PORTLAND, Ore. - Our latest athlete for our Spotlight feature is Panther men's basketball player Jaylen LyDay.

NAME: Jaylen LyDay

SPORT: Men's Basketball 

HOMETOWN: Portland, Oregon 

PARENTS/GUARDIANS NAMES: Monica LyDay and John LyDay

SIBLINGS NAMES: One brother(David Jackson), Three sisters (Tayler, Amaris, and Kylee)

PREVIOUS SCHOOL- HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE: High school - Madison and Roosevelt. College - Lower Columbia College, Currently Portland Community College

ACADEMIC INTEREST OR MAJOR:  General Studies

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC TO KEEP YOURSELF MOTIVATED BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY?

I've just been staying active and working on my upper and lower body pretty much 5-6 times a week. Also I've been working on my athleticism and my basketball craft everyday that starts with doing 2 workouts a day of shooting and working on my ball handling. For me working on my athleticism I work 3-4 times a week as well. For school I just stayed on top of my grades and kept focused because regardless of us not having a season that doesn't mean I should stop working on my academics. 

CAN YOU TELL US SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR YOUR UPCOMING SPORTS SEASON?

One of my goals for this upcoming basketball season is to become a better shooter off the catch, the dribble, and spot up. Another goal of mine is to become a better ball handler so when I can do encounter moves to create my own shot going left or right or driving to the rim.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY AS AN ATHLETE? 

My favorite memory as an athlete was when I got my first dunk my sophomore year in high school. 

CAN YOU SHARE SOME INSIGHT ON YOUR WORK/CAREER ASPIRATIONS?

 My Insights on my career aspirations is to become a professional basketball player and follow my dreams of playing in the NBA and making my friends/ family proud of me.  Also I wanna become more into a business of my own one day and to build something I've always wanted. I don't know what it is yet but I'll figure it out at some point.