3 Things - January 2024

Working in the NBA

What I’m Reading: Hero on a Mission

The first lines of Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz are,

“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Baghdad Theatre one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes and he never opened his eyes.

After that I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.

I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.”

That was in 2003. I think I’ve read every one of his books since, or at least I have ordered them and they are waiting on my shelf as next up.  To use his language, his words resolve.  Hero on a Mission talks about the 4 roles we play in life: the Victim, the Villain, the Hero, and the Guide.  And the thing is, if you’ve worked in sports, you’ve likely been a victim.  If you haven’t yet, just wait.  But no one wants to remain a victim and that is part of the journey.

I worked for the Trail Blazers for 15 years, often times, 7 days a week, around the clock, missing holidays, missing weddings, missing all kinds of family and special occasions and then in a blink, I was fired on a Zoom call, never to see many of my colleagues again.  It was shocking and something I still process in therapy, the turn my life took and what to do with it. 

Words from Hero on a Mission:

I don’t think any of us should trust fate to write the story of our lives. 

Fate is a terrible writer.

Fate may send us challenges, but it does not dictate how we respond to those challenges.  We are not preprogrammed.  We have the power to shape our own stories.  Fate may throw us sunshine or rain, but it does not determine who we are.  We determine who we are, and who we are directs our stories more than anything or anybody else.

What I’m listening to: All the Smoke with LaMarcus Aldridge

Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in a candid interview with LaMarcus Aldridge covering the span of his career.  Matt and Stephen always do a great job with their interviews but this, in my opinion, was by far one of the best.

Where I’m listening to Podcasts: Pocket Casts

If you’ve followed me for awhile, you know I’ve always been a huge fan of the Castro app for listening to Podcasts.  Unfortunately, that app appears to be on its final wind.  Because I listen to so many podcasts, I needed a new home to sort then.  I experimented with Spotify, Apple, some other downloadable apps and have settled on Pocket Casts.  It’s not perfect but for those of you who loved Castro, I’ve found it the most similar in functionality. 

Thank you for the overwhelming response to our Interest Form!  If you haven’t heard from me yet, well, it’s because I’ve had an awful flu and am a bit behind.  You should hear from me by Monday at the latest.  If you don’t hear from me by Monday, it is likely because the e-mail is in your spam or you didn’t complete the Interest Form properly (we had several of these).  For those who did, you’ll hear from me soon, but mark down Wednesday, January 17 (5-7p PT / 8-10p ET) for a first session for those interested in being Interns and Ambassadors.  Again, thank you for filling out the forms!  Our team has gone through them and you’ll be hearing from us soon!

Also, we will be launching our NBA Trade Deadline Course soon!  It will be on February 6 and 7 (5-7p PT / 8-10p ET).  We sure hope to see many of you there!