"The Secret"

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Writer Bill Simmons talks about “the secret” in The Book of Basketball. He quotes former Detroit Piston Isaiah Thomas, “the secret of basketball is it’s not about basketball”. It matters if your teammates like you, if you’ve accepted your role, and if you are more focused on winning thats statistics or attention. This may seem obvious at first glance but basketball skill development is hardly ever focused on these intangibles and these unlike a jump shot extend to everyday life as well.

What makes basketball beautiful is when you see a team in flow. When they can swing the ball across the court to the player who is open at the spot they excel at. This takes trust, patience, and grinding together. So along with working on your own individual skills think about “the secret”. How can you get better at basketball by doing something that has nothing to do with basketball? Of course your athletic ability, IQ, and skills with the ball matter but there are so many other ways to get better too. Can you connect with a teammate or coach? Do you know your role? Don’t like your current role, how do you with humility find a way to undeniably improve and make it clear you deserve new responsibilities? Let’s get it better at the virtues that have nothing to do with basketball so we can grow as a player and a person.