I read an interesting story about New York Knicks center Eddie Curry. This guy is better known for his weight issues/out of shape and being injured. This guy makes $11.3 million dollars!
ESPN wrote:
-- an anachronism in orange and blue. He has never looked more out of place and less relevant to the team’s future. Through two days of practice, Curry has been relegated to the third unit, with the rookies and free-agent invitees. He has slogged through drills. On Saturday night, he was lapped by an entire group of players as they weaved through cones around the court. By the end of Sunday’s practice, the third of camp, Curry was a spectator, watching his teammates jog with medicine balls while he stood near a basket stanchion. He is nursing a tight hamstring, making this the third straight camp that Curry has been injured. 'Obviously, we’re pushing these guys hard,' Coach Mike D’Antoni said. 'He misses anything, it just makes it a little bit tougher.' Asked if Curry was already behind, D’Antoni said, 'Well, yeah.' The setback was almost predictable. Curry reported to camp weighing 325 pounds -- a 20-pound increase since April -- according to a person in the organization."
-Howard Beck of The New York Times
Day 31 – Get in Shape
It is mind boggling when basketball players come into a season grossly out of shape. Every year players show up at tryouts for any given team who are doubled over 10 minutes into the first day.
If you really hope to make a good showing at your team's tryout, you need to be in decent shape.
I once read that former Jazz point guard John Stockton didn’t like when rookies came into training camp out of shape.
Do everything you can to get into better shape. Workout, run, eat right and stretch. The best players and the players who care, stay in shape.
Here’s Miami Heat top dog Pat Riley on the importance of staying in shape: "Down here and we’re always about conditioning, body weight, body fat, and nutrition – all those things. I don’t think any athlete today can really ever achieve what it is they truly, truly want unless they’re in world-class condition, period.”
It’s a shame that Eddie Curry can’t get into better shape.
This summer I had the good fortune of spending some time with the Boston Celtics coaching staff. This is the part 2 of information that Doc Rivers shared about what makes Kevin Garnett such a special leader.
Doc on KG:
He is always telling his teammates, "It’s about what you are willing to sacrifice; that’s our way of life here with the Celtics. It’s about putting the team and winning before anything else.” He often says, “in order for this thing to work, we all have to sacrifice.”
He always talks about defense: “We said from Day 1 that we were a defensive team that could also score.”
And the ultimate sacrifice in today's me-oriented world Kevin says, “from Day 1 we said this is Paul’s team.” Everyone else wanted to make it Kevin’s team but he knew Paul deserved it because Paul had been with the Celtics during tough times.
The list could go on and on, but the point is that true leadership is not about oneself. It is the ability to get not only the most from your own ability but true leadership also means getting the most out of every teammate’s ability as well. Kevin does this by example, by teaching, by his public comments and by his unending commitment to team over self.
As I travel around the country and work out with the best of the best from the High School, College, and NBA levels, I am continually reminded of what these players have in common that makes them great:
they want to get better
they want to know everything they can that will help them become a better basketball player
they are committed to improvement of their bodies and their game
they are very serious about the game every time they hit the floor
they want to be coached
The best example I can give you is Kobe Bryant. He once told me that he does not work out any more……he now blacks out. He said that a workout just isn’t enough anymore if he’s going to stay on top of his game and take on all the players he knows are going to challenge him. He said he has to go beyond what all other players doing. He took his to a higher level. He took his to black out status! (Which means he comes back to the gym and works out after everyone has gone home, thus the black out status.)
What Kobe also was saying is what all players need to hear and need to know. He is willing to invest in his improvement and not stay the same. He was willing to invest in his future and not stay the same. He is willing to invest in his game and not feel that he is entitled to be great, entitled to take every shot, entitled to have everything given to him. He was, and is, going to earn it.
The lesson here is one that I tell every one of the great players I work with: it’s not about entitlement if you want to be the best. It’s about investment.
Being the best is not easy. It takes hours worth of drills to hone you skills, maximum intensity on the court and in the weight room. The attitude of a champion (see day 28) You need to invest in your futures (both on the court and off the court for that matter). Entitlement will lead to ultimate failure; investment will lead to future success.
Attitude is one of the most important qualities that a player can have. What is your attitude? Everything is good when you are getting run, when you are hitting shots and your team is winning. But, what is your attitude when things are aren't going so great?
A good attitude is something you have to DECIDE to have. In bed at night, you have to be able to close your eyes and see yourself as the player you want to be under all circumstances. A good attitude is being calm under pressure; it is encouraging teammates when the coach is pushing them hard; it is requiring of yourself to always be performing at your peak. That means actually touching the line ( not almost touching it) when your coach says to run a :32. A good attitude is seeing yourself in advance with your eyes closed, performing to you utmost under all sorts of adverse circumstances, and actually doing that when those circumstances arise.
