athletes about how the choices one makes can impact everything in life. He started teaching critical life lessons through basketball, helping build confidence, resilience, and perseverance. Furthermore, to be good people and good teammates on and off the court and, most importantly, to make good choices and think first. 

The nonprofit was established by hosting free basketball programs in the DC area. And the brand has continued to grow far beyond Garrison's vision. He was asked to host events in Zimbabwe and recently partnered with NBA Math Hoops, a program that delivers math and social-emotional learning through the game of basketball. 

NBA Math Hoops, also a partner of the Washington Wizards, is collaborating with Think First Global and the DC Dream Center to launch a 12-week program where participants will learn crucial math and life skills. Think First Global has many other big partnerships and plans for the future. 

"I had D.A.R.E. growing up. I kind of want Think First Global to be that," Garrison said. "It's not just a Maryland, D.C., Virginia thing. I want it to be global. That's why it's Think First Global. I literally want it to be global because I think it's a necessity."

"If I can get these kids at a young age and instill this foundation within them, then they would know going forward what to look out for and would at least have the knowledge," Garrison continued. "Then it's up to them to make the choice whether they want to follow it or not."

One of the big plans for Think First Global is a podcast that runs alongside the organization called "The Process: No Sugar Coating - The Truth Behind Achieving Success." The podcast is committed to bringing transparency and vulnerability about the ins and outs of people's journeys. Specifically, the transformations, sacrifices, losses, and failures that come en route to success. 

Garrison has already recorded several episodes with successful people from all walks of life. It's expected to launch early this year to inform people about the obstacles each guest faced to get to where they are now. Therefore, people can make informed decisions about their lives and think first.

"I think that social media has got kids misconstrued, not just kids, but people period," Garrison said. "Because when people see people that are successful, they see that and they say, 'I want that.'…They think it's an overnight thing and they can't see the whole picture." 

Garrison is grateful for his opportunities at Maryland and believes that it set him up for success and making a difference later in his career. He mentioned support from boosters, people who support Terps basketball, Maryland graduates, and even the Terps' social media team as people who helped him and continue to show support with whatever he's doing. He regards those people as family.   

"The saying is 'Maryland Pride'; that's a real thing," Garrison said. “When I was there, there used to be a lot of us who are still friends to this day. Getting that scholarship from the University of Maryland was great for me; it gave me a free education I still utilize today. To get my degree and finish up to show my kids meant and means a lot to me.”

Garrison returned to school at Maryland as a full-time student this fall to finish his criminal justice degree. He previously left school early in 2006 to pursue his professional basketball career. He still has a few more classes to take before he earns his degree, but Garrison is hopeful to graduate and walk at the end of this year's spring semester. 

"People ask me, 'Hey, Travis, do you miss the game with basketball?' I say absolutely not," Garrison said. "I don't miss it and my body doesn't miss it. I'm very grateful for the time I had but I'm good. But what I do miss, I miss the process. I miss the grind and the late nights, the workouts, training to prepare for something."