Like any journey, it’s never linear. The path to success will grind you down, wear you out and, in some instances, make you question how bad you truly want it. In Jordan Guy’s case, it was able to drag him across the country through half a dozen programs just to land him back in the city where he started.
Guy, a class of 2017 Corona del Sol alumnus and West Chandler resident, was tested on his path to find his calling. “It was really hard because I felt like I had done a lot of training, a lot of workouts and [been through] a lot of different, adverse situations that kind of felt like it was all for nothing,” he said.
Though it isn’t in the NBA, he now owns his own business, That Training Guy LLC, and coaches the game he has dedicated his life to. Guy was with the Aztecs 2014-2017, playing alongside some who went overseas to play professionally. Others went to premier universities, such as Arizona and Vanderbilt.
With aspirations to carve his own professional career, Guy started at Mesa Community College. However, a rolled ankle led to a broken ankle after a defective sole insert. That effectively ended his Thunderbird career. And that would only be the first of a series of unfortunate deviations from his plan. After taking three days to reflect, Guy received a call from Angres Thorpe, a coach from the University of Missouri, Kansas City — a Division I program. Thorpe admired Guy’s work ethic and film, and after discussion, an offer to join the team.
Then, somewhat unexpectedly, the coaches from UMKC were fired, which took away Guy’s offer. Shortly after, however, Thorpe landed at the University of Buffalo, where Guy said he remained in contact. Thorpe made an effort to acquire him in New York, but an issue with a player’s leasing contract prevented him from entering the transfer portal and from Guy finding a program. Guy then landed at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill., looking for his next opportunity. However, his time was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guy decided to then return home, where he continued to work and train.
It was at The Lab, a gym in West Chandler, where a noble deed didn’t go unnoticed.
“I was able to play in [The Lab] and work out,” he said. “We had some private runs with some NBA guys, and one of them actually took a liking to me, as far as my skills. He saw that I had worked out and had helped a kid with shooting a little bit before. It was just like… helping, giving some tips. “He had asked me, ‘Am I a trainer?’ I said, ‘No, I’m a player, but I just helped him out a little bit.’ He said, ‘Would you mind putting me through a workout tomorrow? I said, ‘Sure, I can do that.’ And so I put him through a workout. And then the next person asked for a workout. Then the next person asked… ”
Guy began to build his clientele through word of mouth while playing for Chandler-Gilbert Community College. He said he didn’t have a site or Instagram account at the time. “And there’d be times I went out with 20 guys and only one of them would give me $5 to help me out,” he recalled. “So, I was taking that, but I was running with it like that $5 was worth 5,000 [dollars], you know. I love basketball. I love teaching basketball.”
In 2021, Guy established his personal training business and now trains players from grade school to college to 80 years of age. His dedication, which includes up to 50-60 hours per week depending on the season, and his innovative approach allows him to coach full time and live comfortably. Of those who train with Guy, is fellow Corona graduate and former Phoenix Suns guard Saben Lee. Lee primarily trained with his father, Amp, who spent nine seasons in the NFL as a running back, but recently began training with Guy.
“Primarily shooting, shooting off the catch, shooting out the pick and roll, in isolation – just being able to create separation into my shot,” he said.
“I wouldn’t just work it out with Jordan just because he’s my friend,” Lee said. “I take this seriously. At the end of the day, basketball pays my bills, so I’m very passionate about improving and working on my game. So, aside from him being my friend, I definitely trust his knowledge of the game. I’m very grateful.”
Perhaps it was all part of the plan for Guy to find his calling back home near friends and family, but he knows it couldn’t have been possible without his journey. “Dealing with adversity, truly, it built me up to the man I am today,” he said.
“I realized now that if I didn’t go through those situations of trial and tribulations, I wouldn’t be anywhere near this position.”
