By Jason Erickson

Braden Housley has learned to live in the in-between moments. The pauses. The setbacks. The stretches where progress is not always visible.

Those moments have shaped his journey just as much as the games themselves. They have taught him patience, resilience, and how to keep moving forward when the path is not always clear.

Growing up in Lehi, Utah, basketball was never forced on Housley. It was simply always there. Junior Jazz games. Local tournaments. Long days in gyms and driveways. From the time he was old enough to run, he was playing, learning the rhythms of the game long before he understood where it might take him.

His father did not grow up playing basketball, but his influence on Housley's journey was constant. Not through instruction, but through example. Work ethic. Consistency. Showing up every day. That steady presence helped Housley believe early on that college basketball was possible, even when the road ahead was still undefined.

At Skyridge High School, Housley found a version of the game that felt free. He played with friends. He played with confidence. The pressure felt lighter, and the joy came naturally. Looking back, those seasons remain some of his favorite memories in basketball, not just because of the wins, but because of how simple everything felt.

"It was just different," Housley said. "There wasn't a ton of pressure. You're just playing with your friends, playing free, and playing confident."

That freedom prepared him for what came next.

Housley's college path has not followed a straight line. After returning from his mission, he redshirted his first season at Southern Utah, a year that tested patience and forced perspective. When his opportunity arrived, he stepped into it immediately, starting every game as a freshman, earning WAC All-Freshman Team honors, and showing he belonged at the Division I level. Success came quickly, but it did not insulate him from the realities of college basketball. Coaching changes, roster turnover, and constant adjustment demanded growth beyond the box score.

"Basketball has a lot of ups and downs," Housley said. "It's really emotional. When you're not playing well, it feels like everything is going wrong. When you are playing well, you feel great. You just have to stay steady through it all."

Another challenge followed soon after.

After transferring to Utah State, Housley's season was cut short just three games in by a stress fracture in his foot. What followed were four months in a boot. No games. No practices. No rhythm. Just time. Time that could have stalled momentum, but instead became a turning point.

"It was frustrating at first," Housley said. "But looking back, it was actually a good reset for me."

Watching from the sideline, he absorbed everything he could. He studied how winning programs operate. How players prepare. How they recover. How they protect their bodies. He rebuilt his shot through form work and gained a clearer understanding of what it would take to become the player he wanted to be.

"Being around that environment helped me understand what I need to do to be elite," he said. "Not just on the court, but off it too."

Away from basketball, Housley's competitive nature never shuts off. It just takes a different form. Chess has been part of his life for years, a game introduced by his grandfather and one he still plays regularly. It is the thinking that draws him in. The strategy. The patience. The challenge of solving problems and staying one step ahead.

"I've always liked games that make you think," Housley said. "I just like outsmarting people. I hate losing."

The connection to basketball comes naturally. As a guard, Housley prides himself on IQ and vision. Seeing the floor. Reading defenses. Understanding spacing. Like chess, basketball rewards those who can anticipate what comes next and stay composed when the board shifts.

When Utah Valley entered the picture, the timing felt different. After uncertainty and near-misses elsewhere, the visit brought clarity. The coaching staff. The culture. The way everything fit together.

"You could just see the whole picture," Housley said. "Being around the coaches, going out to dinner, spending time with them, it felt like home."

That sense of belonging mattered. So did proximity to home.

Housley's parents still live in Utah, and his family has followed him to every stop along the way. No matter the jersey, they have been there. Seeing them in the stands has never lost its meaning.

"It means a lot," Housley said. "No matter where I've been, they've always shown up. I'm very blessed to have that."

On the court, Housley describes himself as a grinder. Aggressive. Competitive. Willing to do whatever helps the team win. Defense. Passing. Rebounding. The details that may not always stand out, but matter deeply in winning environments.

"I just want people to see that I'm contributing in every way," he said. "Doing whatever the team needs."

He also knows his story is still being written.

"I'm still not the player I want to be," Housley said. "There's a lot I can keep getting better at, and that's what motivates me every day."

If this season's story unfolds the way Housley hopes, it will not be defined by a single moment or performance. It will be defined by perseverance. By steady growth. By continuing to push forward through the pauses and trusting that each step matters.

Quietly.
Intentionally.
One move at a time.