“The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but that's the way to bet.” - On Broadway
In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell describes a youth basketball program where coach Vitek Randive' reaches championship heights by relentless pressure. He never claims that speed and/or pressure beats talent at every level of the game. The point is not that giants (or dragons) exist, but we can find ways to slay them. The challenge steers the journey.
He points out that Goliaths have weaknesses...blindspots and arrogance. We all have blindspots.
We celebrate Davids more often on reels than in reality. The lowest seed to win March Madness was the 1985 Villanova Wildcats, an eight seed. Loyola of Chicago was the lowest automatic qualifier to reach the Final Four, as an eleven seed. Three other eleven seeds have gained the Final Four.
The lowest seed to win an NBA Championship was the 1994-1995 Houston Rockets "Clutch City" team, a six seed. But the Rockets were no David, led by Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.
1994-1995 Rockets roster from Basketball-reference.com
Youth coaches figure out our why in coaching. Coaches prioritize teaching, development, sharing life lessons, and winning. Hubris tells us, "my way is best." Not true. But the game allows us creative leverage.
Lagniappe 1: We need to cut, pass, and communicate better. How do we get there? Also, players must free themselves from the catch and dribble mindset. The 50 pass drill might get us closer.
Lagniappe 2: "Design is constraint." - Will Wright (How do we use time, money, energy, and resources in pursuit of excellence?)