A good attitude is simple. It is doing your best at all times, keeping your concentration when distractions are abound. It is easy to write down or talk about, but a lot more difficult to do
Can you make yourself hustle when you're out of breath or run one more sprint when you legs are dead? Can you encourage your teammates when they are ahead of you in the rotation? Can you give your best under all circumstances?
What is your vision of the ideal player and the ideal attitude? What is your vision of you? Close your eyes and start your vision.
What separates complete players from players who lack in areas of the game is hard work. To become a complete you must be able to shoot, dribble, pass and play defense. Developing fundamentals is key! If you don’t put the time in, you will not improve. If you don’t improve, you will not help your team win.
When you take the court, you need to learn something every day. You should not only learn your position but learn the others too.
The triple double in basketball gets a lot of attention. Basketball fans, players and the media today make a big deal out of a player when they record double figures in points scored, rebounds and assists in a game. We can all agree it’s a difficult task. Out of all the active players today in the NBA only two Jason Kidd and Grant Hill rank in the top ten all-time players with total triple doubles. Kidd has 100, Hill 29. Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double in one season!
In 1961-62 Robertson scored 30 points per game, pulled down 12 rebounds and dished out 11 assists. One of the most amazing seasons ever! One, which will probably never be duplicated. Robertson is one of the most complete players of all time. With career averages of 25.7 points, 9.5 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game, ‘The Big O’ goes down as maybe the most complete player ever.
How do you become a complete player? You work hard. You put the time in. Work on your skills as much as you play. It’s all the traits mentioned in this 90 Day Improvement Plan. A complete player shows up every day and works hard. A complete player shares the ball, screens, moves without the ball, takes high percentage shots, rebounds, can handle and pass the ball. He defends and plays as hard as they can.
“Concentrate on mastering all the fundamentals and becoming a complete player”
Congratulations to Team USA for capturing the Gold medal at the World Championship games. Kevin Durant was incredible. The one thing Durant is great at is moving without the ball. He doesn’t stand around waiting for the ball to get to him.
Day 29 – Moving Without the Ball
One key to being a good scorer is getting yourself open to receive the ball. Many players like to stand around and watch the action. This is the worst thing a good player can do.
Reggie Miller, John Paxson and John Havlicek were great at running the baseline and popping out to the wing to get open. Paxson was relentless and Miller was always sprinting off of screens. Hamilton never stopped running and had to be a nightmare to guard.
Some current players who have made a living doing this are Rip Hamilton, Ray Allen and now Kevin Durant.
The next time you are on offense and you don’t have the ball try to do three of the following things:
1-Cut to the basket
2-Screen away from the ball to free up a teammate. You will be the guy who ends up being open 90% of the time.
3-Look for a screen from a teammate and come off it hard looking for the ball.
The key is to keep moving. Don’t stand still.
“Guarding John Havlicek is the most difficult job I have. His every movement has a purpose.”
This summer I had the good fortune of spending some time with the Boston Celtics coaching staff.
This is what Doc Rivers had to say about the leadership qualities of Kevin Garnett.
"We are very fortunate to have a Kevin Garnett to coach, and his teammates are fortunate to have a Kevin Garnett to lead them. You may have your own Kevin Garnett or someone on your team that can develop into a Kevin Garnett -- not just from a talent standpoint but also from a leadership standpoint."
Here are some of the things I have observed Kevin doing, saying, or demonstrating that allow him to lead at a higher level than most.
-Doc River
• He lives the “team concept” every day in every way. In fact, last year Kevin wouldn’t do interviews without Paul Pierce or Ray Allen with him because he didn’t want the team to be “his” team; he always wanted it to be “our” team
• He demands that the coaching staff coach him, call him out, correct him -- so that he can become a better player. He understands that coaching is not criticism, but a very important part of his improvement.
• He works on his game just about every day of our 287-day season. Understands that repetition is the key to being good.
• He is competitive and committed: he plays just as hard whether we are ahead or behind and whether he had 3 shots or 30 points.
• He shows everyone that the great ones just want to get better; always wants to know anything that will make him a better player.
Are you constantly thinking about what type of player you are? Do you think about your workouts? Do you worry about the upcoming season? Will you make the team? Can you win a championship? Are you really preparing to meet the goals you've set. There's still time to change some things. Are you maximizing everything you have?
Day 31 – Redefine Your Approach
Are you doing enough to improve? Have you made a true commitment to get better or is it mostly talk? Maybe you’re not doing the necessary things to have a chance at making the team, getting a starting spot or even having a chance for a college scholarship.
