We all wanted to be in the NBA. Why didnt we work for it?

[Kblaze8855]

Not everyone who does their best has success. But everyone who has success, without exception, have tried their best.

The exception:




Its good to be 7'1'' 280....

[Kebab Stall]

Magic's stories are cute and all....but his story isnt rare. Lots of kids have done the same if not more (diff stories on how they worked hard/tried to be the best) and failed. We dont hear about them because they didnt make it mostly due to not being blessed like Magic was. You're competiting with a million other kids and thier "Story"...only few make it.

But there are stories where fans who love the game didnt put in the hard work. So eh

Yeah I understand that the Magic part was a common thing that many young kids do. I've seen kids do it myself. But like you said, guys like Magic where just ridiculously gifted. And like another poster said it takes more than hard work.

[geeWiz15]

well not all of us have the capability, even if we worked harder than everyone in the world, to make the NBA. some of us are that physically lame.

court sense, quickness, coordination, height... so much missing.

I ran 2 miles every day for 2-3 months and still couldn't do it in 13:30. had to stop because I have a genetic something wrong with my legs that was flaring up and I had to ice daily. some of us just don't have it. hard work is what seperates HS varsity above average players from NBA scrubs perhaps, but in my case if I had worked my ASS off I still wouldn't have gotten any playing time in my varsity team's playoff games (7 man rotation) had I even made the team in the first place.

this is a perspective thing. I bet you had talent... so you have the mentality of "if I had just worked a little harder." well for me I did work hard, I worked my ass off and I was still useless when going against any kind of competition and am immeasurably better now that I'm tall and lazy and never practice.

[Kblaze8855]

How tall are you?

I think youre 17 so its probably too late anyway but.....

I kinda wonder what Steve Kerr did to become Steve Kerr. Im sure outside the NBA he looks a lot more well rounded as a scorer but in the league he stands still and takes a shot when hes open.

Feels like anyone should be able to do that if they truly dedicate themselves to it. Everything else he did was on a basic level. He worked hard but was just basic at other things.

[artificial]

I knew you would bring up someone. Yes, Jerome clearly isn't trying hard. And the kid had never played organized basketball until college.

But I'm sure it took more than being 7'1'' & 280 to lead the NCAA in bpg and dunking on a 11'4" basket when touring with the Harlem globetrotters. I bet he worked out as hell at some point.

The point of the quote is that as mentioned, it takes more than trying your best to get to the NBA. But not doing your best assures you won't even step on the start line.

[Kblaze8855]

Yea I know even the bad players in the NBA who show little passion or skills are crazy good. Lot of them just stop going hard once they make it.

[Da KO King]

Something that I think also needs to be mentioned here is a lot of people confuse doing lots of work with working effectively.

Shooting 1,000 spot-up jumpers at a leisurely pace and shooting 1,000 jumpers mixing up spot-up and off the bounce at game pace are not the same.

One helps you while the other is an extended session of mentally pleasuring yourself.

Edit - You guys are going a tad overboard with the censorship

[geeWiz15]

How tall are you?

I think youre 17 so its probably too late anyway but.....

6'0 with 6'5 wingspan

I kinda wonder what Steve Kerr did to become Steve Kerr. Im sure outside the NBA he looks a lot more well rounded as a scorer but in the league he stands still and takes a shot when hes open.

Feels like anyone should be able to do that if they truly dedicate themselves to it. Everything else he did was on a basic level. He worked hard but was just basic at other things.

everyone has limitations. no matter what Wilt and Shaq do their FT%s will never be above 50-60 because they don't have the coordination or touch, and can't. Steve Kerr worked his ass off there's no doubt but he was also born with coordination. you don't shoot the way Kerr shoots unless God gave you some steady ass hands.

plus you have to have the ability to concentrate and make your shots in game. and the speed to get open. and awareness in general. Steve Kerr by normal human being standards is stronger and faster than most people. I've seen pictures of you, you were probably really athletic and probably still are. 90% of the human race either aren't in shape or are in a neverending battle to get there but never will. Steve Kerr isn't some normal average Joe who worked his ass off, he was an athlete too. especially from my perspective.

[Kblaze8855]

Yea there is a difference. Ben Gordon has a paid rebounder and passer who goes with him to workouts and rebounds and hits him on the move for jumpers. Only needs him since nobody paid by the team is there the hours he is.

[Kblaze8855]

Kerr is just the standard "Just a shooter" example guy. Hes als otaller than average. But nothing he does seems totally outside the potential of normal guys. Its easy to assume you cant be as good a shooter as him and not try. I bet he didnt think he could be as good as he was before he tried either. I think accepting that you cant because it seems to hard is the reason so many never find out.


