Ryan Hoover suited up for the Golden Grizzlies for three seasons before an injury sidelined him from a game he loved.
 
But his passion for basketball and dream to make a career out of the sport he loved, didn't end when his playing career did. 
 
The Harrison Township, Mich. native said he owes it to Head Coach Greg Kampe for the success that came next on the basketball court, just maybe not in the way he was expecting.
 
"My senior year I wasn't able to play because I shattered my navicular in my left foot, Coach Kampe looked at me and said 'What are you going to do this year?'" Hoover recalls. "He said I want to keep you around, keep you on scholarship, and I looked at him and said, 'I want your job' and he said, 'Perfect, you will be a student-assistant coach.' That was on a Tuesday morning at 6 a.m., the very next morning at 6 a.m. he walked up to me and said, 'Take advantage of this, they (the Detroit Pistons) need an intern."
 
Despite his hesitation due to a desire to stay with the Oakland men's basketball program, Kampe insisted he takes advantage of the internship opportunity. 
 
That was in 2004, the year the Detroit Pistons won the NBA title, the first NBA Championship Hoover was a part of, but not his last. 
 
"I was still taking classes while interning with the Pistons and had Larry Brown, our head coach, write letters to my professors at school saying 'Ryan needs to leave and isn't going to be present in class because he is going to the NBA Finals."
 
Hoover spent 14 years with the Pistons, and has spent the last four with the Milwaukee Bucks as the Vice President of Global Scouting.
 
On Tuesday, Milwaukee won its first NBA Championship since 1971. Marking the second championship Hoover had the opportunity to be a part of.
 
"It's surreal. The people that believed in me and have given me a chance, from my love and passion of basketball," Hoover said. "John Horst who hired me with the Bucks, him and I were both interns with the Pistons, that's our General Manager, and he and I are forever grateful for Joe Dumars and John Hammond for believing in us."
 
Kampe, who has been at the helm of the Oakland men's basketball program since 1984, always enjoys seeing his former student-athletes go on to succeed in life after Oakland, Ryan is no exception.
 
"I am so happy for Ryan, all the hard work is paying off for him," Kampe said. "For him to hold that trophy is a lifelong dream coming true. I knew he loved the game from the moment I starting coaching him and his success is no surprise." 
 
Hoover, who has now spent nearly 20 years working in the NBA has two Championships under his belt, but there is always room for more.
 
"I am forever grateful to Coach Kampe and Oakland University," Hoover said.