Langston Galloway helps USA Basketball prepare for the Olympics

The experience of a lifetime for former NBA guard Langston Galloway as a member of USA Basketball’s Olympic team ends tonight in London. However, the memories of playing in exhibition games wearing a USA jersey and having handshakes with Vice President Kamala Harris and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will last a lifetime.

“I’m truly thankful. I’m truly thankful for everything that has been coming my way. I put myself in the right place at the right time,” Galloway told Andscape in a phone interview from Abu Dhabi last week.

Galloway played a reserve role in over 452 regular-season games with the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks from 2014 to 2022. After an NBA G League stint, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native played overseas for the first time last season in Lithuania with Rytas Vilnius and in Italy for Pallacanestro Reggiana. With USA Basketball, Galloway has previously played on FIBA World Cup qualifying teams in 2022 and 2023 and the Select Team.

Galloway was named as a member of the 2024 USA Select Team, which trained alongside the USA Men’s National Team during training camp. After Team USA’s training camp, Galloway, Micah Potter and Nigel Hayes-Davis accepted invitations to serve as practice players for USA Basketball’s senior men’s national team during exhibitions in Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi and London in preparation for the Paris Olympics. All three’s role is to participate in USA’s practices, workouts and even exhibition games when needed before the Olympics.

“Langston has been great,” USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill told Andscape. “He was with us last year during our World Cup run as well. He really understands the FIBA game, having played professionally in Europe and being a member of our World Cup qualifying teams. He, Micah and Nigel play an important role in our overall preparation for Paris. We are thankful for their presence and contributions to our team’s success.”

Said USA Basketball’s head of men’s programming Sean Ford: “Langston’s commitment and contribution to USA Basketball has been incredible. No player had a bigger impact on getting us qualified for the World Cup than him, playing in five windows in a row and leading us to an 8-2 record. Langston, Nigel and Micah have all contributed to a successful training camp. For them to take three weeks out of their offseason to help other players train for the Olympics knowing that they won’t be able to be a part of the team in Paris is an incredibly selfless act. It is a reflection of the character of each of them and I hope this opportunity helps them advance their careers.”

The following is a Q&A with Galloway in which he talks about his unique experience as a practice player with James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and USA Basketball, being able to play with them with his vegan signature shoes, his favorite moments on and off the court, his hopes of getting back to the NBA and much more.

Can you talk about the process of becoming a practice player for USA Basketball’s senior men’s national team?

I’ve heard about it on other teams. I don’t think it was as publicized as it is now because there’s so much publicity around the team. And then also too, to be able to play, that’s a blessing in disguise by itself. During this past season with Italy, I’m in the season with probably two weeks left, I got a text from Sean Ford around April 15. He was like, ‘Hey, what do you think about coming to help us this summer?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I would love to help you.’ He said, ‘I want you to come back and play on the Select Team and help us get ready for the Olympics while traveling with the team as well.’

So, I was like, ‘Hey, let me get back with you. Let me talk with my wife, make sure everything is good, make sure she understands.’ She was like, ‘Well, it’s your decision.’ And hey, the rest is history. I did a little bit of this last year with the World Cup team. I was just a fill-in guy if somebody was injured or wanted a break. And it was explained to me that it was the same thing this year. You have a lot of seasoned guys who take a rep off here and there, and I could jump in and help from time to time. That sounds like a plan because I am all for it, especially the opportunity to play on the court.

What was the reaction of the players, your family, and your friends to seeing you be a part of USA Basketball before the Olympics?

It’s been a lot of love over these past couple of days to get in the game. Well, obviously, to run out there, dress out for the first game in Vegas, and get the reaction from just dressing out. I played maybe two minutes in that game. I didn’t know if I was going to dress out or not. I got to the arena and saw my jersey, and it was like, ‘Whoa, okay, all right, well, I might have to play tonight if we’re up big or something like that.’ Just being able to get in there — and I don’t want to say showcase; I still got it. I’ve never lost it — but it’s just a special moment.

It’s just a full-circle moment because I played against so many of these guys during my time in the NBA. Everybody knows what I can do, and I continue to showcase that. They know I can do it. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. And hey, maybe it’s a full-circle moment. Maybe I’ll be able to get back in the league at some point.

What has been the coolest thing about the whole experience?

Just being on the bench. Dapping everybody up, talking to different guys. And just being one of the guys. To see the embrace. Sometimes, you’re ostracized. You’re an outsider. You’re not actually on a team. You’re there as a fill-in. And so, to be welcomed means the world to me because that means that I was respected when I played in the league at that time. I’m respected by my peers. So that’s a good thing.

Tell us about when Vice President Kamala Harris visited the national team at practice and you met her.

