In this episode of Born to the Game, Alexis Polynice, daughter of 15-year NBA veteran Olden Polynice, opens up about growing up inside professional basketball culture and the unexpected ways her father's career shaped her identity, relationships, and professional path.

Olden Polynice's basketball journey was remarkable — born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he played center for the Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz across a 15-year NBA career. But to Alexis, he was also Dad — a figure whose frequent absences for games and travel left a complex emotional imprint she didn't fully understand until adulthood.

Alexis shares her early memories of going to games and feeling embarrassed by the public attention, the assumptions peers made about her lifestyle as an NBA player's kid, and how her parents' separation at a young age shifted the family dynamic. As the second eldest of four siblings, she describes the close-knit bond with her brothers and the unique pressure of navigating life with a famous, often absent father.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Alexis discusses her early career in child modeling and pageantry — signed to Ford Models and traveling the country for competitions — and how those experiences contrasted with the traditional path many expected her to follow. She reveals how the nannies who raised her (Cora, Yumi, Barbie, and Fabi) profoundly shaped her life, inspiring her to pursue nannying as a profession.

Alexis offers a deeply moving account of her nannying career, including working for notable families such as Julie and Paul Pierce, and a life-altering experience caring for a 13-year-old whose mother was terminally ill. She shares the lessons she learned about love, loss, and the invisible emotional labor of caregiving — and why she believes nannies are among the most valuable assets in any family.

Looking ahead, Alexis discusses her aspirations to transition into estate management and personal assistant work, her desire to mentor young women entering the domestic staffing industry, and the therapy and self-reflection that helped her recognize subconscious patterns — like exclusively pursuing long-distance relationships — shaped by her childhood.

This is a thoughtful, honest, and emotionally rich conversation about family, legacy, identity, grief, caregiving, and the unexpected ways our earliest experiences write the script for the life we choose to build.

Key Topics Covered:

• Growing up as the daughter of NBA player Olden Polynice

• Early memories of NBA games, public attention, and peer assumptions

• Impact of her parents' separation and her father's frequent absences

• Sibling dynamics and growing up as the second eldest of four

• Child modeling career with Ford Models and the pageant world

• The five nannies who shaped her childhood and inspired her career

• Nannying for notable families, including Julie and Paul Pierce

• Caring for a child whose mother was terminally ill

• The business of nannying and domestic staffing

• Future aspirations: estate management, personal assistant work, and mentoring

• Subconscious relationship patterns shaped by childhood

• Therapy, self-awareness, and personal growth • Advice for aspiring nannies and a message to parents

About the Guest: Alexis Polynice is the daughter of 15-year NBA veteran Olden Polynice. A former child model signed to Ford Models, she has built a career as a professional nanny working with high-profile families. She is currently pursuing opportunities in estate management and personal assistance, with a passion for mentoring young women in the domestic staffing industry.

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🎙️ Born to the Game — Mike Woodson, Mariah Woodson, Olden Polynice & Alexis Polynice

NBA Fatherhood, Family Legacy & Old-School Basketball Stories

What happens when two NBA fathers sit down with their daughters to talk legacy, family, basketball, and the stories fans never get to hear?

In this special episode of Born to the Game, we bring together two father-daughter duos: Mariah Woodson and her father, former NBA player and longtime coach Mike Woodson, alongside Alexis Polynice and her father, former NBA player Olden Polynice.

This conversation is playful, heartfelt, unfiltered, and full of real family energy. From father-daughter games and hilarious old-school vs. new-school debates to NBA memories involving J.R. Smith, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Ray Allen, Ben Wallace, DeAndre Jordan, and Andre Drummond, this episode gives listeners a rare look at the men behind the basketball careers — as fathers, mentors, friends, and protectors.

Mike Woodson opens up about fatherhood, watching his daughters grow into their own lives, the pride he feels in their independence, and why family is the true definition of legacy. He also shares stories from his NBA journey, including overcoming a serious college injury, coaching personalities like J.R. Smith, and the unforgettable fashion choices his family still will not let him live down.

Olden Polynice reflects on growing up in Haiti, being born with a physical challenge, learning basketball later than most, and still becoming a professional player. He talks about resilience, brotherhood, old-school toughness, protecting the family name, and how having daughters taught him to soften, listen, and grow.

Together, the group laughs through stories about shopping, cooking, chili, vegan food, fashion, basketball terminology, Start/Bench/Cut debates, and the difference between old-school and new-school basketball. But beneath the jokes is a deeper conversation about safety, parenting, adversity, identity, family pride, and what it means to build a legacy that goes far beyond the game.

This is a funny, warm, and meaningful episode about NBA families, fatherhood, daughters, resilience, legacy, and the lessons passed down from one generation to the next.

🔑 In This Episode:

Two father-daughter duos on one couch
Mike Woodson and Mariah Woodson on family, growth, and legacy
Olden Polynice and Alexis Polynice on fatherhood, independence, and family pride
What NBA fathers really know about their daughters
The Know Your Player game
Favorite foods, pet peeves, shopping, and dad phrases
Mike Woodson’s legendary fashion story from the Knicks era
Olden Polynice on cooking, Haiti, and family roots
Old-school vs. new-school basketball
Explaining basketball terms like pick and roll, boxing out, fast break, switch defense, weak side rotation, and blitz
Start/Bench/Cut: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki
Who takes the last shot: Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, or Ray Allen
Free throw pressure with Ben Wallace, DeAndre Jordan, and Andre Drummond
Mike Woodson on coaching J.R. Smith and professionalism
Olden Polynice on blocking Michael Jordan
The story behind Mike Woodson shaving his eyebrows
NBA brotherhood, golf trips, and lifelong friendships
How fathers help daughters feel safe going into the world
Why boys and girls both need emotional support and stability
Mike Woodson’s comeback from a serious college injury
Olden Polynice’s journey from Haiti to the NBA
Why adversity does not have to define your life
What legacy means beyond awards, stats, and careers
Family as the real legacy
Protecting your name, your values, and your people

💬 Key Takeaway:

Legacy is bigger than basketball. It is not only about points, championships, coaching careers, or who you played against — it is about the family you build, the name you protect, the lessons you pass down, and the way your children carry that love forward.

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