3 Things - March 2024
Working in the NBA
What I’m Reading: NFLPA Annual Survey
It’s less books and more articles on this one. I love a good sports survey and the NFLPA puts, I would argue, the best one together. Players are open, honest, transparent, and real changes happen after the survey comes out.
I love reading and learning about how franchises operate. And for a lot of us, translating those things to an NBA mindset.
The biggest thing I ruminated on was the Kansas City Chiefs who mainly got D’s and F’s with Ownership getting an F-. The fact that the players can be that unhappy with the franchise while winning Super Bowls is absolutely fascinating. Do the ends justify the means?
Supplements for Stress: Gaba, Magnesium, Ashwagandha, Phytocalm
I want to first start off by saying you should always speak with your doctor and / or mental health counselor regarding what is best for your body. These are recommendations based on my experience.
If you work in sports, you likely face some kind of anxiety. The stresses of the job, the pressures or wins and losses, and the wondering if your job will be there tomorrow.
I had a lot of anxiety that I didn’t deal with or no how to deal with during my NBA tenure. One thing I would recommend to everyone is having a counselor. Just having someone out of the ‘hoops’ world to process with will become invaluable to you.
On a supplemental space, here are some recommendations that have best helped and supported my health: Calm (Magnesium), Gaba, Ashwagandha as needed for daily stress. I usually mix in some Calm with my electrolyte drinks during the day. And I will take Gaba and Ashwagandha as needed (when stress is heightened and I feel my body reacting adversely to anxiety). I always prefer to use natural supplements whenever possible, as always, consult a physician for what is best for you. And one of the best sleep aids I’ve found is Phytocalm. I prefer something that is non-addictive and does not suppress REM sleep.
What I’m Listening to: Old Man & the 3 with JJ Reddick
One of the things I always tell those looking for an Internship, “There isn’t room for your ego. The players have egos. The GM has an ego. The Coach has ego. There isn’t room for yours.” JJ Reddick put it in his own terms…
“It’s the NBA. You’ve got 15 egos on the court. You’ve got another 5 egos on the bench. You have another 3 or 4 egos in the Front Office. You’ve got an ego with the Ownership.”
When we would interview potential Interns, if we found them to have an ego that wouldn’t mesh with our franchise, they were quickly written off.
Obviously there can be pros and cons to egos… I want my players to have egos. I want them to believe they are the best. Obviously, you don’t want it to go far but there is a place for it. But for my Intern, my entry level staff, I want them to keep their heads down and do their work.
The best thing you can do when you’re applying for positions is show that you are hungry, humble, and teachable. You don’t already know everything. The franchise does not owe you a job. You are looking to contribute and assist the team is whatever role is available.
GITG101 is headed to the Philippines. If you’re looking to connect and we are in your area, we would love to meet you. Shoot us an e-mail at info@getinthegame101.com
The re-launch of the website and launch of the podcast are coming in April! And also, we will be releasing our NBA Draft Course then as well.
If you’re an alumni and haven’t filled out our form yet, we’d love to get some info from you to add to the site!
*I am an Amazon affiliate, those links are just to let you know what I use, talk to your own physician and counselor to find out what’s best for you!