Grown To Be Creative — An NBA Threads Story with @jhamartian
How can creativity make you successful?
If you’ve watched basketball for a while, it might be hard to be genuinely surprised. But amidst all of the “seen that” moments, there are glimpses of creative brilliance like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s skyhook or Michael Jordan’s ability to maneuver the ball in midair during his drives to the rim.
Yet creativity alone is not enough to generate results. Kareem’s skyhook was the product of years of practice dating back to sixth grade, and the countless stories of Jordan’s work ethic have only added to his mythical stature.
NBA Threads user @jhamartian, known professionally as Jhamar Youngblood, personifies both creative ingenuity and unwavering dedication to his crafts.
He’s designed software (notably his society-friendly software The Blast App for silent push notifications).
He’s a talented artist and musician - the NBA Threads community is still enthralled by the theme song he created for the community.
He’s even an accomplished former Division I basketball player. In short, Jhamar has pursued many endeavors with poise and passion, and it all began in the Garden State.
“I played basketball since I was about six or seven,” Jhamar recalls. “Growing up in New Jersey was fun because we didn’t have many opportunities and that made us spend more time trying to perfect our skills. I was lucky enough to be recruited to play for St. Patrick’s High School, the same high school as current NBA players Kyrie Irving, Jonathan Kuminga, Nick Richards, and other players like Al Harrington, Deandre Bembry, and Mike Gilcrest.”
Separated solely by the Hudson River, one would think that the approach to basketball would be symmetrical between New Jersey and New York. When asked about how they compare, Jhamar dove into his personal experience.
“Both New Jersey and New York City share the same qualities: tough-minded, rugged, and full of straight shooters. I think the main difference is we didn’t have as many distractions as kids growing up in NYC. So we had more time on the court working on our games.”
A Dartmouth alum, Jhamar earned his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree in 2020 to further develop his skill set. His experience during his graduate studies and the connections he built along the way sparked an interest in creating a social messaging app that operates, as he puts it, “like BCC on email, but for quick and simple messages.” Thus TBA! was born.
Jhamar had many people to inspire him growing up, like the prolific Allen Iverson and a little known entrepreneur by the name of Steve Jobs. But his biggest source of motivation was much closer to home.
“My mother was my first musical inspiration, she used to write raps for me when I was five years old. But I loved when my grandmother would play Marvin Gaye, Arethra Franklin, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and more. My uncles also liked to listen to rappers like Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls.”
Music flows through Jhamar like a fine wine that’s been fermented by the influence of the ones before him. But given the longstanding association between hip-hop artists and the NBA, are there similarities between the two crafts that go beyond commercial prominence?
As he explains, “The main connection between the two is the creativity needed to stand out in both. You can follow a template and become a good basketball player or musician, or you can push your creativity to the limit and become an all-time great, whether you’re AI, Jordan, Aretha Franklin, or Stevie Wonder.”
Creativity and grit have been the secret to Jhamar’s success. It’s also allowed him to spot prime opportunities that deserve additional focus. He was given the chance to shout out organizations and causes that speak to him, and Jhamar did not hesitate.
“I want to shout out @lexmickens’ Run It Back. It’s so inspiring to see Lex unite people and communities of all types through the game of basketball.”
Grown in the garden, watered by timely tunes, nurtured by the hardwood, and now delighting others through his talents, Jhamar Youngblood’s season in the sun is far from over.
Learn how you can get involved with Run It Back, and check out Jhamar’s recent appearance on the Bench Mob Ent. podcast.