Journal Entries
Relive some of my experiences through my journal entries
Today is the last day of my mentorship and I must say, it opened my eyes to a lot. As a player you do not always see what certain teams or recruiters look for, but during this internship I was able to have a glance. It is not just about what a player can do on the court, as I thought before and what many others may think now. It is about so much more. As I look back to the 200 hours plus that I have spent with my mentor or around the game of basketball, I can conclude I am not the same spectator I was before. As mentioned previously, I have always been a student of the game. I have watched many different players and learned how to understand personnel. The same information was given to me on a platter, but on a much deeper scale. I had to learn not to take each of these middle school, high school, and even some college players for what player they are now, but for what player than can be. If you do anything consistently, you will get better. The same applies with basketball! If these players continue to work hard and never lose sight of their goal, the players I saw during these tournaments will not be the same players in the future. I plan on taking all things I learned working for Premier Basketball Report, and all things I learned from my mentor and applying it to other ventures I have dreamed to have success in. This game can take you to many places, and see many faces, the goal is always to leave an impact someone can remember
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Lots of basketball this week! Not sure if i have seen that much basketball since the first tournament I ever recruited for my mentor. The level of intensity for each game was crucial, especially in the games on Sunday nights. These boys played like this was a high school state game, or NBA championship. Games like that put the pressure on officiating and get them to really focus and make the best calls during the game. It is like lessons learned, if you're not put through hardships you will never sharpen your tools for life or in your career. Those referees and players got better this weekend. There were a lot of players I have seen before, and teams such as ATX Lockdown that I have written a blog post about before. I got the opportunity to see those guys play again and it was like they never missed a beat. There is a lot of 2020 rust on some of the players, but could not say the same for team Lockdown. Their offense is much like the San Antonio Spurs. They make the right passes, everyone touches the ball, and the right shot is taken or a foul is called and they are going to the line. There were a few teams I had never seen before as well. There was a team with mainly small guards and one post player. Usually, that is a recipe for a losing team, granting that most teams at least have one or two big post players just in case one fouls out. Shockingly enough, this team was pretty good! They had a post player, much like PJ Tucker who is now with the Milwaukee Bucks, who stood their ground defending post players. Though this team did not make it into the championship of the gold bracket, they were one win away from doing so. Lots of what I have been learning from my internship I was able to put into effect. I was also comfortable enough and confident enough to write down some names that I thought my mentor would not mind checking out himself.
This weekend another tournament in Austin, Tx and another opportunity for me to put my eyes on some new talent. This tournament will be a little different. Most of the time there are tournaments that are strictly girls, strictly boys, or both. Although this is a boys tournament, when it comes to the little kid games, they are co-ed. Helps me a lot because some of the kids I train have been selected to play with the boys team this tournament, and I get the chance to watch new people play. While watching games with my mentor I often store knowledge or take the time to jot some of the information he is sharing with me. One of the things he always mentions is what is the players role on the team. Greatly enough, as a former player I understand what roles on teams mean all to well. There is always something that each player can do better than the next player on the team. It is always stressed for each player to excel and showcase their skill since it will give the team an advantage and perhaps an advantage over a team. Next, I look at what the player can do well. Do they like to score, see the floor well? Pass, and know what passes to make? Do they rebound with vengeance, or are they a pest on defense? All of these little things matter. Then I see what they do not do well, or refrain from. It is all a part of the game, and perhaps what could take them to the next level. Watching the games this weekend will be what I look for. Hopefully, i'll be able to walk away from the tournament with a new outlook on central texas basketball, and put some of the things i continuously learn from my mentor to the test.
Today was a sad day for Texas Longhorn lovers, and excited Brooklyn Net fans. LaMArcus Aldridge has retired from the game, and boy does it suck to see a talent walk away. The game is not meant to last forever, but you hate for it to end ways that it does. LaMarcus opened up about having an abnormality with his heart that causes a rapid heartbeat. He was a 15 year Veteran in the NBA, drafted in 2006 by the Portland Trailblazers which he played 9 years with before signing with the San Antonio Spurs in 2015. Over his career he averaged 19.4 points, 1.1 blocks, .07 steals, 2.0 assist (citation). He was one of the best big men in the game, raking in 7 all-star appearances, 5 all-NBA’s, 2006 all-rookie, and much more. It was a week before this that he announced going to the Brooklyn Nets, shocking the world and many of those who felt he would team up with Lebron and join the Lakers. It is easy to understand why he is making the choice he is though. In fact, in his departure peach it was something he mentioned. He put the game over a lot of important parts of his life, and it is time he considers and lives for his family and himself every day. I can't imagine him not finding ways to continuously be around the game without physically playing. As you see now, many of those NBA players who retired still find a way to do something within the NBA or just the game of basketball. LaMarcus will truly be missed on the court. Eager to see how he shares his legendary skills with the rest of the basketball community.
