James Donaldson Shares his Standing Above the Crowd Concepts with the Students at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, WA. - June 21st 2012

Former NBA all-star who played for the Seattle Sonics, James Donaldson wears a variety of hats since he retired from basketball: business entrepreneur, community leader, professional speaker and author. He recently visited with a select group of students at Mount Tahoma High School and talked about his book, "Standing Above the Crowd." At 7'2", Donald stands above the crowd in other ways, too. "He inspired students to be the best they can be and to never give up their dream," said Teresa Maxwell, executive director of Communities in Schools Tacoma (CIS). "He challenged everyone to make a commitment to themselves and aspire to keep that commitment. "You could hear a pin drop in the auditorium when Donaldson was speaking. We handed out several of his books, and students and staff asked when was he coming back." Upon retiring from sports when he was 41, Donaldson settled in the Seattle area where he runs the Donaldson Clinic, a physical therapy clinic in Mill Creek.