Logically, Dylan Travis should not be representing Team USA in basketball this summer in Paris.

The Omaha, Nebraska native led his home state in scoring during his senior year of high school but did not receive any Division I offers.

He committed to Midland University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school in Fremont, Nebraska.

'Being all-state coming out of high school, I was humbled my first year at an NAIA school,' the 6-foot-3 guard said.

'I didn't have my head on straight, kind of getting into trouble and stuff, talking back to coaches.

' After a year at Midland, he transferred to Iowa Central Community College.

He knew if he found success there, it could set him up to play Division I basketball.

'I had to mature a lot going into Iowa Central,' Travis said.

'Coach Dennis Pilcher, a Hall of Fame coach at the juco level, really helped me.

That kind of shaped me to where I'm at now.

' His success at Iowa Central, where he averaged 18.

3 points per game, led him to commit to Florida Southern, a Division II school.

There, Travis thrived.

In his junior year, the Moccasins won the Division II national championship.

After that season, his long-awaited Division I offer came along.

'By that time, I was over it.

I stayed at Florida Southern and was an All-American my senior year,' Travis said.

'Florida Southern was great, especially after all those stops.

It felt like heaven there.

' Be a good teammate, be a good person off the court, no matter where you're at in the world, that really matters.

I learned that a lot at Florida Southern.

After graduation, Travis played overseas in Germany and Australia.

After four years, he decided to put the basketball down, instead pursuing a career in education.

Travis remained involved in basketball by coaching his high school's team.

It never occurred to him to play competitively again until his friend recommended playing in Omaha's 3x3 tournament circuit.

Travis fell in love with the 3x3 game, starting with the team 3Ball Omaha and continuing to play over 150 games on the pro circuit.

Eventually, he met his future teammates, Jimmer Fredette, Kareem Maddox, and Canyon Barry, on the circuit.

Later, the quartet got picked up by USA Basketball.

In November, the team ranked second in the world and earned an Olympic bid to represent the red, white, and blue.

The squad boasts an impressive resume, including gold medals at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup and the 2023 Pan American Games, plus a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup.

With all his success on the court, Travis most relishes the fact that his mom will be in Paris watching him play.

'It's just me and my mom growing up.

She worked three jobs so I could go to a private high school,' he said.

'She's never been outside of the States, so to see her in Paris will mean a lot to me.

' 'We're the first U.

S.

men's team that's been chosen for the Olympics, so there is some pressure and some expectations to win gold and grow the sport,' he said.

'We're veterans, and we can have that on our shoulders.

So we're looking forward to that challenge.

' 'I'm a Division II guy and got to travel the world playing 3x3.

Now I'm in the Olympics,' he added.

'If you love the game, stick with it.

'