Mr. Desmond Ferguson, Founder & CEO of Moneyball Sportswear, is a celebrated former professional athlete and current entrepreneur who demonstrates a passion for the game of basketball, a dedication to community service, and a commitment to the development of “at risk” youth athletes through mentorship programs and numerous sports & entrepreneurial related activities in and around his home-town. A native of Lansing, MI, Desmond graduated from Lansing Everett High School and earned a basketball scholarship to play for the University of Missouri. He later transferred to the University of Detroit Mercy (U of D) where he also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management & Accounting while leading his team to two second round appearances in the NCAA tournament. Desmond has enjoyed an illustrious professional basketball career spanning over more than a decade with teams in Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, Germany, Holland, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Spain, and in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2004, he played one season with the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers. Passionate about the game of basketball, Desmond launched Moneyball Sportswear in 2002 during the off-season. The company now supplies a number of teams with a diverse line of athletic apparel and specializes in the customization of uniforms for basketball teams in throughout the United States and abroad. Desmond’s leadership role in the sector of professional sports led him to found the Moneyball Pro-Am Summer League (MPSL). Since the summer of 2004, current and former professional & collegiate basketball players compete in a tournament style 6-week schedule aimed at strengthening relationships between the league and the community, as well as providing spectators and youth with a positive recreational and entertainment activity. The league has grown to now generate a 6-team, 78 player roster. Fostering a strong commitment to the development of “at-risk” school-aged youth athletes, Desmond developed the Desmond Ferguson Free Basketball Clinic aimed at mentoring and providing underprivileged youth with training in the disciplines of physical conditioning, healthy eating, teamwork, sportsmanship, self-control and self-confidence. Since its inception in 2004, youth participants take part in a 3-day program that integrates sports leadership with life skills education.
November 1 – 2, 2017
10:00 PM – 1:00 AM UTC
10:00 PM | Networking & Food |
11:00 PM | Fireside Chat |
12:00 AM | Networking |