Chris Crook, founder of the Chris Crook Foundation and an Oklahoma City youth mentor, uses basketball mentorship to meet middle school boys on common ground. He traces the path from Millwood and McPherson College to an Oklahoma City Blue workout opportunity, then speaks candidly about entitlement, gratitude, faith, and the work of rebuilding authentically.
In this conversation:
- The childhood camps that shaped Chris’s sense of possibility
- How the Chris Crook Foundation grew from a basketball-camp invitation
- Why the mentoring relationship matters more than the drill
- What the Oklahoma City Blue opportunity revealed
- How faith and self-awareness changed his approach to rebuilding
Chapters
- 00:00 Intro
- 00:23 Meet Chris Crook
- 01:14 The camps that shaped him
- 02:13 From Millwood to McPherson
- 02:29 The Oklahoma City Blue opportunity
- 02:52 How the Foundation began
- 04:28 Mentoring matters more than money
- 04:58 Basketball as common ground
- 07:16 Impact after camp
- 09:20 Not ready for the opportunity
- 12:04 Rebuilding authentically
- 14:28 Look up and be patient
Guest bio
Chris Crook is an Oklahoma City-raised former McPherson College guard, youth mentor, and founder of the Chris Crook Foundation. McPherson College athletics lists him as an Oklahoma City native and Millwood graduate and documents his collegiate play. A public 2025 profile describes his youth mentoring and basketball-training work and says he trained with the Oklahoma City Blue.
Resources
- Chris Crook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c_crook1/ `[confirm official/current]`
- McPherson College athletics profile: https://macbulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/2016-17
- Oklahoma City Blue: https://oklahomacity.gleague.nba.com/
- Santa Fe Family Life Center: https://mail.sfflc.com/about/
- Kids Across America: https://kaakamps.org/
- VOICES of OKC: https://www.voicesofokc.com/watch-listen/
- City Center: https://okcitycenter.org/
Content note: Brief references to housing instability and professional disappointment.
Listen to the full conversation, then share it with a coach, mentor, or parent who is helping a young person grow.