JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Beyond numbers and statistics, sports have a way of bringing people together and really showcasing some of the most inspiring stories filled with hope and resilience.
For Jacksonville native Patric Young, the story of his life encapsulates that and more.
From the moment he touched the hardwood, Young knew he was destined for greatness.
He said it was his coach, Jim Martin at Providence Highschool, who paved his way.
“He was the first coach to kind of really challenge me and prepared me for going to college. Because, you know, at 18 years old, you think that you know all the talent that you have, it’s going to be easy. Transitioning basketball is going to be the least of your life worries when you get there and it’s overwhelming,” Young said.
Entering his freshman year at the University of Florida was overwhelming, and Young said he wasn’t sure that he could emotionally handle it. Being away from his family, growing into himself as a man and just facing all the things as an adult.
But it was his coach, Billy Donovan, who really put it into perspective for him.
“And at a certain point he, you know, because I was just not getting it said, ‘hey, you know, you either let us coach you or you should think about transferring somewhere else.’ And that may come as a shock, but his honesty and directness helped me change the trajectory of my time there, and I’m so grateful for that,” Young said.
That directness had him focused on his future. From 2010-2014 he played center and went to three Elite-Eight’s and a Final Four with the team.
“We had a system that we just abided by, that we trusted coach Donovan to do, and but just, I mean, overall, my four years there, that’s why I’m partially why I’m still so connected to the university, because my four-year experience was unbelievable,” Young said.
As a standout player, some of his accolades include SEC Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-SEC Team member. Young also became the 50th 1,000-point scorer in UF history and finished his career 27th on the all-time scoring list, with 1,307 points.
RELATED: Patric Young finds his message through darkest time of his life
In 2014, the Gators went 18-0 in conference play. Young said all of his years at Florida were unbelievable but different, but it was that last year that was one of the more memorable ones.
“I wanted to be more have this role of being a bigger offensive player coming to that year. And it’s not that I don’t think I couldn’t have done that. It just wasn’t in the best interest for the goals of the team, and everybody took a step back from individual goals and accolades and just wanted to focus on winning because we believed if we took care of winning, everything else will take care of itself,” he said.
While he was part of the last team to make it to the Final Four, he said this is the most exciting time for him since he’s able to watch his Gators.
“Now you know being able to watch the team currently, it’s the first time I’m getting to follow a great Gator team post career, in the Final Four. So that is the full circle moment. It’s so cool,” Young said.
RELATED: ‘Florida all the way’: Gator fans express excitement as team heads to Final Four
After he went undrafted in 2014, he was a free agent with the New Orleans Pelicans. after his cut from the team, his basketball career took him overseas to Turkey, Greece, Italy and Israel for six years.
But after injuries, he decided to hang it up in 2020 and moved on to the next chapter. He got a job with the SEC Network, which was pretty and then another one with a for-profit company through Tim Tebow.
On June 29, 2022, 10 days before his wedding, Young was in a single car accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, leaving him unable to use his legs.
“As a Christian man, I’ve gone to church my whole life, and it’s like, Alright, man, put your faith to the test actually. Like, believe in and find the joy in the trials that you’re facing, and find a way to use what’s happened and what the enemy would have meant to be, you know, damning to your life and just like a life sentence of, well, the best days are behind you, and I’m like, No, I want to prove God right. I want to be the author and narrator of my own story,” Young said.
Four months after his accident, he launched the Patric Young Foundation. Its mission is to help those facing life-altering injuries, and works to provide financial, emotional, and physical support to those who need it most.
RELATED: Night to Shine offers unforgettable night for people with special needs
He explained why he works so hard to help other people.
“How am I going to ever be happy again? How am I going to find life? Am I going to find love? Am I going to be able to work again? And how am I going to be able to live in my house? That isn’t that huge? Like, yeah, you can. Some changes may need to be made to your house, but you can. It’s possible, and that’s why it’s so important for me to show up, to show people that, hey, it’s possible to be a light in whatever situation you’re facing. It helps. It starts on the inside of you, and then I think on the end, it’s like, all right, how can I help other people,” Young said.
Now, he continues to write his story, with his new book “Sit to Rise, turning your darkest pain into your biggest victory.”
“I just wanted to be as authentic and vulnerable, because I think the world doesn’t have enough of that where you can really look into someone’s life and see what they’re going through and their thought process and how they overcome. And for me, you know my book, how does faith play into all of that?”
Young said of all the things he’s done, this is one of his proudest knowing that someone will read the book and be affected by it.
Young can’t help but smile, knowing his life is not only guided by his faith but by those who helped him pave the, from his family in his corner to his coaches that shaped him into the man he is today.
“I want to become like a master communicator and really have the ability to move rooms and change people’s hearts and present things in a way that with conviction and authenticity, authenticity that really affects you know, people every because you never know, like people will say, I’m inspired or whatever, but you never know. How does it really affect their life? And I just pray that every time I step in a room and on a stage, that people’s hearts will be moved,” Young said.
