Meet Michael J. Creppy Jr. of Vindicated Sports in Redondo Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael J. Creppy Jr.

Michael, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Born in Pasadena, CA. Family moved to Maryland when I was two. My father Michael Creppy Sr. is a Federal Judge and was the first black Chief Immigration Judge in the history of the United States and my mother Hazel Creppy is an English & public speaking professor. I also have two younger brothers Kevan Creppy and Justen Creppy.

My background is relevant because as I began my journey of playing professional basketball, I was able to look at the industry from a macro level which allowed me to create my company Vindicated Sports.

I played at and graduated from the University of California, Riverside for undergrad. After graduating with a B.S. in sociology, I decided to pursue a professional basketball career overseas. Over the course of my ten years career, I’ve played in England, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, Czech Republic, and China. In 2017 I reflected on my career and conversed with other players and realized we had no education or advisement on how to navigate the business of international basketball. After these reflective moments, I wrote and published “Vindicated Sports Presents: The Guideline To A Successful Basketball Career Overseas” which to date is the only book to educate and advise the reader on the business of international basketball. I subsequently launched Vindicated Sports, LLC which is a consulting firm with a mission to advise and educate players, coaches, and agents on the business of international basketball and connect them with each other.

Through the relationships I have cultivated overseas I have been given the opportunity to create opportunities for other players to gain exposure, knowledge and ultimately sign a professional contract. To date, we have successfully had two domestic showcases in Los Angeles, one all-expenses paid tour to China in which we took 33 players and coaches from America and Europe to compete against teams in China, and numerous players who have signed professional basketball contracts directly through us.

We are currently in the process of selecting the players who will attend our next tour after the travel restrictions are lifted.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In college, I was a passenger in a fatal car accident in 2006 in which my teammate and another student were killed.

Lack of sponsorships and a lack of familiarity with overseas basketball has forced me to utilize and invest personal funds to ensure each product and event is a success.

Most company’s involved with overseas basketball have prioritized making money over actually helping players and creating real opportunities. I have to fight against this stigma daily.

As a result of my injuries sustained in the car accident, my statistics in college weren’t on par with my talent so it was very difficult for me to sign with an agent and even more difficult for a professional team to invest money by signing me to a professional basketball contract. Through nothing short of a miracle from God, I was made aware I could obtain dual citizenship through receiving a British passport (EU member at the time), which made a lot of agents and teams interested me. The EU passport was significant because teams overseas are only allowed to sign a limited number of imports, so anytime that signed me was getting an import player without it counting against their quota of imports allowed per season.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Vindicated Sports, LLC – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Vindicated Sports is a consulting firm with a mission of educating and advising players, coaches and agents on the business of international basketball and connecting them with each other.

I specialize in utilizing my direct contacts with Coaches and General Managers to give my clients real intel directly from the teams and not from a third party.

We are known for our honesty and professionalism.

I am easily most proud of when a player signs a professional contract through our network. It’s an indescribable feeling.

What sets us apart is we are company created by a player for players. I know how my target audience thinks, speaks and feels because I am my target audience. As a result, I am able to guide and advise them in ways in which most companies in this industry are unable.

I laugh and am grateful at same time because God chose me the one who had to kick and scratch just get his foot in the door of being a professional basketball player, is now being used to open that same door for others.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plan is to get my book to every college basketball program (men & women) in the country and to also have a consistent presence in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Australia through our grassroots camps, tournaments and exhibition games.

We also would like to create just as many if not more opportunities for women players to have success playing basketball overseas.

We are also getting ready to launch a series of cash prize tournaments for teams in the states starting at the top of 2021. These tournaments will start with winnings of $20,000 and grow from there

Pricing:

• Book is $25

Contact Info:

• Website: vindicatedsports.net
• Email: mike@vindicatedsports.com

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