Learn across domains. I'm watching Michael Pollan's MasterClass about "Intentional Eating." He asks us to think about our food choices and how they impact us and society.
What about basketball values? Absolutely not saying mine are better than yours...just raising consciousness.
Values aren't mutually exclusive. Effort and toughness don't prevent sportsmanship. Cerebral play doesn't exclude high skill.
Start with a large list of ideas and cone down on your Pareto values, the 80 percent of the bang for the 20 percent of the buck. Choosing a top five doesn't mean "all or nothing" for the next fifteen. And of course, some overlap. Everything matters.
- Winning
- The "basketball experience"
- Teaching the game
- Academics
- Teamwork
- Effort
- Toughness
- Communication
- Fairness
- Feedback
- Player development
- Discipline
- Ego
- Respect (for the game, players, coaches, officials)
- Resilience
- Playing time
- Strength and conditioning
- Empathy
- Accountability
- Simplicity (versus complexity)
- Sportsmanship
- Media relations
- Community engagement
As a developmental coach, I didn't make winning' our top priority. Yes, everyone likes to win. For high school varsity teams and above, it should be an emphasis.
Was everyone happy? Never. But the '12th guy' (girl) was never the most unhappy. Usually, unhappiness didn't relate to minutes or role, but perceived appreciation.
A few thoughts:
- If basketball doesn't matter to you, then you won't matter to it.
- Be professional - on time and prepared. Learning to prepare translates to every phase of our lives.
- Be coachable. Find a mentor, be a mentor.
- Pay attention to the details.
- Get noticed by playing hard all the time.
- Do your homework both on and off the court.
- Work to become a better communicator.
- Never, ever quit.
- Celebrate good team play.
- It doesn't cost anything to share a kind word.
- Say "thank you." Thank the players for working hard.
- I'm surprised that in the past year, multiple players whom I played against have reached out to me. I wasn't a great player by ANY imagination. One wrote, "I remember you as the ultimate team player." That was kind and meant a lot.
Lagniappe. Hubie is never boring.
Lagniappe 2. 2010, Game 6, ECSF, 4th quarter, Celtics-Cavaliers. Tom Thibodeau's defense effectively doubles LeBron with a shell coverage of his teammates.
