Among the Giants: How One Underdog
Pursued His Dreams & You Can Too!
by Jesse
LeBeau
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
The
sound of the basketball slapping the floor echoed hollowly in the gym, as I
began working it playfully with my hands. Planning my next move, I locked eyes
with my opponent. I noticed small beads of sweat beginning to form in the
furrow between his eyebrows. My heart was pounding, and my nerves tightened in
response . . . but slowly a smile formed on my lips. Here I was, 5’8” Jesse
LeBeau, going one on one with basketball superstar Kevin Durant . . . and I was
making him sweat! As I started to make my move on him, I briefly wondered,
"How did a skinny kid from a small town in Alaska ever get the chance to
do this?" Here I was, involved in the filming of the 2012 Warner Brother's
basketball movie Thunderstruck, playing against the NBA scoring champion! It
shouldn't have happened. I didn't fit the profile and anyone would have told
you that. But I did make it, despite the odds. And here is my story . . .
Growing
up as an undersized white basketball player on a remote island in Alaska, Jesse
had nearly every chip stacked against him. Yet despite his size and
circumstances, he managed to rise above it all and make it to the big screen in
Hollywood. With only the love of the game of basketball and the tenacity to
follow a dream driving him, Jesse’s persistence has led him to star in national
commercials and movies with some of the most recognizable celebrities and
professional athletes in the world. More importantly, he found a way to tweak
the system and alter his dream and get paid to do what he loves to . . . every
day! Be inspired by his story and learn the keys to successfully creating a
life that is uniquely yours.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt
dear reader,
The giants i fought against in my life were not just the
physical players in the game, but also the obstacles i had to face each time i
slid my feet into a pair of gym shoes and walked out onto the court. my lack of
height, lack of bulk, and seeming lack of intimidating presence all fueled the
dismissive bias i routinely faced when the competition took their first look at
me. How i met that challenge, how i drove myself with a determination fueled by
a love for the game of basketball, and where that has all ultimately led me is
what this book is about.
i hope Among the Giants encourages you to:
• never give up on
your dreams.
• never let the
odds stacked against you make you a
quitter.
• learn the lessons
life gives you along the way.
• look for new
opportunities and avenues in which
to “tweak” your dreams and create
something that is fresh and uniquely yours.
as you read the pages of this book, take a new look at yourself.
you may have to face different giants than the ones that i struggled with, but
you can still overcome your obstacles, just as i did. my greatest hope for you
as you read my story is that you will have a new energy and desire to pursue
your dreams with everything that’s in you. you, too, can create a life that you
will love. when it’s all said and done, you just might find, as i have, a
bigger and better dream than you started with . . .
Good luck! —Jesse
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Over the
course of the last couple years, Jesse has propelled himself from a small,
alaskan fishing town to the Hollywood big screen, being seen by millions all
over the world. By leveraging his love of the game of basketball and making the
most of every opportunity, he has suc- cessful created a life all his own. at
5’8”, he may not be an nBa player, but by tweaking his dream, he has been able
to use his passion (basketball) to star in national commercials and movies,
work with pro athletes and celebrities, and even give back on a regular basis
as a motivational speaker for youth. His un- derdog story, outlined in his
book, Among the Giants, serves as an inspiration to anyone who has ever been
told they can’t make their dream a reality.
Jesse was
born and raised on Pennock island, alaska, where his mother worked as a school
teacher and his father was involved in the logging industry. Jesse played
basketball growing up, but no one wanted to take him seriously, and coaches
told him he was too small and would never make it. despite his critics, he
believed not only in himself but also in the plan God had for him. Jesse has
experienced big wins and frustrating losses, but both triumph and defeat helped
him grow as a leader and a person, and helped deepen his faith.
Today, he
uses his message to motivate and inspire young people around the world as a
speaker and author. combining his love of basketball, speaking, and
entertaining, Jesse founded the fab4 Takeover, which brings celebrities into
schools to teach and impact students. He also released an instructional
dribbling dVd titled Dribble Like a Star. for a free download from the dVd
visit www.JesseleBeau.com or text the word ‘dVd ‘to the number 58885. you can
find more information, read news in the press, watch highlight video foot- age,
and follow Jesse on a more personal level at the following websites:
To purchase
Among The Giants on Amazon visit: http://amzn.to/1gg7apn
To get a free
download from his DVD visit: http://bit.ly/U9w32m
To get a free
download from his eBook "What Allen Iverson Taught Me About Life"
visit: www.JesseLeBeau.com
Interview:
Where are you from?
I grew up on a little island in Alaska called Pennock. On Pennock Island, there was no roads, stores
or cars. It was just my house,
surrounded by the woods filled with wild dogs, deer, and bears! Every day just to get to school I had to hop
into my families boat and take it to town.
Tell us your latest news?
I have a commercial airing on TV right now with Kevin
Durant. My book will be out in
bookstores on Oct. 7th. I’m
speaking full time in schools all over the country and there is a good chance I
might be playing with Harlem Globetrotters in 2015 I have my fingers crossed!
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing while I was on set shooting the movie Thunderstruck
with Kevin Durant. I was getting to do
some really exciting things and I wanted to remember everything from these
unique experiences. A few years later I
realized my passion for helping young people and that inspired me to write a
book that would motivate and equip kids to chase their dreams and reach their
fullest potential.
When did you first
consider yourself a writer?
I think everyone has a story to share that can entertain or help
others, they just have to take action on it.
There are all sorts of resources today that can help anyone write and
publish a book. If you want to do it,
there is nothing stopping you!
What inspired you to write your first book?
I was speaking to kids around the country but I was only able to
give them so much in 45 minutes. I
realized if I wrote a book, I would be able to give them a resource that could
really make a difference in their life long after I left. That was my motivation to take the time to
write Among The Giants.
What would you like my
readers to know?
Attitude is everything! I
hope my book will inspire your readers to life a live according to their
passion no matter what obstacles they are facing. To keep tabs on me and to get free resources
they can check me out at www.JesseLeBeau.com and follow me at @JesseLeBeau. If they want a digitial download of my eBook
“What Allen Iverson Taught Me About Life” and a download from my DVD for FREE
they can text the word “Giants” to 58885.
Giveaway:
Jesse will be awarding a signed Deuce Brand watch to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
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