The sound of sneakers squeaking on the hardwood, the thud of a bounce pass coming off a player’s hand, the swish of a jump shot through a worn-out net and a belief that Fresno basketball could be more.

That’s what often filled the Clovis Recreation Center while the founder of the Fresno Pro-Am, Alton Williams, refereed men’s recretion league games. Players with a range of playing experience—from the National Basketball Association (NBA) to overseas basketball leagues—packed the gym regularly, igniting fierce competition.

This signaled to Williams that it was time to fine-tune how organized these games were.

Over time, these runs organically grew to the best players sticking around to assemble six teams. With the help of his brother Ryan Williams and Seth Stanley, all co-founders, they sparked the emergence of the Fresno Pro-Am.

“How is this the best place to play around this time of year?” Williams asked.

That question became a strong guiding principle as he worked to elevate Pro-Am.

An assist off the court

To get the name out there, Williams and former Fresno State and NBA player Greg Smith appeared on the Bring the Juice Podcast, hosted by former Fresno State football player Frank Dalena, in March 2022.

On the podcast, Williams discussed the origins and vision of the Fresno Pro-Am. Following the episode, he and Dalena formed a partnership, benefitting both. 

“We all are cut from a similar cloth because we’re from the Valley, or have ties to the Valley, or have a relationship with the Valley,” Dalena said. “Anytime anybody reaches out to me for a donation or promo, I’m going to do whatever I can in my power to help them succeed.”

During the first year of the Fresno Pro-Am, Dalena did post-game interviews for both teams, getting content for both Bring the Juice and the Fresno Pro-Am. As things progressed, Dalena stepped back into a supporting role, donating when he could to find opportunities for sponsorships.

Williams described his appearance on the Bring the Juice podcast as pivotal and was one of the first podcasts he’s been on to talk about the Fresno Pro-Am during its early times. He and Dalena started their platforms around the same time, in late 2021, and both have found tremendous success since—benefiting not only themselves, but the Central Valley community.

Because they launched their platforms simultaneously, Dalena understood how challenging it could be and pushed Williams to keep going.

“Anytime you start a new venture, a new business, a new idea, everyone’s going to look at you sideways, everyone’s going to be like, ‘What the heck is going on here?’” Dalena said. “But sometimes you need that person in your life to say, ‘You can do this,’ and I’m glad he took that leap.”

After the podcast, Williams made various connections, one of them with former NBA player Quincy Pondexter, whose resources and contacts have opened new opportunities. 

Also a Fresno native, Pondexter is now heavily involved with the Fresno Pro-Am, helping anyway he can.

“[Pondexter] raves about Fresno everywhere he goes, then comes back and he’s willing to open up his Rolodex and his resources to provide them to the Fresno Pro-Am is special,” Williams said. “Everybody can dribble a basketball, but few go as far to say, ‘I want to give back with you guys. How can we do this together?’”

Fresno Laces up

Before the Fresno Pro-Am, the basketball scene in Fresno was small but mighty. As the Fresno Pro-Am became one of the highlights of the Central Valley, it has allowed for the basketball scene to grow and the community to come together with the shared love of basketball.

Deshon Taylor, an overseas pro and former Bulldog, played in the Fresno Pro-Am. Because of the Pro-Am, players like Taylor and those who have ties to the Central Valley can show off their game.

“[The Fresno Pro-Am] puts a different light on basketball here in Fresno,” Taylor said. “Talent-wise, other kids are able to showcase their talent, unlike the guys that’s already at Fresno State. It shows the community that there’s good talent in Fresno.”

Fresno State has a strong track record of basketball talent, producing NBA players such as Paul George, Tyler Johnson and Rafer Alston, along with homegrown players like Jalen Green, AJ Johnson and brothers Brook and Robin Lopez.

Despite greater talent in other parts of California, Dalena said there’s just as much talent in the Central Valley, and he, along with Williams, want to continue to support it.

“There’s a lot of talent in the bay, there’s a lot of talent in LA, there’s also a lot of talent here and I’ve preached that,” Dalena said. “Alton has taken the initiative in basketball, so I want him to keep doing his thing and roll with him.”

