Ambitious players know that making other players better marks greatness. Bill Russell said, "my ego demands the success of my team."
Payton Pritchard said, “What separates good point guards from becoming great is the ability to make people around you better, get people easier shots and control the game. Obviously that’s what I’m trying to become, so I’m going to keep working on that.”
Invert. Who and what doesn't make teammates better? Selfishness, sloth, and softness add nothing to teams. So what does?
Leadership. Leaders serve their teammates. In the extreme, they make teams special. In Sam Walker's, The Captain Class, he profiles leaders whose presence made champions.
From Zak Boisvert...
Awareness. Execution relates to situations. A poor shot or turnover in a blowout has no consequences. But good coaches use them as teachable moments. The same actions in crunch time may get viewed as a soul crushing choke.
Offense. Space, cut urgently without the ball, screen, assist and get hockey assists, keep rebounds alive, take quality shots.
Defense. Bring energy, energize teammates, get on the floor, communicate, take charges, get deflections, block out.
"Right away, the MIT study confirmed what we all suspect: that communication matters. Whether a team was packed with talented, intelligent, and highly motivated individuals, or whether it had achieved solid results in the past, its communication style on any given day was still the best indicator of its performance."
Intangibles. Be coachable, support your teammates, find ways to make a difference on and off the court. Here's a final quote from The Captain Class, "Our brains are capable of making deep, powerful, fast-acting, and emotional connections with the brains of people around us. This kind of synergy doesn’t require our participation. It happens automatically, whether we’re aware of it or not."
Lagniappe (something extra).
SLOB creates driving gap.
Lagniappe 2. "Every day is player development day." My ankles hurt just watching...
