Basketball: The Helpers

Mr. Rogers said, "look for the helpers." Coach K reminded us, "surround yourself with good people." An anonymous quote informs, "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence." And Shane Parrish in Clear Thinking shares, 

"Choose exemplars in your life who embody the attributes you want to cultivate. Put these people on your “personal board of directors.” Then as you learn about them, build a repository of how they would respond to various situations."

Our mentors need not inhabit our neighborhood. They might be "Internet acquaintances." Or "Make friends with the dead," like Abraham Lincoln, Dean Smith, or Maya Angelou. 

How do you connect with mentors? 

Be direct. Be specific. Don't say, "I'm sorry to bother you, could you help me?" Better is, "thank you for taking the time to help me. How can I grow my game and contribute more?" 

Say, "yes." When opportunities arise for extra practice or workouts, show up. 

Invest time to write a letter. Once I wrote to Dr. James Andrews asking about elbow pitching stress. I think I enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope. He returned a two page typed letter. 

Lagniappe. Show up. 

Doesn’t matter what your job is, do it to the best of your ability

How you do anything is how you do everything

(Via @CBBRoundup 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/f8n0GUcXz3

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) January 31, 2024

Lagniappe 2. Basketball is "a game of separation." Urgent cutting creates separation. 

On the best teams players cut hard whether they receive the ball or not.

Cutting hard opens gaps and driving lanes for teammates.

— Coach Mac 🏀 (@BballCoachMac) February 1, 2024

Lagniappe 3. Don't sulk when you're not scoring. 

It's not just about making shots. It's about:

- Making the right decisions
- Making your teammates better
- Making sacrifices for the team
- Making a difference on and off the court

— Steve Collins (@TeachHoopsBBall) February 3, 2024