Three words: Love ya’ bro!
Life kicks everybody in the butt but it’s kicked you harder than most your age. And in the face of such personal adversity, you’ve shown nothing but resilience, determination and loyalty, especiallly to those who’ve helped you as best they can when you certainly had other opportunities.
Character is destiny. You’ve got it. It will serve you well, well beyond basketball.
But on that subject...
Your performance in the second half yesterday was among the best I’ve seen in many years of watching Griz basketball. It recalls the fabulous Micheal Ray Richardson. Or more certainly, Anthony Johnson’s legendary second half against Weber State in a Big Sky championship game of 2010, where he brought us back from twenty down at the half to a one- point victory over a team featuring Damian Lillard.
Funny thing was, he was on fire, hotter than Las Vegas in July. Everybody could see it, one incredible shot after the next. It was stunning. To Griz fans. Most especially to the Weber crowd.
But your game yesterday was different. You did what great players always do: You made it look easy, even against a team determined to shut you down. Not only did you score 31 points in a half, you did it without a single trey. Amazing.
For which you’ll no doubt be named Big Sky Player of the week, an award you’ll likely win again and again. You’re already the pre-season Big Sky Most Valuable Player of the Year.
But here’s my advice: Forget it! Shut all that out.
Forget Northern Colorado, Montana State, Weber State. Don’t measure yourself against teams that make up one of the worst collegiate basketball conferences in the country. Forget any Big Sky award you garner.
Instead, measure your performance against that inner Money Williams. Against the player who is an NBA prospect. Against the NBA player you will be. Against the NBA All-Star that is within your capabilities.
Work on that three-point shot. Anybody who shoots free throws as well as you do will become a remarkable three-point threat.
Observe the workout habits of Steph and Lebron. Never take a play or a half off. It’s easy for you to do against Big Sky teams, but don’t fall into the trap. For young players struggling to make it in the NBA, it’s just not that way.
Constant vigilance is the price of your ticket there.
Meantime, from at least one fan on this Board, it is a pleasure to watch you play, to see you develop into what the always understated Travis DeCurie has already predicted for you: One of the all-time greats at Montana.
Life kicks everybody in the butt but it’s kicked you harder than most your age. And in the face of such personal adversity, you’ve shown nothing but resilience, determination and loyalty, especiallly to those who’ve helped you as best they can when you certainly had other opportunities.
Character is destiny. You’ve got it. It will serve you well, well beyond basketball.
But on that subject...
Your performance in the second half yesterday was among the best I’ve seen in many years of watching Griz basketball. It recalls the fabulous Micheal Ray Richardson. Or more certainly, Anthony Johnson’s legendary second half against Weber State in a Big Sky championship game of 2010, where he brought us back from twenty down at the half to a one- point victory over a team featuring Damian Lillard.
Funny thing was, he was on fire, hotter than Las Vegas in July. Everybody could see it, one incredible shot after the next. It was stunning. To Griz fans. Most especially to the Weber crowd.
But your game yesterday was different. You did what great players always do: You made it look easy, even against a team determined to shut you down. Not only did you score 31 points in a half, you did it without a single trey. Amazing.
For which you’ll no doubt be named Big Sky Player of the week, an award you’ll likely win again and again. You’re already the pre-season Big Sky Most Valuable Player of the Year.
But here’s my advice: Forget it! Shut all that out.
Forget Northern Colorado, Montana State, Weber State. Don’t measure yourself against teams that make up one of the worst collegiate basketball conferences in the country. Forget any Big Sky award you garner.
Instead, measure your performance against that inner Money Williams. Against the player who is an NBA prospect. Against the NBA player you will be. Against the NBA All-Star that is within your capabilities.
Work on that three-point shot. Anybody who shoots free throws as well as you do will become a remarkable three-point threat.
Observe the workout habits of Steph and Lebron. Never take a play or a half off. It’s easy for you to do against Big Sky teams, but don’t fall into the trap. For young players struggling to make it in the NBA, it’s just not that way.
Constant vigilance is the price of your ticket there.
Meantime, from at least one fan on this Board, it is a pleasure to watch you play, to see you develop into what the always understated Travis DeCurie has already predicted for you: One of the all-time greats at Montana.
