This Shit Sucks
Getting a job in the NBA
“People appreciate the research and the work but what really connects to people is watching me struggle with my own work. Rather than being someone, ‘here’s what we should all be doing, we’ve got it all figured out… I’m like… this shit sucks.’ …giving people language for experiences we all have. Being really forthright about how hard it is for me and how much I hate it sometimes.” – Brené Brown
One of the things Brené Brown does so well is allows us all to resonate with her. It’s a quality to be emulated in my opinion and something I try to model with GET IN THE GAME 101.
And that is why, I believe, a lot of people appreciate the work I do. Because it’s honest. I don’t promise jobs. I don’t promise Internships. I tell you that it’s going to be hard but here’s some things that can give you the best chance and while you’re at, enjoy the journey.
No one has it figured out. There’s not a formula.
When I was helping hire Interns for the Trail Blazers, some prospective Interns would get frustrated with us, “I got ‘this’ degree, took this online class, did this with my team and you didn’t hire me?!” Correct, this shit sucks. You can do all the right things and then get passed over for someone who is taller. Someone who’s dad is friends with the GM. Someone who checks an HR box. Someone who has a quarter of your resume or not even a resume at all. It sucks.
There’s no formula but there are best practices. There are things you can do that get your resume in the pile. That get you a phone call. That get your name in the mix. And from there, you knock on doors. You keep knocking until you find the right team with the right situation. Not every team is looking for a 7’ Intern or the Coach’s friend’s son. Etc, etc. So if you get a rejection and another and another, keep your head up. Knock on the next door. Take the next call. Make the next call. And find the right situation for you. It’s a struggle. And yes, it can suck. There’s a lot of bottoms in pursuing a career in the NBA. And there are even a lot of bottoms when you get there.
But understanding that is part of the process can give you language to understanding that’s it’s all part of the process, all part of the journey.
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And while I don’t promise jobs, I can guarantee you a way to meet some people in the NBA & learn best practices and that is by joining one of our on-line courses. Our NBA DRAFT Cohorts start May 17th and we would love to see you there! Use Promo Code MEMBER for $50 off