Brownsburg Freshman Blake Gabou Balances Basketball, Leadership and Family Legacy

The incoming Brownsburg High School student-athlete discusses Junior TBL, community leadership, basketball goals and carrying on a family tradition in sports and business.

At 14-years old, Blake Gabou (center) leads free youth basketball camp in Indianapolis, Indiana as part of his duties as CEO of the Junior TBL initiative. | Wendell Maxey

Chances are when the new school year begins in Indiana at Brownsburg High School on July 29, there will be one kid confidently walking the hallways with NBA and NCAA championship pedigree coursing through his veins.

A Family Legacy in Sports and Business

As the grandson of former Cleveland Cavaliers forward and Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana, David Magley, and the son of IMG Academy alum and tennis standout at the University of Florida, Jennifer Magley, Blake Gabou has an extremely bright future ahead of him at Brownsburg. The Magleys have become influential by leading the third largest professional basketball league in North America – The Basketball League (TBL) – behind the NBA and NBA G League. Blake is continuing the family legacy by developing a diverse set of interests at the young age of 14-years-old. 

Leading Beyond the Court

Not only does the tall teenager excel in the classroom and on the basketball court at UNRKND, Indianapolis’ go-to basketball academy, but he’s also a visionary and leader in his own community. Alongside his younger brother, Grant, Blake leads the Junior TBL initiative as CEO and President. Their goal is to empower young athletes by developing leadership skills and stressing the importance of community action. Forbes previously featured the Gabou brothers in an online article detailing their rise from court to the C-Suite. 

Blake’s favorite part about being an upstart executive?

“I love creating good memories for other people that stick with them for their entire life,” Blake told High School On SI.

In the quaint Indiana town that counts greats like pro hooper Gordon Hayward, race car driver Adam Andretti, and former punter turned former pro wrestler and sports media mogul, Pat McAfee, among its notable residents, the new kid on the block is a young familiar face making headlines of his own. 

In this latest Q&A with High School On SI, Blake Gabou shares his thoughts on his upcoming freshman year as a Brownsburg Bulldog. We also learn about his goals for growing on the basketball court, in the classroom, and his community, as well as the impact of the Junior TBL initiative, and more.

Opportunity Knocks: Entering the 9th grade means a world full of endless possibilities as a Brownsburg Bulldog for Blake Gabou. | B. Gabou

Q&A with Blake Gabou

The last time I saw you in Indianapolis, you were behind the video camera conducting interviews at the annual TBL Combine prior to running your free Junior TBL basketball camp. What was that experience like for you? And is working in media something you’d like to pursue as you grow up?

Working behind the camera was an awesome experience for me. Being behind the camera and recording the interviews was spectacular because I felt like I was controlling the scene, even though I wasn't actually talking. Working in media is not my first interest compared to basketball. But doing the job can be a blast; It is just about where life takes me. As a National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) member, I love helping people, even if I don’t get the credit. NJHS’s job is to help people in the community or at school through various activities in these settings. Just like NJHS, I love helping people get in the spotlight with the media. Last year, I was in a Show Choir at my school called Moonlight. It was fun because we sang and danced at the same time, competed against other schools, and I won some awards.  While every show choir was dancing, people would take action shots and post them on a website so the kids could see them. Mine was intense. My eyes were filled with anger, my mouth was agape, and I was shouting our custom song, where everyone acted angry. I loved it. Media captures experiences and brings them to life with pictures and videos. And if life takes me to the media, I will do it.

You spoke with a lot of professional basketball players, team owners, and even a sports writer during that weekend in Indiana. What did you learn from conducting those interviews?

I learned about the different lifestyles they had and how, in an interview, it is important to dress in business attire. Presenting yourself professionally is crucial in an interview. Smiling, having great posture, and being approachable are important. And their experience with their topic was phenomenal, too. They could teach me everything they know about themselves or basketball in an entertaining way. It’s a hook that makes me want to know more about them and what they do in their lives. Also, the people I recorded looked engaged and excited to talk. That is something I barely see in school. The way someone answers a question shows their character. If they answer boldly, they are confident in themselves. If they answer shyly, that shows a sense of insecurity. Hands are the biggest signal of all. Hands behind the body or crossed indicate uninterest or untrustworthiness. Hands in front of the body, relaxed, show a sense of engagement and trust. ​

That was not your only responsibility for the weekend. You also helped lead the Junior TBL initiative and basketball camp for kids in your role as CEO of the Junior TBL. What do you enjoy the most about leading that position? And what can we expect moving ahead for the Junior TBL?

As the CEO of a basketball league like the Junior TBL, I love helping kids. A part that I enjoy the most is when other kids enjoy the camps that we do. And I love creating good memories for other people that stick with them for their entire life. In TBL games, my brother Grant and I would sometimes give Junior TBL basketballs to the people who wanted them the most, based on how loudly they cheered. I love seeing their reactions of happiness, excitement, and surprise when they get the ball. Additionally, what to expect is more camps and more financial literacy programs partnered with the National Financial Educators Council. And we are going to do more events and activities for young people that include life skills, educational programs, and health and wellbeing.

Family Business: As a Senior at South Bend LaSalle, David Magley (left) was selected Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1978 before going on to the NBA. Today, the President of TBL is also known as Blake Gabou's proud grandfather. | B. Gabou

This is your last summer before entering high school. What are your thoughts about attending Brownsburg?

High school, to me, is a place of opportunity. I can do so much stuff there. There are things I want to see and do. I view high school as an important stage where I can experiment with options and situations to see how life works and behaves. Meeting new friends and people makes me excited. I also want to be there. To see if it is scary or not. Brownsburg is a great school, so I want to make the most of it.

Any academic and athletic goals that you have in mind as you look ahead to attending Brownsburg?

My academic goals are to get an Honors seal plus, and my athletic goals are to play more basketball on teams like my UNRKND one. Possibly getting college attention is a far-off goal, but I want to achieve it. Dunking in basketball at the end of my freshman year is crucial for my college goal.

You come from a long line of influential people with your grandfather previously playing in the NBA, your grandmother being the Chief Executive Officer of TBL, and your mom the Chief Brand Officer. What have they taught you about business and basketball?

They have taught me that business and basketball rely on a lot of work and practice to succeed. And to succeed, you need to put all of your time, strength, and soul into the things you want the most. Communication is a valuable skill because, in basketball, your teammates need to know what is going on on defense and offense, which can be done through communication. Similarly, in business, communicating when a meeting is going to start is important because it lets others know it is happening and allows more flexibility if the schedule changes. Confidence is important because it requires confidence to swat that layup in basketball, even if you are going to get embarrassed. It takes confidence to speak up in a business presentation so everyone can hear what you have to say. Lastly, teamwork is a huge skill in both basketball and business. It helps everyone function in one unit and succeed.

Do you have any words of advice to the other students getting ready to start high school this coming Fall?

My advice is to be confident in yourself; go after what you want and experience it. High school is a world of opportunity; take advantage of it and have fun!