NBA Video 101 - Home for the Holidays
Working in the NBA
For anyone who works in the NBA, I can guarantee that someone helped you get there. Maybe it was your family, or a friend, or someone else who cared about your dreams and success.
On a Saturday afternoon, I accepted an unpaid internship in Portland and packed up my car in Virginia and began the 4-day drive to the West Coast.
My first stop was in eastern Indiana to visit my grandmother. And then to the other side of Indiana to spend time with my parents. My sister hopped in the car with me and we carried on West. We stayed with connections of friends along the way before landing in Portland where a friend I hadn’t talked to in about 5 years had readied a couch and space for me to stay for the week (which became a year, thanks Kurt & Erin!).
Anyways, I always let my family and those who cared for me know that they would still always be a priority in my life no matter where I lived and what my work schedule was.
In the NBA, there will be a lot of demands of your time and soul. Long hours. No holidays. No vacations. No weekends. It’s one thing to ‘know’ that going in, it’s another thing to live it.
But one of the things that can keep you sane and grounded is staying close to those who cared for you before and will care for you after.
Whether that’s getting home the week before or after Christmas while the team is on a road trip… many games I logged in a Wendy’s or McDonald’s parking lot so I could be home with the family.
Or whether it’s spending time with your co-workers who have become like family… Bob and LeeAnn Medina would make sure everyone in the Trail Blazers organization had a home and family for the holidays (and even now, reached out to me before Christmas to make sure I had a home for the holidays).
One of the things that will help you survive and thrive while starting a career in the NBA is your community. Cherish them. Make time for them when you can. And don’t let holidays simply pass by or you’ll likely become bitter towards parts of your work. Find a space where it all can fit.
And happy holidays to you from GITG101! Thankful this holiday season for all of you.