Recently I overhead someone talking about last night’s NBA Draft and how “those guys are becoming instant millionaires overnight. Can you imagine?” The one leading the conversation was not incorrect, the first round picks are guaranteed an NBA contract good for at least three years. The top pick will make at the least twenty million dollars over the first three years and the 30th pick will make at least 4 million dollars. These amazingly gifted athletes sign their contracts shortly after being drafted thus making them instant millionaires.
But the hard work, dedication and God-given ability did not happen overnight. I saw an interview of Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant following his game three victory over Cleveland in the NBA Finals. He had hit a clutch three-pointer down the stretch of the game and was asked what was going through his mind when he took that shot. And rather than a direct quote like a real journalist, I will paraphrase because I was watching it live and I want to keep my amateur status. He said that he saw the way LeBron James had moved back a few inches behind the three-point line and also noticed he was leaning on the back of his heals. He said then he looked and all he could see was the bottom of the net. He finished by saying I’ve practiced that shot my whole life.
Boom. That final sentence stuck with me!
Twitter blew up with how Durant might finally have lifted the so-called monkey off his back by moving closer to his first championship and in that moment was seen has someone who was now instantly clutch because of that moment. However, Durant to his credit knew that it was much more than just that moment.
It was the hours of watching game film and knowing that when he had LeBron on his heels backing up is when he could pull up and shoot uncontested. It was the focus that he has trained himself to do over time to only see the bottom of the net while thousands of Cavalier fans shouted “Defense.” And it was the thousands if not millions of shots he practiced throughout his life that made this one feel like a layup. Here is the shot he made in game 3. And for you basketall fans, I found a real gem here. This is a video posted of him working out with Lebron in 2011. You can watch the workout or you can fast forward to 4:20 where he hits the same exact shot in practice.
Finally, I’ll end my little soap box session on how preparation is the key to success with what many of us consider to be the most important job we will ever have: parenting! Nature allows us nine months to prepare to be parents. Talk about a job that requires much more than that….