Quite a lot can change in one year, very few people can resonate with that statement like Murray state alum Jonathan Stark has.
Stark's basketball journey took him from Israel to Greece, and now he prepares for the next step in his basketball journey in Japan.
The Racer single-season record holder for threes made signed with Ehime Orange Vikings in late June.
"It's been a roller coaster, but man any day you can wake up and play the game of basketball, it's a blessing," Stark said.
Stark showed up to Racer Hoopalooza this year to support former teammate Ja Morant's induction into the Murray State Hall of Fame.
Stark, a Class of 2023 Hall of Famer, received plenty of credit from Ja as Stark vouched for the freshman Morant to be the team's starting point guard.
"I want to give him a lot of credit to why I had a successful freshman season," Morant said at Hoopalooza. "Coming in, I'm 9 hours from home, never been away, there's a lot of stuff I was dealing with during that time. Stark actually went to coach and told him that he wanted me to be his starting point guard. So seeing the work he was putting in, it was only right I followed in his footsteps. He was my senior, my leader, and I appreciate him a lot for that."
"Hearing those words coming from him, it means a lot," Stark added. "I tried to be a leader, to set an example and to have somebody of that caliber, to see the things he's doing now, to recognize me, it means a lot man and I appreciate that."
