The flame: september edition
Why Integrity is More Than a Buzzword
What does integrity look like when the cameras are off, the basketball season is canceled, or you are facing a massive learning curve alone? This month, our AHLF community takes a deep dive into integrity.
WRITTEN BY JOSHUA HERON
WHAT’S NEW AT AHLF
Community Through Hoops in Times Square
Allan Houston held a clinic in Times Square on Aug. 17 as part of the Community Through Hoops basketball activation. Houston, along with a few other coaches, led kids in basketball drills and exercises.
Houston used the event to spread awareness of FISLL (faith, integrity, sacrifice, leadership and legacy) and encouraged the youth in attendance to live with purpose.
Allan Houston Brings Legacy to Life in Times Square
Thirty years after appearing on a Times Square billboard, Allan Houston returned to pour into the next generation.
ALLAN’S THOUGHTS
Allan On the Bridge Between Consistency and Integrity
Allan spoke with a fan about integrity during the Community Through Hoops event in Times Square. Watch the video to hear Allan’s thoughts on the relationship between integrity and consistency!
WORD FROM THE YOUTH
Standing Firm in Med School
Matt McKoy graduated from Howard University in May 2025 and now attends Temple Med School. He’s studying to become a heart surgeon in the military. McKoy is one of the youngest students in his class at just 22 years old. The Bronx, New York native discussed the importance of approaching his studies with integrity.
“Integrity as a Christian med student is important because it is an integral competency for building a great physician. It is the gateway for transparency and vulnerability in future interactions with your peers and, more importantly, those whom you will be serving in the future.”
FEATURED STORY BY LYNDON MERCER JR.
FISLL Ambassador LJ Mercer Refuses to Compromise
Unfamiliar terrain, learning curves and unprecedented challenges. These points embody this past year of college. How everything turned out was a little crazy considering that it was my first full year at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut.
My college experience started in fall 2025. During the fall, I was commuting an hour-long train ride every morning to get to my classes, while also trying to focus and actually succeed. I was alone. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know much about campus. I was a needle in a haystack.
It took months to get a meeting with my counselor because of the hectic administration schedule. I had to figure out my way around alone and scavenge my way to any opportunity I wanted to pursue. This was so much different than high school.
My main reason for going to the college I went to was to play on the basketball team. I was desperate for an opportunity, especially given how my high school career went, not really playing for all 4 years. But with all that excitement and desperation came news I never thought I’d hear.
We won’t have a season this year.
“What do you mean?” I asked myself. Just like that, my sole reason for coming to this school was taken away. My athletic director mentioned intramural opportunities for the spring semester. Now, I’ve never been part of any intramurals. Still, I was willing to give it a shot if it meant I could continue building relationships with the athletic director and the people I’d started to meet through the process.
LJ stays ‘true to his character,’ reflects integrity amid change
Going into the spring semester, I definitely recognized the learning curve in academic difficulty. I had classes that forced me to constantly think outside the box, work with others and understand different points of view. Empathy was huge. Attending a community college opened my eyes to a wide range of backgrounds and demographics, all trying to improve their lives and create something for their families.
I’ve shared classes with people up to 70 years old. It put a lot of things into perspective and helped me focus on what’s being taught to me because if I don’t take school seriously now, I’m going to regret it later.
Not too long after the spring semester started, we had tryouts for our intramural basketball team. At the beginning, everything seemed promising. As time went on, I was mistaken.
During this season, I learned a lot about myself as a leader and how the way I carry myself is louder than words alone. I would never have imagined going through problems like people’s ability to communicate or the secret animosity people held towards each other.
One of the main things I learned throughout this process is how to communicate with individuals my age to work towards a common goal and how my presence is more important than I believe it to be. To my surprise, at the end of the season I was awarded a plaque for my leadership and it honestly helped me believe more in myself and what I have to offer.
This past year has definitely been a wild ride, but a somewhat calculated one at that. The FISLL fundamental that embodied my first year of college was integrity. I always stayed true to my character and what I was trying to achieve.
It wasn’t about the destination, but the journey.
LJ’s goals for this school year
This upcoming fall semester, I’m going to lean into a mix of faith and leadership because the basketball program has returned and is 100% a go. Going into this semester, I need to believe in myself and my capabilities. But I also need to lead by example and build a culture with a winning mentality.
I look forward to deepening my faith and leadership this next year. I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did if I didn’t have these FISLL Fundamentals embedded in me. I’m proud of who I have become & who I’m becoming.
Meet the Author
Joshua Heron is a digital content manager at the Allan Houston Legacy Foundation. Joshua is also an enterprise and Indiana Fever reporter at the Indianapolis Star. He earned a Master’s in Sports Journalism degree from Arizona State University in 2024 and a bachelor’s in media, journalism, and film from Howard University in 2023.
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