“The secret of basketball is that it’s not about basketball.” Isiah Thomas said that years ago. The longer I coached, the more I understood what he meant. When you first start coaching, you focus on offenses, defenses, plays, and fundamentals. And all of it matters. But eventually you realize the best teams aren’t separated by X’s and O’s or talent. They’re separated by people. Can your best player celebrate when someone else gets the credit? Can a senior accept a smaller role because it helps the team win? Can the player who isn’t playing still bring energy every day? Can players sacrifice individual success for team success? Those things have little to do with skill. But they have everything to do with winning. Our best teams had players who trusted each other, embraced their roles, celebrated each other’s success, and cared more about the scoreboard than the stat sheet. That’s when individuals become a team. And that’s why sport is such a great teacher. Someday the games end, and the wins and losses fade. But those lessons always remain. 🏆

Overprotected kids become unprepared adults. Dawn Staley nailed it.🔥 You can’t shelter your child from every hard moment and then expect them to handle adversity when it counts. Hard is the lesson. Watch. Share. Bookmark.