That was a special moment. It’s funny because I have some friends who are close to Kamala from the political side, and meeting her in person is a special moment. It’s a special moment to be able to wear the USA across my chest, introduce myself, and just be in that moment with everybody else. So that was special, really special.

I was introducing myself: ‘Hey, I’m Langston Galloway.’ And that was it. She said, ‘ Nice to meet you. ‘ I was going to bring up my friend’s name, but I was like, it is not the right place at the right time. So, I just introduced myself and moved on.

What is it like to be on the floor with the best collection of talent in the world?

It’s special. I look around, and this is kind of like a branding [opportunity]. Everybody on this team has a shoe deal for the most part. There’s a couple of guys that don’t. And to be in the room with basically the top-tier guys, the superstars, the guys that will be Hall of Famers one day is honorable. And so, for me to be on the bench and to get a couple of minutes here and there sparingly and to be able to wear my shoes, Ethics The Brand, on the court. I’ve also interacted with other guys on the team who see what I’ve been doing. And getting their reaction is pretty cool. It’s a great conversation.

Everybody is like, ‘Look, we see what you’re doing. We love what you’re doing.’ More guys should do it because you can use your name and likeness to go out there and find, do your due diligence, and build your own sneaker. But I’ve gone out there, and I’ve done it and continue to do it. I’m coming up on my next prototype and building out the next shoe I’ve been wearing on the court.

Tell me about the shoe Ethics The Brand and your whole concept.

So, I started Ethics The Brand about two years ago – just me and my wife, Sabrina Galloway. And we have a great designer. We’ve been slowly but surely building out the brand. It’s a performance vegan basketball sneaker. We’re unique because we are the only vegan basketball sneaker in the marketplace. Very focused on creating something different for the masses. I’ve been a vegan athlete, and I’ve taken veganism to a whole other level with how I prepare and take care of my body.

But I’ve taken that to a whole other level by having a shoe brand that has also embraced it. Having everything ethically made as part of the shoe brand is everything. So, I enjoy the journey. We take it one step at a time, not building too fast and just crawling before we can walk.

What makes the shoe vegan?

So, all the materials, everything that’s into the sneaker—I don’t want to say mostly biodegradable. There’s a piece that locks the shoe in, so you have to do that. But everything else, from the materials of the bottom to the upper to the shoelaces—is thought through and put together with vegan products that are good for the environment. Having a small imprint on the environment means the world, not just for myself but for everybody who wears the brand.

What has been your favorite moment connecting with the USA players?

[July 17 against Serbia], I’m on the bench and normally dapping up everybody. LeBron actually came up with a handshake for us [three practice players]. I was like, ‘Whoa!’ That was a moment. I know he has all these handshakes with everybody, but that was special. That was special. He doesn’t have to do that. Obviously, he has everything else going on, but that was cool. That was cool. We have our handshake and that was his idea. I didn’t have anything to do with that.

Monday night’s game is the last one for all three practice players. Will you then head back to the United States from London?

That will be the last game I get a chance to play in unless USA and Sean Ford and those guys feel like it’s best for me to come with the team and still help out. And I would love to do that to continue my run with the team. I’ve done a great job just being there for the guys and being able to be supportive. But whatever’s next, if I do go back home after the London Games, look, I’ve enjoyed my journey and this trip, and I wish them nothing but the best to get the gold [medal]. That was the beginning goal. And that’s going to be the end goal. The only thing on everybody’s mind is getting the gold, and bringing it back home.

Have you three practice players ever had a moment together when you were like, “Can you believe this?”

When we get a chance to play, those are the moments when we laugh with each other. I was able to be alongside all these guys. You think of the dreams and moments you hope come true. And then when you’re playing amongst these guys and against them, from all my experiences, it is special, those special moments.

How do you reflect on your NBA career?

I really don’t because I’m in the moment and still playing. I’m enjoying the journey of it all. I haven’t had a chance to reflect, so I think of eight years of playing in the NBA. There have only been, what, 5,000 players in the world over the last how many years the league has been in existence to ever play in the NBA. There are billions of people on this planet. It’s unbelievable to think about in that aspect.

But for the most part, I’m just enjoying the journey. Playing overseas right now is where I’m at right now, and I’m going to enjoy that journey until, hey, I see if something else opens up and I’m able to do that, I’m going to do that. So yeah, keep playing until I can’t play anymore.

Do you hope that this experience could get you back in the NBA?

That is definitely the goal. If I can get an opportunity from any team to lace them back up in the NBA, that’s the goal. I have a few [European] offers on the table. I’m just waiting for a couple of things to unfold with the EuroLeague, EuroCup situation team-wise, and then my team as well that I played for this past year. Obviously, they’ve offered me, but I’m just waiting for a couple of other teams, EuroLeague to unfold. Then, I can make a decision and see what is next.