The Yard – Where Faith and Sports Collide: San Diego City College Basketball Coach Tyrone Hopkins

San Diego City College Basketball Coach Tyrone Hopkins

Former Pro Basketball Player & Owner of I Que BBQ, Coach T joins The Yard for some ShuffleToss and good times discussing how God has made Himself known through Tyrone’s ups and downs.

This week’s awesome guest and co-host is Coach Tyrone Hopkins. Tyrone grew up the youngest of eleven kids in Atlanta, which presented its own tough decisions – let the streets guide your future or find a way out!

Over Shuffle Toss:

• • As the youngest of eleven kids, Tyrone often took a beating from his older sister.
  • T looks back on his own youth, running the streets, leaving home at 19 and graduated high school without ever playing any sports, despite having raw athletic talent.
  • At 19, he took a job washing dishes.
  • After two weeks of washing dishes, Tyrone came to the realization that he needed to do more with his life.
  • At that point, some friends told him that a nearby junior college was starting a basketball team, so he tried out on a Tuesday. Two days later, he was offered a scholarship.
  • At the time, all he could think about was playing basketball – he didn’t even consider that the scholarship was tied to getting an education.
  • Tyrone earned All American status after his first year of playing ball.
  • Tyrone’s second year was hampered by what he thought was a groin injury, yet he still became an All American again.
  • While in junior college, Tyrone learned what it’s like for today’s MLB players, playing in front of empty stands… but that was long before COVID!
  • Nevertheless, T learned to play for God’s glory, regardless of any applause that may or may not come his way.
  • As a two-time All American, he began to be recruited by several D1 programs, including Tennessee State, Georgia and Coach Rick Pitino at Kentucky.
  • However, Tyrone suffered a ruptured appendix, which set him back by a whole year… the year that Kentucky went on to win the National Championship!
  • After recovering, he enrolled and began playing for the Central Oklahoma Bronchos.
  • At Central Oklahoma, Tyrone was named the 1996 Lone Star Conference Player of the Year.
  • After college, he played for a free agent league, which led to an invitation to play professionally in the Philippines.
  • In the Philippines, basketball is king!
  • Playing for the Gordon’s Gin Boars changed his life forever!
  • After his professional career ended, Tyrone returned stateside and began coaching, leading Horizon High School to a pair of State Championships.
  • Tyrone is currently the Assistant Coach at San Diego City College.
  • Tyrone’s coaching philosophy revolves around pouring himself into his kids and letting them know that what they do off the court is much more important than what they do on the court.
  • But, most importantly is loving the Lord in all that you do!
  • Putting God first in his life has given Tyrone a focus that has led him from one opportunity to another, which is what he tries to convey to his players.
  • Applying Biblical principles transcends religion and reveals God’s truths in all aspects of life.
  • As a coach, Tyrone has been extremely inspired by Tony Dungee.
  • Tyrone was invited back to Central Oklahoma in 2012 to be inducted into the basketball program’s Hall of Fame.
  • Today, Tyrone is the Owner of I-Que BBQ

 

“Everyone has a ministry. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, everyone has the opportunity to pour themselves into other people’s lives and reveal who Jesus is and how He loves us all.”

 

• Be sure to follow Tyrone on Instagram: @IQUEBBQSD. and join his crew for Savory Saturdays

A Little Bit More About Tyrone Hopkins:

• Growing up in Atlanta with a single mom, T grew up at church.
• But, as his athletic career took off, he became much more self-focused instead of God-focused.
• When Tyrone was faced with terrific injuries, he cried out, “Lord, what are You trying to tell me?” and God answered, “Listen to Me now.”
• From that, Tyrone realized that God wants him to share his testimony to the young people he coaches and comes across throughout his life.
• As a youth on the streets, Tyrone has been a drug dealer, he’s been a thief, a cheat… every bad thing that a person can be… but the Lord said, “I can use that for My glory!”
• This perspective allows Tyrone to help kids pick themselves up from wherever they are in life and begin to serve God with a new sense of purpose and belonging.
• God is so good, He can even turn your rebellion, your mental, spiritual, physical and emotional scars and pain… and use them for His glory!
• Today, Tyrone is dead set on leaving behind a legacy that screams out, “God is good!”
• According to Tyrone, the social issues that our nation is facing today are “things of this world”. He chooses to focus on things “not of this world, or Godly things”, which completely changes his perspectives on life, focusing on loving people – all people.

Be sure to subscribe to The Yard’s YouTube channel so that you don’t miss a moment of our shenanigans both in front of and behind the scenes!

You can also find more encouraging words from other Yard teammates here!