2023-24 We Believe Academy Player Profiles
In 2021-22, former professional basketball player Ta’Quan Zimmerman started a basketball academy in Waterbury, Connecticut that is called We Believe Academy. The academy is set up as an alternative to the traditional high school basketball path, with the goal of eventually placing their players into college basketball programs. Students take online academic classes in the Putnam Science curriculum, but play their basketball with WBA. WBA also provides tutoring and SAT prep courses to help enhance their student-athletes attractiveness in college admissions. The program includes freshmen up through high school Post Grads. They compete in the collegebound player laden AA Division of the Power 5 Conference.
For the 2023-24 season, their original Director of Basketball Operations, Brian Stasaitis is taking over the Head Coaching duties, and their recruiting has really hit its stride under his leadership. His 2023-24 roster is as follows:
#0 Tey’rik Smith (2024) 6’4 guard
#1 Tyson Mobley (2024) 6’1 guard
#2 Gary Konopka (2024) 5’11 point guard
#3 DJ Dormu (2024) 6’5 guard
#11 Michael Bruno III (2024) 6’4 guard
#13 Markus Navarra (2025) 6’9 forward
#21 Kenneth Rogers Jr. (2024) 6’4 guard
#24 Alexander Barber (2024) 6’7 wing
#33 Exavery Felix Gasana (2024) 6’11 forward
#34 Luka Kutchukhidze (2024) 6’10 forward
Alex Johnson (2025) 6’3 shooting guard
To catch their 2023-24 schedule and results, click here