As the community gathers, Fresno Pro-Am stays committed to giving back. Over the past two summers, the Fresno Pro-Am has given away more than 5,000 backpacks and school supplies, hundreds of haircuts, a large number of bikes and several PlayStation 5s. 

When the Fresno Pro-Am gives back, Williams wants to do it in a big way and make sure the supplies go to those who need them. To make this happen, a lot goes on behind the scenes, with different organizations stepping in to help.

“It’s definitely bigger than basketball, but we definitely care about the basketball part as well,” Williams said. “I’m mindful of events that start with sports but then build more bigger attractions away from the game. I want to keep that balance—I still want to impact the community.”

A playbook for…

However, for Williams, balancing growth and continuing to maintain the Pro-Am’s authenticity that made it valuable in the beginning is an ongoing test for him. 

A recent hurdle Williams faced was a shipment he received from a new energy drink company. As large companies keep reaching out, Williams wants to continue to honor the roots of the Fresno Pro-Am without losing sight of what made it special.

“I’m wondering how we are going to continuously keep the pro-am as organic as possible without corporate sponsors coming in and making it feel disconnected from the community,” Williams said. “Disconnected from the guys who played in the open runs, those 200-plus guys that played in that and then the hundreds of guys that’s played up to this point. That’s a constant challenge for me.”

As Williams works to keep pro-am rooted to the community, the level of talent he strives to support on the court speaks for itself. Along with Taylor, other players had the opportunity to compete against a wide range of basketball talent, including NBA players such as KJ Martin, Amari Bailey and former Bulldog Orlando Robinson, as well as former NBA players like Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas.

Taylor said that with big names taking the court, it allows fans to watch NBA-level talent all in the comfort of their hometown.

“When my cousin Quincy [Pondexter] has the all-star game at the end, and you see all the kids come out and they’re able to see NBA guys and ex-NBA guys perform—something a lot of kids might not be able to witness with us being in Fresno—it’s good,“ Taylor said. 

Born and raised in Fresno, Williams works to celebrate the community, with that focus remaining in the back of his mind as the Fresno Pro-Am continues to attract strong, notable talent.

“How can we best serve the talent? How can I best serve the league? And how can I best serve the city of Fresno?” Williams said. “There’s a reason it’s not called the Alton Williams Pro-Am because it’s not about me. I love basketball, but I also love my community.”

Shaping a legacy

Often driven by its community, pro-am basketball has a rich history and Williams knew the potential this style of basketball had, seeing how other pro-am leagues across the country had flourished. 

For instance, the Drew League in Los Angeles has been around for more than 50 years and, like the Fresno Pro-Am, is committed to supporting its community—allowing local players to showcase their skills and extending its support to various areas of Los Angeles through community outreach programs.

While people in Williams’ shoes may be tempted to compare themselves to those like the Drew League, he believes it’s unfair to make that correlation, given that the Fresno Pro-Am is still relatively new.

Rather than making comparisons, Williams looks up to the Drew League and occasionally speaks with the commissioner, Chaniel Smiley, as they share guiding principles while he works to build up the Fresno Pro-Am’s legacy.

“[The Drew League] is in South Central LA, and I’ve actually paid a couple visits there. It’s a real hostile place—like, you got to know somebody to know somebody. But that’s a reflection of LA, and Fresno is obviously a different market,” Williams said. “They have 50-plus years of doing this—tried and true, summer after summer—so the only thing I focus on is building our rich history.”

Williams is on track to do that, as the Fresno Pro-Am has become one of the biggest basketball attractions in the city since Michael Jordan used to make his annual trip to former Bulldog Rod Higgins’ basketball camp in Selland Arena during the early 90s.

Williams is humbled to be in such a conversation, knowing the weight of that occasion and the impact Jordan’s appearance had on the city of Fresno as he aims to help shape the next chapter of the city’s basketball culture.

“For me to be a part of that [conversation], it’s truly an honor, because I really love this game—I grew up loving it,” Williams said. “I thought having a deep passion for this game would take me far, and it really has.”

Basketball fans in the Central Valley can catch the Fresno Pro-Am at Fresno Pacific University for some summer hoops from June 21 to July 25 every Saturday, with an additional date to be announced.