And for the record Wilts problem was mental. He shot 80% in practice and beat Calvin Murphy(who shot 95% one season) a few times. He had FT coaches watch him make nearly a 100 in a row then miss 15 that night. Team paid to send him to a sports psychiatrist. They worked out so much the doctor became a great shooter and he and Wilt used to knock them down by the dozens like nothing. Game starts? Mental block. Even Shaq shoots great(by his standards) when the game isnt being played.

[OneWay]

That's a great question. I had capability to succed in both soccer and basketball and I failed. Everyone say I was lazy. I think I was immature.

I'm now like 6'3" (in shoes), had great quickness, good jumping ability and pretty much a lot that you can ask from a PG.
From ballhandling to court vision to some IQ.
I however lacked in shooting and some more IQ but I never really worked on that.
I would always prefer to play some streetball instead of working on my shooting.

So while I loved the game I guess I never looked at it as work but I just wanted to have fun. Kind of like Smush Parker. And that's the wrong attidude, folks. But apparently I didn't love it enough to make work fun.

I don't know, I really don't know. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I'd take a different approach.
I'd train hard, listen to coaches and work on my flaws.

But I think I was too much of a hot head. Always thought I was right, always thought I knew better and always thought my way was the right way.

However, time flew by. Now I can still play pro ball but I don't see the point anymore. I had my chance and I think I lost it.
But what I find ironic is that instead of playing the game I spent so much time analyzing the game on the internet.

I was also into other things but I know a guy who had all the fun in the world outside of basketball yet he worked just enough to make pro bball.
And he worked quite a bit.

As for great players, they live and breathe basketball. I know a guy who hopefully will be an NBA star soon, I think he has the potential anyway and he's a basketball nut. It's hard to describe how much he loves basketball so I won't even get into it.

I guess basketball is like everything else. While it's a game, it's also work.
if you feel you can make it big which I always felt I could but never had organized myself, you need to work hard to achieve that goal because not many people are talented enough to get in just by talent.
If you don't work hard, you"ll go from a great talent to just average talent.
It happens. Kids are out there, they're crazy about basketball, they're improving each day.
It's up to you, really. Do you want to be the best or do you want to be one of the many.

I don't know really how to describe all those things but it's just that IT.
Some people have it, some don't. And that's why I have so much respect for people who do have it. I think I have it but just didn't know how to use it with all the stuff that I've been into.
I also liked to party yet those basketball nuts wouldn't even think about it, their mind would be on basketball.
In school, they'd hang around basketball people.
After school, they'd play some streetball. After streetball they'd go to practice. After practice they'd still stay and play. After that they'd talk basketball some more.

Guess I just never had all that and with all the stuff, puberty and everything you just lose focus I guess. But then again, maybe you don't love it enough. Maybe you don't want it enough.

But you feel you have that IT. And that's why one day you decide to take a different approach in life.

That's my story at least. Didn't love to train, didn't like coaches, had other things on my mind, became just average. Did it all to myself basically.

[GOBB]

you don't shoot the way Kerr shoots unless God gave you some steady ass hands.

GOD didnt. Its called practice, repetition. Kerr's been shooting since he was a punk kid.

[bomber]

Im about 5'10 165 (15 pounds heavier than about a year and a half ago from working out) white kid.

I worked my ass off at bball and had success (AAU national team, YBOA nat'l champ team) But I wasn't blessed with the NBA size or athletic ability. Even If my shot was perfect and I could handle the ball at an NBA level, I doubt I could realistically get my shot off and create etc at an NBA level.

It's not realistic to work for the NBA and let other aspects of your life fall down in the meanwhile.

[thenextgreatbigman]

I'm busting my ass right now just to make varsity. I talked to a few coaches and they said i could easily make D2, maybe D1 if i really go crazy.
I'm 6'5 and just turned 17. My biggest problem is that i started playing late, i didn't get to touch a basketball till i was 13. Before that i used to swim and that's all i did.

At this point i wake up at 7 on sundays and play till 12, then get home eat some and i'm back on the court at 5-6 till around 9. I got my diet in check and workout everyday.
During the summer i'll be back to playing 10 hours a day and even if everything goes great i'll end up being the 3rd big man coming off the bench, mostly because the two other bigs were on teams since the age of 5.
Having a pops who knew something about basketball would help, all my dad knows is soccer

[20 Dimes A Game]

I always think, there is someone out there working harder and getting better, so i work my butt off.