It’s time to redefine what the game means to you.
Do you come to the gym and work hard? Are you taking shots that’ll you take in the game or are you looking bad by trying to do things you can't do? Are you working on the freethrows that will lead to a win, when you're not in the game or are you sitting against the wall?
If not, it’s time to change and get on track.
Take game-like shots when you are training. Work on your dribbling; both going off the dribble and in the open court. You don’t have to spend all day in the gym; get in there, work hard and get out. The intensity of your training means everything.
Ask your coach for drills. Be critical to make sure you are doing everything at game speed with proper form.
Be passion-driven about your improvement.
Today I heard a story of a young man who gets to the gym at 6AM, every day. He is training harder than ever because he wants to make his high school team. Compare that to the kid who cuts corners, shows up every so often and thinks his spot is set in stone. Nothing is certain except death and taxes. Go out there with a different mind-set.Do what you have never done before out on the court. Turn the heat up on your training.
Look in the mirror and make an honest assessment of your game and find out what you need to do in order to get better. If not, you better keep the receipt to those new shoes you are planning to buy for ball.
Basketball improvement is not only reserved for the physical, but also for the mental.
Day 30 – Critics
We all have them. They are out there lurking. Waiting for you to slip up. They may not be very loud, but trust me they are out there.
But who cares!
As a basketball player, you will be bombarded with people who criticize your game; whether you are good or not. They are the jealous ones. The ones who love to sit back and criticize how you play. Matter of fact, the more success you have in this great game, the more you open yourself up for critics.
How do you deal with these poor souls?
You ignore them. Don’t let them stop you from reaching your goal.
The best players will be knocked. The best teams will be bashed. They’ll always be haters out there. You can’t do anything about them.
When you start listening to the voices of how you can’t do this, or how your team can’t win, that’s when you fall into their trap.
Everyone outside of your team has all the answers…so they think.
Former basketball coach John MacLeod once said, “the people who are the most critical, are the least knowledgeable.”
Message boards are common for the jealous basketball fan to vent. If someone does well, a critic will soon appear and write terrible things about the player or team. Best way to combat that, ignore it. If you are being criticized, you must be doing something right.
When you are on center stage, in front of people performing, expect and learn to accept criticism.
“The critic is one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
I'm going to travel off the court for Day 22. While watching the Vikings play the Saints in the season opener, I noticed how fired up QB Drew Brees got his teammates. I read into his pregame chants to learn some more.
Brees visited Guantanamo Bay in the offseason and spent time with many of the soldiers stationed there and in other areas. His chant was inspired by the U.S. Marines he visited there and decided to incorporate it into his pre-game pep talk.
What do you do to inspire your teammates, your community and your family? Drew Brees was able to inspire a town ravaged by Hurricane Katrina through his motivational chants.
This is my slightly edited version of the Saints pregame chant.
When I say 1, you say 2. When I say win, say For the View.. ... 1! 2! Win! For the View!
When I say 3, you say 4. When I say win, you say some more. ... 3! 4! Win! Some more!
When I say 5, you say 6. When I say win, you say for kicks. ... 5! 6! Win! For kicks!
When I say 7, you say 8. When I say win, you say it's great. ... 7! 8! Win! It's great!
When I say 9, you say 10. When I say win, you say again. ... 9! 10! Win! Again!
Today’s plan is to read about Jordan and his traits, attitude and preparation; in hopes of understanding how Jordan approached the game. He is considered the greatest basketball player of all time. One of my favorite quotes is "The smart take from the strong". Why wouldn't you take things that helped make MJ so successful?
Williams interviews hundreds of people who know Jordan best. The quotes, stories and anecdotes are remarkable. Here’s some Jordan thoughts:
Fundamentals:
The minute you get away from them, the bottom can fall out. Understand the building blocks. There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Don’t skip steps. If you take shortcuts, sooner or later they will be exposed.
Fears
Fear is an illusion. Don’t think of the consequences. You have to be aggressive. Get out there and go for it. You think something is standing in your way but there isn’t.
Leadership:
If you don’t back it up with performance and hard work, talking doesn’t mean a thing. Lead by example. A leader can’t make excuses. Stand for what you believe.
Commitment:
There are no shortcuts. Put in the work, the results will come. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it…Stick to your plan.
Teamwork:
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. It’s a selfless process.
Michael Jordan was always looking to become a smarter basketball player. He understood that this would give him an edge on the court.
“Michael had that rare capacity to be a genius who constantly wanted to upgrade his genius.”
