Overcoming obstacles is one of the biggest inspirational sports messages out there. People come back for more to feel a sense of belonging and inspiration; they want to see themselves in the stories coming out on top in the end. When you want a good dose of sports medicine, the podcast “D&K in the lab” has the prescription. As an entertaining mix of conversation, humor, basketball, and encouragement, co-hosts Dex G and Kurt Lee delve into topics that we can all relate to in some way or another.

The topics are usually centered around Division 1 basketball, Dex’s experience is personal in that area, he has a plethora of wisdom when it comes to what it takes to make it at that level. “A lot of times I was fighting against the belief of my doubters. After being told that I couldn’t play, I set out to do what I loved and that message speaks to a lot of people,” Dex says. “While our podcast does center on the basketball world, in reality it’s full of lessons and wisdom that anyone can relate to even if they’re not into the sport. Our message is universal. Basketball is just the setting.”

Dex knows what it’s like to have to overcome some big odds to accomplish his goals. “I didn’t exactly have a big crowd of supporters when I said I wanted to play basketball in high school and college,” he says. “I didn’t listen to them, though. I knew what I wanted to do, and I went after it, playing at Suffern High School in New York.”

That journey continued in college. “After I graduated from Marist College, I went on to Montclair State and joined their basketball club. Can you imagine how exciting it was to help them go 7-0? That was my first semester there, and all I could think was how fantastic it was to be playing on this level,” Dex remembers. “It gave me so much confidence that I kept playing even while I was taking classes at different schools to become a medical records professional.”

Going on to play for SUNY Ulster Community College’s division 2 NJCAA team was a time Dex will never forget. “I felt proud to be one of the four players who made it to the next level. I actually committed to playing at County College of Morris after Montclair, but after a month and a half of being on the team, I transferred to SUNY Ulster and walked on the team later on in the season. I also played semi-pro for the East Carolina Cardinals.”

The quarantine took Dex’s passion for basketball in a new direction. “It was terrible not being able to play because of the pandemic,” Dex sighs. “But then Kurt came up with this great idea of making a podcast. In the beginning, it really was just a way to pass the time, but as we explored it and brainstormed ideas, we realized we had something unique.”

“What makes our podcast so different is that we really get into what’s needed to get to play on Division 1 teams,” Kurt says. “Getting to that level isn’t easy. You’ve got hundreds, probably thousands, of high school players across the country who want to get onto a team, but the sheer dedication you need to do it is incredible. Our discussions of this will help anyone pursue their dreams, basketball fan or not.”

Dex interviewed Ahmad Clark, who plays for Albany University, and Chris Galbreath, who plays for Sam Houston State, for his podcast. “They get real about how hard you must work to make it to that level, how you have to eat, and how brutal the training really is.” That’s one of the messages Dex would like to get across to high school players: the importance of changing their mentalities so that they can play at the Division 1 level.

With all of the things that make Dex and Kurt’s podcast shine, their humor and wit makes it fun. Whether you’re here for the sports or for the fun, D&K in the Lab is always going to be a good time. “It takes a lot of work to make it where you want to be, and that’s why we’re here, to encourage and educate people that want to go where I’ve been,” Dex says.