What I Know

My name is Dr. (Brother?) Hayden Coombs.

And I don’t know a lot of things. In fact, doing a Ph.D. taught me that I know a lot about very little.

But there are only a few things I know.

1. I Know the Book of Mormon Is True

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

Not because I inherited that belief. Not because it is culturally convenient. Not because it makes life easier. I know it because every layer of my life has reinforced it.

Personally, it has steadied me. Professionally, it has guided me. Academically, it has challenged me. The deeper I study communication, identity, leadership, human motivation, and even organizational behavior, the more coherent the gospel becomes. It does not shrink under scrutiny, it expands.

Even sports have reinforced this belief.

Competition teaches agency. It teaches accountability. It teaches that effort produces outcomes. It teaches that structure and law govern results. You cannot violate principles and expect progress. That logic mirrors eternal law. It mirrors covenant. It mirrors consequence and growth.

The gospel is not merely inspirational. It is structured. It is demanding. It is developmental.

Because the Book of Mormon is real, Christ is real. Because Christ is real, the path back to our Father is real. And because that path is real, it matters how we live.

That is not something I speculate about. That is something I know.

2. I Know Michael Jordan Is Better Than LeBron James

Some debates never end. This one feels settled to me.

Michael Jordan went 6–0 in the NBA Finals. No Game 7s. No collapses. Six championships. Six Finals MVPs.

He averaged 30.1 points per game for his career, the highest in league history. Ten scoring titles. Nine All-Defensive First Team selections. Defensive Player of the Year in 1988. Multiple seasons playing all 82 games, even deep into his career. He did not lose three games in a row for six straight years during his prime. Two separate three-peats.

He accomplished more in 15 seasons than most players do in 20.

LeBron James is extraordinary. Longevity. Versatility. Four titles. Ten Finals appearances. He deserves every ounce of respect.

But the debate often feels one-sided. The case for LeBron frequently requires minimizing Jordan. The three-peats were not that impressive. The scoring titles were not that impressive. The All-Defense selections were not that impressive. The DPOY was not that impressive. The playoff scoring explosions were not that impressive. The physicality of the era was not that impressive. Jordan played again “plumbers.”

If you have to shrink one resume to elevate another, that says something.

Most people who deeply studied both eras and watched both careers carefully lean toward Jordan. And as more footage becomes accessible, as younger generations actually watch the full games instead of highlight threads, I believe that conclusion will persist.

And yes, he had the better Space Jam.

Jordan’s Space Jam remains undefeated.

3. I Know There Is a Place for You in the Sports Industry

The global sports industry is estimated at roughly $2.3 trillion annually. That is not a niche market. That is an ecosystem.

Operations. Marketing. Communications. Analytics. Compliance. Fundraising. Media. Event management. Facility design. NIL strategy. Data modeling. Brand development. Athlete representation.

I know there is a career for each of you somewhere in that number.

And all of you need to know this: No one on this planet will work harder to help you get into that industry than I will. Not because I need the credit. Not because it looks good on a résumé. But because I believe in building people the same way the best coaches like Phil Jackson, Mike Krzyzewski, and even Jesus Christ built their teams.

Effort compounds. Discipline compounds. Networks compound. Reputation compounds.

Sports taught me that. The gospel confirmed it. The industry rewards it.