YOU CAN IF YOU WANT TO

The April 5th edition of ESPN the Magazine features an article by Ric Bucher about Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook titled “Early Riser/Late Bloomer.”

His high school coach, Reggie Morris, described the 9th-grade Westbrook as “deathly slow.” Most deathly slow 9th graders give up on any professional basketball aspirations and attribute their slowness to their genes, which they cannot change.

As the article explains, Westbrook never accepted his slowness and constantly worked to improve his speed and explosiveness. He did toe raises any time that he was in the shower or talking to a friend and performed hundreds of lunges in a sandbox. Even though he did not dunk until he was a senior in high school, Westbrook worked relentlessly, and now many view him as one of the NBA’s most athletic players.

Too many players give up on their athletic goals because they see a superstar and fail to see the same qualities and characteristics in themselves. However, comparing oneself to a professional athlete is unproductive. Rather than comparing, one should use the professional as a model to learn the qualities and skills that he needs to improve. If a player is skilled, but lacks athleticism, he needs to incorporate athletic training to reach his potential. Blaming fate or his genes for a lack of athletic gifts is an excuse, and once people have an excuse for why they cannot achieve a goal, they typically do not reach it.

Rather than make excuses, invest in yourself with time, energy and concentration and transfer the model from your mind to the court.

(Thanks Brian McCormick)