Spurred to succeed: RST alum Larson knows importance of dedication to his craft
By ADELYN MUI
Many sports fans only see the athletes arriving at games, ready to take the court. However, the logistical and behind-the-scenes work often goes unnoticed. When a plane is delayed, causing the team to miss a connecting flight, or someone arrives 20 minutes late, it’s Josh Larson’s responsibility to ensure everything continues running smoothly.
That emphasis on service and hard work has propelled Larson to where he is today. He was immersed in basketball, almost from birth. His mother, Jenny, was an assistant athletic director at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and his brother played basketball collegiately. Today, Josh Larson serves as the general manager of the Austin Spurs, the G-League affiliate of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.
Raised in Tolono, Illinois, Larson attended the University of Illinois, where he earned a B.S. in Recreation, Sport and Tourism.
“What you learn in college isn't necessarily all the Xs and Os of sports like how to coach basketball, how to work a salary cap, how to negotiate contracts and things like that,” Larson said. “To me, what was really beneficial, and I think it applies to not only my profession but a lot of other ones, was how they teach you to problem solve.”
Although the fast-paced lifestyle might seem stressful, Larson sees it as a rewarding challenge.
“That's kind of the beauty of sports in general, or even recreation. It's never perfect,” Larson said. “You have to be able to think, do things your own way, problem-solve and figure out how you feel best fits your team, your culture, your park district.”
Larson emphasized that the RST program equips students to handle real-world situations. One hallmark of the program is its focus on practical experience. Reflecting on his coursework, Larson recalled a group project where he and his peers organized a kids’ day for the Stephens Family YMCA in Champaign.
“That was a good reminder of what it means to be service driven,” Larson said. “In the moment, you think, ‘Group project,’ and you have to go hang out with kids for four hours, and I probably wasn’t as excited to do it. But I felt like afterwards, I got a lot out of it, purely because it forced me to be in a mindset of serving others.”
After his sophomore year, he landed a summer internship with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. Through that experience, he made connections with the Spurs organization, which led to an internship in Austin after graduation. However, Larson noted that it didn’t begin with fun and glamour.
“You just do the laundry, you do the film, you do all the grunt work, and drive the players and vans … and clean apartments,” Larson said.
He then spent two years as the basketball operations assistant for the San Antonio Spurs before becoming the general manager of the Austin Spurs last May. His current responsibilities include managing players and coaches and supporting the coaching staff with resources for team building and player development.
Larson’s dedication to basketball was evident long before he entered the professional world. He started volunteering at Illinois men’s basketball summer camps the summer before he began college, eventually becoming a team manager for four years and serving as head manager his senior year. His relentless work ethic caught the attention of the coaching staff, and through networking within the program, he was able to make key connections that helped propel his career forward.
Jenny Larson said dedication has always been a part of her son’s work ethic.
“He was the first one in the office when he interned at the Charlotte Hornets, and he was the last one to leave,” Jenny Larson said. “It’ll be 7 at night when I call him, and he'd say, ‘I'm still in the office,’ and I'd ask him, ‘Why are you still in the office?’ and he’d say, ‘Because my boss hasn't left.”
Josh showed his dedication to his mom on another occasion when he was in high school and met with Mike Raycraft, a clinical associate professor in the RST program. Raycraft helped Larson figure out his interests and potential career paths.
“He dressed up in a suit. He's a junior in high school and he walks into meeting him, and he’s serious,” Jenny Larson said. “Josh put himself out there. He had to be extremely nervous, going in and talking to a professor. But he did it and I know it helped him grow and get to where he is today.”
Josh Larson said Raycraft was one of the most influential figures in his career.
“For him to do that, it meant a lot to me,” Larson said. “He was a massive influence, not only going to the university, but even after I got there. His care and attention to his students, not only with me, but you could see it with other people too.”
Another enduring takeaway from the RST program was its strong sense of community. Larson said he frequently encounters former classmates while traveling for work.
“A lot of people—we stay in touch still, so I think that, again, is a testament to the quality of people that the major tracks,” Larson said. “You get to have lifelong connections with people that you know you're going to be working with. You can call for advice—they know what you're going through and they can probably give you better advice than anybody.”
Larson explained that the program introduces students to diverse perspectives, which become invaluable when collaborating with others in the future.
“Even aside from just the classes and the curriculum that you learn, I think the people you meet is what makes it worth the while in the end,” Larson said.