If you had mentioned Grayson Boucher among basketball circles three years ago, no one would have had any idea who you were speaking of.

Mention his name today and chances are a few will recognize it. Mention Grayson Boucher's street name, "The Professor," and almost anyone with an interest in the game of basketball will know exactly who you are referring to, and almost all of them will have a story to tell of The Professor's game...

Arguably the most popular street baller on the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour, 20 year old Grayson Boucher went from living an ordinary life to living a dream almost overnight.

While basketball has always been his passion, before proving his stuff at the AND 1 Open Run in 2003 Grayson was an unknown, attending a small JC in his hometown of Keizer, Oregon. Although he had played ball in high school and at the JC level, Grayson didn't stand out as a star player, nor did he receive much recognition for his skills on the court. Standing under 6 feet, weighing only 145 pounds and hailing from the middle of Oregon, Grayson was easily overlooked. With confidence in his own abilities, Grayson just needed the right avenue to display his skills. Fortunately, street ball had been rising in popularity throughout the country and gaining much credibility. Recognizing the opportunity to finally prove his skills and project himself into the world of basketball, just two days before his 19th birthday in June 2003, Grayson drove some forty-five miles north to Portland to battle it out on ESPN's Street Ball: The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour. Quickly proving his ability, Grayson was picked up by the team and spent his summer on the tour instead of bagging groceries and mowing lawns as he had planned to do. This is where the dream began.

After hitting game winning shots in Jackson and at Madison Square Garden, Grayson was selected as the next street legend, receiving an AND 1 endorsement deal to join the 2004 team. On ESPN's Street Ball website, fans overwhelmingly voted for his return (64%, with the closest teammate receiving only 21% of more than 400,000 total votes). His game and popularity elevated during the 2004 tour and by overwhelming vote, Grayson was brought back to play on the 2005 team.

Earning his street name, "The Professor," by AND 1 Mix Tape Tour MC and well-known Rucker Park legend Duke Tango, Grayson was acknowledged for his ability to "school" people on the court. Ironically, while The Professor schools people on the court, he has opted out of school, putting college on hold indefinitely for now. Despite this, Grayson is more focused on the future than ever.

With tremendous ambition to play in the NBA and a short-term goal of playing for the ABA in the next year, Grayson's love of the game is at the forefront of this experience. He's looking at the bigger picture but not losing sight of the moment. Not many other 20 year olds have spent hours hooked up to electrodes tracking their every movement for integration into an upcoming AND 1 video game. Nor can many other people claim game-winning shots in places like Madison Square Garden. This is Grayson's life, as crazy as it may seem, flying out for games on Thursdays and returning on Sundays.

Despite the incredible change in his life, Grayson seems extremely focused on his game and carving out a place for himself as a player. Often regarded more as entertainers, many street ballers have to fight to be seen as players. Grayson makes it clear that he is and always will be a player. When asked what separates the two, Grayson simply replies, "contentment... entertainers are content just being on the AND 1 team, whereas players live for the game itself."

Grayson certainly doesn't stop at being content with what he's accomplished thus far, but not much seems wasted on this ambitious 20 year old. "Follow your dreams, anything can happen" is Grayson's only advice for young adults and it is advice that he's living by. The Professor is living his dream and appreciating every moment.

Of course notoriety comes with life as a street ball legend and Grayson tells us that he receives the most recognition in big cities like New York. But even on an outdoor court in downtown Portland, Oregon, during our photo shoot, Grayson's following proves impressive. Laying on the horn and yelling, "Yo, Professor!" a drive-by fan illustrates just how far Grayson has come from being a bench player at a small junior college. A multitude of passers-by stop to give their respect to Grayson during the shoot. A group of guys on bikes, awestruck by The Professor's presence, wait patiently to get a hat autographed. Even a player in a nearby pick-up game comes over, claiming that Grayson "took my spot on the team."

In spite of the outpouring of support, respect, and frequent challenges by other ballers, fame is something Grayson wears well. Whether it is marriage proposals posted on signs during games or being stalked by fans, Grayson takes it in stride and while fans fuel his passion for playing, he remains grounded. Showing up to the photo shoot in a new Mustang and friend Anthony at his side, Grayson is as real as they come. When kickin' it with friends, he says "we don't really talk about basketball," making it clear that he's not just a basketball player. And while he considers moving somewhere like Phoenix, he quickly mentions that his brother is still in high school, so for now Oregon remains home.

But don't let that humble acceptance of fame distort Grayson's attitude or love for the game. Grayson came to play and while he doesn't boast about what he can do, he definitely proves it on the court. When asked what he considers his signature move, he responds, "I don't have a signature move, I have a lot of moves," and trust us, he does.

Humble, but with unquestionable attitude, Grayson seems the Eminem of street ball. A modern day Rudy with an unremitting commitment and love of the game, he has serious street credibility and game that is hard to match. When it comes right down to it, you can't help but like him, because there is a little bit of The Professor in all of us.