UNGUARDED

Laura Giuliani is Unguarded about the relationship with Christian, her boyfriend, who has been by her side during some of the most important and crucial moments in her career. Most of the time we hear about the women who support male pro athletes but this time we get to hear the other side: what sacrifices were made, how they were able to help one another adjust to living in new countries and cities and doing what it takes to balance it all, including taking a part-time job together at a factory. Now that's amore.  Laura is currently the goalkeeper for Juventus and the Italian National Team. She is a native of Milan and also has played for teams in Germany, 

Acheil Tac is Unguarded about finding the motivation to tackle whatever new challenges come her way. Her journey as a refugee has been well documented. From South Sudan to Egypt to Dallas, Texas, Tac with her parents and three sisters (who are also ballin' out in Texas) always found a way to not only adjust but also to thrive. She started learning English at age 9 at ESL classes and only started playing basketball in high school and didn't know anything about athletic collegiate scholarships but still thrived at the University of North Texas. She talks about wanting to play for a South Sudan women's team in the future and helping to improve the basketball program in her homeland. She is the author of The Reality of Behind the Glamour of College Athletics and has played pro basketball in Switzerland, Czech Republic and most recently in Greece. 

Darius Willis is Unguarded about how to navigate a life in sports when dreams get deferred, multiple times. Jori and Darius both attended Indiana University at the same time (he graduated a year after her) and later on they were both playing in Switzerland at the same time. A severe knee injury sidelined Darius' chances to play pro (American) football in the US. After not getting a callback from a tryout with the NY Jets, he took on several jobs from Toys R Us to Fed Ex to pay the bills but his dream to play pro football never went away and he finally got his chance in Switzerland...until another injury made him pivot to coaching, mentoring and training future American football stars in Europe. Darius is a native of Indianapolis, is the CEO/Founder of Willis Sports Organization and is currently the head coach of the Bern Grizzlies in Switzerland. 

Landon Milbourne is Unguarded about his struggles to create change for himself and other players in the business of sport during and after his overseas pro basketball career as an athlete and later as an agent. Landon is an author and an entrepreneur who owns several businesses including those in personal care, cosmetics, trucking, real estate development, e-commerce and more. The Maryland-native graduated from the University of Maryland before playing pro in France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Puerto Rico and Israel. (Pardon the quality of the audio of the interview, it was conducted before we stepped up our equipment)

Gio Sottana is Unguarded about the important role of education in the lives of athletes and the advantages and disadvantages of Europeans going to America to play in the NCAA and staying in Europe to play pro. She also talks about the importance of athletes being seen more than just athletes but as individuals with interests and thoughts that go beyond the courts and fields of athletics. Giorgio "Gio" Sottana is the captain of the Italian National Team and has played Euroleague since 2011.  She has had success playing for three teams in Italy, one in France and currently plays for Fenerbahçe in Turkey.  Gio is also the founder of an online magazine, 4FourAM, where she interviews fellow athletes about life and the co-founder of Playground Basketball Camp. 

Elly Pavel is Unguarded about her struggles with her body image. And how playing basketball opened up a new world for her, taking her to new cities and countries which allowed her to meet diverse groups of people which helped her to not only accept herself but to also appreciate her own body. That strength lead her to support women, feminist causes and made her focus on a healthier lifestyle. Elisabeth "Elly" Pavel has played in her native Romania, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Italy and will be playing in Poland next season. She is also a member of the Romanian National Team. 

Horace Wormely is Unguarded about the importance of making connections in the global athlete network. The "Gingerbread Man" (nickname he earned in the legendary Drew League) played pro basketball for 12 years on six different continents. The Pasadena-native is currently the managing partner of Layercake Group and co-director of DSTRKT. 8:00 // Having a mentor gave him the confidence to re-negotiate his first overseas contract 10:36 // In China he learned about the business of basketball which helped set up his life after sports 18:00 // His network of athletes gave him access to various contracts and he used that info to help others 25:00 // Negotiating his own contract got him blackballed 33:32 // No regrets but having an agent would have resulted in a more financially prosperous career 41:48 // Deciding to quit playing ball 47:30 // How he's helping current and future athletes today

Unguarded's 1st ever episode features DeQuan Jones! Jori caught up with him soon after he returned to America during the pandemic outbreak in Italy where he was playing his first season with Pallacanestro Trieste.  DeQuan talks to Jori about their similar overseas journeys and shared appreciation for experiencing other cultures. A recent father, he shares the challenges of balancing of being an overseas athlete, husband and father and what hopes he has for his family's future along with his wife, Allison Mathis Jones. 

Elite athlete to elite athlete, pro basketball player Jori Davis interviews current and former overseas athletes to share their truths about their life and careers. Authentic and raw, each episode will feature conversations about the highs , lows, successes, failures, insecurities and hopes experienced by elite overseas athletes.