Wayne Simien, The Faith-Based Servant Leader - Leadership Lessons from Hall of Fame Players and Coaches, Why You Should Expect Life To Be Hard, and Wanting To Be Like His Father

Here's an interview with someone I "knew" as a teenager the humble, servant leader Wayne Simien (see his bio below) from his early athletic success as a McDonald's All-American (recognizes the top 25 high school basketball players in the United States) and winning the 2006 NBA Championship to his current role as the associate athlete director of engagement and leadership at the University of Kansas. His leadership lessons from Hall of Famers like Pat Riley, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Roy Williams, and Bill Self, his journey to becoming a Christian at 20 years old when he was feeling broken and empty, why he wanted to emulate his father, the most important ring he ever received (it's not the one you think), his fitness goals/routine (some of it involves his 5 kids), why he changed his initial college major from Points, Rebounds, and Winning to Sociology. You will enjoy his stories about working out in a urine-smelling stairwell with needles at his feet (drawing comparisons to Rocky Balboa in Rocky III). We also answer important questions such as - Who eats hot wings better - Shaq or Wayne and Do McDonald's All Americans eat free for the rest of their lives :-). Please enjoy my conversation with Wayne!

 

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Wayne's bio: Wayne Simien​ (www.waynesimien.com), born and raised in Leavenworth, KS, grew up in a hardworking family with both parents employed at Hallmark Cards. Excelling in basketball, he was part of a 6A State Championship team and a McDonald's High School All-American. Simien attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a degree in sociology in 2005. During his collegiate career, he played under Hall of Fame coaches Roy Williams and Bill Self, participated in two Final Fours, won three Big 12 Championships, and was named Big 12 Player of the Year and First Team Consensus All-American. His jersey hangs in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters. In 2003, he became a Christian, a transformative experience. Drafted in the first round by the Miami Heat, he won an NBA Championship under coach Pat Riley and concluded his professional career in Spain.​ From 2009 to 2021, Simien served as a Christian campus minister at KU and across the Midwest, focusing on mentorship, preaching, and leading mission trips. He currently resides in Lawrence, KS, working as the Associate Athletics Director of Engagement at KU. In this role, he is involved in leadership development, fundraising, and supporting former athletes through K-Club. Married to his wife Katie for 16 years, they have five children. Simien is also an elder at Morning Star Church and enjoys coaching his kids, fishing, hunting, and golf.