A Fayetteville, NC native and 1999 E.E. Smith graduate, Coach Steven Mims continued his playing career at North Carolina Wesleyan and Wingate University before earning opportunities to play professionally in Mexico and Germany.

Mims began his coaching career at the collegiate level as an assistant at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC). He later joined Fayetteville Academy, where in his first year coaching scholastic basketball he helped win a high school state championship as an assistant coach, while also leading the middle school program to a championship as head coach that same year.

His varsity head-coaching career has included stops at Cape Fear Christian Academy, Fayetteville Academy and Kid Stars Rising (KSR), compiling an official 105–44 career record (.705). Along the way, Mims has earned multiple Coach of the Year honors, won conference championships and helped student-athletes continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level. He also spent four years with the John Wall AAU program, contributing through coaching, recruiting, training and player development.

With more than 15 years in player development, Mims has personally trained high-major collegiate players who later became NBA Draft picks, while working with athletes from the youth level through college. His basketball experience also includes John Lucas basketball environments, Phenom Hoops, Top 80 and GetMeRecruited.

Mims founded Next Level Assessments, an early basketball evaluation, exposure and videography platform that grew to more than 20,000 followers on YouTube, complemented by a basketball-focused Instagram audience of more than 9,000.

At the center of Mims’ work is his faith in God. He believes basketball is a God-given platform to serve others and that developing an athlete should include skill, knowledge, discipline, accountability, character and purpose. He credits his family, coaches, mentors and athletes for helping shape his journey while giving God all the glory for every opportunity along the way.

At Shoot 360 Charlotte, Mims’ goal is to bring that experience and purpose together with Shoot 360’s technology and development environment—helping athletes become better players, better thinkers and better prepared for whatever their next level may be.