Want a Job in the NBA? Time to move, Literally & Figuratively
Getting a job in the NBA
In Donald Miller’s book, Hero on a Mission, he says, “What I noticed, then, is that life tends to meet you as you get moving; and the more you move, the more opportunities life throws your way.”
When I was with the Trail Blazers, I interviewed people who came with the opening line of, “It’s my dream to work in the NBA,” and “The Trail Blazers are my favorite team, it’s always been my dream to work here.”
As Donald goes on to say, “Dreaming does not do the work.”
Your opportunities in the NBA, in basketball, and in life will come when you are on the move. Some people want to wait for the ideal circumstances, the right team, the right location but if you want to work in the NBA, get to moving and take the opportunity before you. It may be with a high school team, or at the YMCA, or with a local college but the important things is to be moving, to build your skill set and to gain experience.
The more you move, the more you’ll fail and the more you’ll succeed. The more you’ll learn what does work and what doesn’t work. The more you’ll be able to hone in on what you truly want out of hoops and life.
Dreams are beautiful and important to the journey. But the dream itself doesn’t do the work. You do the work. You put into motion for your dreams to come true.
From the time I was a child, I dreamed of playing and then working in the NBA. I had taken some micro-steps along the way but after I graduated college, I really had no idea how to get to the NBA. And I needed a job. So I got one. I was an Admissions Counselor at my University. I did that for about a year and a half but after a year, I really questioned what I was doing. I knew what my (hoop) dreams were and what I was doing was not moving those forward.
I reached out to some people, made some connections, and was eventually able to come to the basketball practices and write scouting reports for the Coach. I then started learning how to break down film. And I slowly built a skill set and experience. I then started applying for and being rejected for every job and internship in the NBA I could find. But along the way, I learned more about what options and opportunities were out there, what they were looking for, and how I could continue to move forward.
Eventually, I did get an interview (with the Boston Celtics) and even that denial led me to the next opportunity with the Portland Trail Blazers. It was all about moving forward and being open to the next opportunity.
The dream was always there but the work had to be done.
If you want to work in the NBA, keep moving. Keep growing. Keep learning. And when your time comes, get ready to pack your bags and literally, move.
Our next online course will be our NBA Summer League Crash Course – promo code SUMMERLEAGUE for 10% off. I know many of you have already registered and we are excited to meet you!