Today was the first day of fall Super Group. We are now just 70 days away from the start of 10th grade and varsity tryouts (63 from 9th grade). Today I touch on the freedom you have as a player…
Day 27 – Freedom
The Four Freedoms…
The freedom to grow personally, academically and athletically.
It seems like players today are lacking an appreciation for the history of the game. Often time they don't even know who players were, thinking Kevin Durant is among the top players of all time. Maybe he will be some day, but not yet. I look forward to receiving emails at mrbsilk@gmail.com hearing who your players top 15 list includes. Please back up your thoughts.
I've included some video footage at the end and some statistics so you can get a little better understanding of why I chose these 15 guys. Good stuff! Check it out.
Everyone has their opinion on who’s the best. Here’s mine…
15- LeBron James: Yeah, yeah, I can hear ya now, “You've got to put LBJ higher on your list!." Well, he's not, yet. Back to back MVP’s, which saw LBJ drop 30 per game, pull down 7.3 rebounds and hand out 8.6 assists each night out. His career stats? How about 27.8 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game! Plus, I still can’t forget about the 25 straight points he put on the Pistons in game 5 of the play-offs in 2007. Impressive beginning of the year, but no rings yet!
14- Elgin Baylor: He never won a title and when he left the Lakers they went on to win 33 straight games. But the guy could play and play very well! 27 points and 13.4 rebounds per game over his career. In 1962 while in the National Guard, he would get a pass to play in Lakers games on weekends and still go off. This without practice all week. That season Baylor scored 38 points and 18 rebounds per game to be exact. Dude was first team all-NBA 10 times!
13- Karl Malone: In 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz Malone only, and I mean only, missed 10 games! LOL. Hence, the nickname, ‘The Mailman”. He always destroyed my T-Wolves. Second all-time leading scorer in NBA history. Made 1st team all-NBA 11 different seasons. 25 points and 10 rebounds per game over his career.
12- Tim Duncan: "The Big Fundamental". 4 NBA rings and was named MVP 3 times. Probably one of the most underrated athletes of all-time. Never needed to bring attention to himself by self-promoting. 9 time all-NBA first team. 21 points and 11 rebounds over his 13 year career in San Antonio.
11- Hakeem Olajuwon: "The Dream". 2 rings with the Houston Rockets, MVP both times. One of only 4 players in NBA history to record a quadruple double in 1990 vs the Milwaukee Bucks – 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and blocked 11 shots. 21 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks per game over his career.
10- Jerry West: Mr. Clutch or call him "The Logo". He’s the only player to be named MVP of a NBA Finals series…despite his team losing the series. Career 27 points per game and 6.7 assists. Has the record for scoring average in a play-off series; 46 PPG. He's also the guy you see on the NBA logo.
9- Shaquille O’Neal: One of the most dominating big men the game has ever seen. Has played in 15 all-star games. Finals MVP 3 times. Has 4 rings. Will try to get his 5th this year in Boston. Career numbers; 24 points and 11 rebounds per game. What you see now is not what he once was.
8- Oscar Robertson: "Mr. Triple Double". How can you argue with that? Each night in 1962 Oscar was unreal! He averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game for an entire season! He recorded 181 triple doubles for his career. LBJ has 19 career triple doubles.
7- Kobe Bryant: Scored 81 points in one game back in 2005. Has 5 championship rings on his resume. 25 points and 5 rebounds per game his first 14 years. Moving up the chart.
6- Wilt Chamberlain: Once scored 100 points in one game! His attention to individual achievements over ‘team’ goals are a big reason why he is at 6 and not higher. 30 points and 22 rebounds per game over his career. Nobody will EVER have numbers like that again!
5- Bill Russell: 11 championship rings with the Boston Celtics. Russell cared more about winning than individual awards. He was the ultimate team player. 15 points and 22 rebounds per game over his career.
4- Larry Bird: Greatest forward ever, hands down. Could pass, shoot and most of all, worked his tail off. Was very serious about preparation. Was a killer on the floor. Won 3 titles with Celtics. Career stats. 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game over his career.
3- Kareem Abdul-Jabber: He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. His sky hook was the most unstoppable shot the game has ever seen. 6 NBA titles. 6 regular season MVP awards. 2 NBA Finals MVP’s and 24 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists per game over his career.
2- Magic Johnson: Greatest point guard ever. 6’10″ guy pushing the ball up the floor making guys better; always hitting the open man. Won 5 rings and played in 9 total finals during his stint in LA. 19 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists per game over his career.
1- Michael Jordan: G.O.A.T. 6 for 6 in NBA titles. In those 6 series’ he captured the MVP award each time. 30 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game over his career.
-Howard Beck of The New York Times