Over the weekend my grandfather passed away. There were no tournaments, no basketball, no talk about what is going on with players in the game. Just a lot of time with family. During that time I was able to think about a lot and one of those things was who inspires me, and who has inspired me much to play this game. In a lot of different instances, people often tell you to toggle in on your “why.” The “why” could be a pain point in one's life, someone around them that motivates them, etc. I was able to think of my “why” and who has inspired me along my journey as a player, entrepreneur and student of the game. Though my grandpa passed away, he was not someone who motivated me to play or push myself to be in positions that I am now. However, the impact he has had on my step dad, and that grit and grind he instilled in him, was shed a little on me through my career and growing up. It's the grit and grind you do not usually learn unless someone introduces it to you. Some are usually born with it, but are not triggered until someone triggers it. My step dad was my trigger. He was tough. He said things I did not like, and in the midst of the words I felt pain. Pain that I could have turned into anger and given up. Instead, the pain I felt turned it into perseverance, focus, and greed to prove that I was tougher than what he thought. I wanted it more than he thought. I was better than he thought. There are other people in my life that have pushed me to the point I am now. My dad, mom, brothers, etc. I could go on and on, but as I digress I must ask, who has motivated you? What is your “why?”Like every day, my mentor and I are talking about basketball. He expresses what he looks at while searching for players within teams, and what college or professional team could I see these players fitting in with. There is not much technical work, or work that requires me to put X’s and O’s on a drawing board or any other algorithm. It is all about what my eye can catch. Of course there is a criteria in which we have to check off to get a bigger idea of a player's potential. Not all players fit within the criteria. Some criteria is physical, some is mental. Some players may have bad physical habits, and some players may have bad emotional or internal habits. All we can sense, and all we detect in order to see what type of player and person he or she may be. There is lots of time watching high school games, college games, and nba or wnba games to get a better idea of coaching styles, team styles, and player styles. It is how I have been able to stay up with the game, and create multiple blog posts about all the talk in basketball; because I discuss it often with my mentor. But another thing that makes this blogging so appealing and fluent is my own love for the game. I have come a long way within this career, and the only thing that has been progressing me is my continuing love for education of the game. Books, youtube, and hanging around watching different players locally play has taught me a lot. The dynamic of this game is no longer the same. Every day it seems to change, bending the rules a little to make it more applicable to the player styles of today. It is quite impressive, and keeps me on my toes as someone who wants to stay around the game. Imagine where basketball will be in a few years, man!
In the span of a few months, Brooklyn Nets have received some of the best all-star players of the NBA. Kevin Durant decided to join a Brooklyn Net team that only had all-star Kyrie Irving. The two joined forces and decided to put together a team that could ultimately win the championship of this upcoming 2021 season. The next person to join the team was all-star, MVP, and arguably one of the best players in the game right now, James Harden. Many Sports Analysts and lovers of the game thought this may be a bad trade. These are three heavy offensive players that have led their team in scoring on multiple occasions. Often thought that it would be hard for the offense of the Brooklyn Nets to orchestrate successfully without there being any altercations between the three of them. Commentator and Sports Analyst, Steven A. Smith said there is only “one ball,” emphasizing the need of the basketball to be in each of these players hands to consecutively win. But now they are all on one team. It did not stop there, and after winning many games and jumping to second on the list, coach Steve Nash searched for other pieces for the team. Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge were the last additions to the team, and this solidified that the Brooklyn Nets may for sure be crowned NBA Champions. With the NBA finals approaching in May, and the opportunities to still trade are underway, it is interesting to see what the Brooklyn Nets have in store for the rest of this season.
There was a controversial call I mentioned in one of my earlier posts. It was a last second call made by the referees of the Baylor and UConn women’s NCAA tournament game. This game was the ticket into the final four, and it was such a great and close game. To recap: Baylor won the majority of the game, by at least 12 points if I'm not mistaken. It was literally a call made in the last 2 seconds that was the go forth or go home for the lady bears, and well we all know it resulted in the lady bears going home. The call made by referees still surfaced the internet, and talked about by different sport commentators. NBA players, such as Lebron James, chimed in stating their opinion on the call. “That's a FOUL” Lebron James says. Skylar Diggins adding in “ Agreed it was some contact. Weird they don't call that one but called the two before. Seemed like similar takes.” What was going through the refs head when choosing to not make that call? Curious me asked the same question. What antagonized them to not choose to make that call, but as Skylar Diggins mentioned, decided to make the call before at least. The first thing that came to mind was the matter of the game. It was neck and neck, UConn was up one and Baylor had the chance to win. Since it was so late in the game, literally two seconds left, they chose to let both teams play straight up. Straight up meaning no calls no such thing unless the ball blatantly goes out of bounds. The second issue would be the referees did not think it was a foul. Though, many people feel like there is contact, and when you take a look at the picture below you too may think the same thing, the referees could have felt there was not enough evidence to prove it was a foul. Cameras do not lie, and photos can capture the moment a lot better than witnessing it real-time. Making a call like this shocked the world, and definitely those in the basketball world. This is not the first time that referees made the wrong call in games. NBA finals in 2018, Tony Brothers and Ken Maur were the referees of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warrior game. In Game one a call was made on Lebron, originally stating that he was stationary, but later changed to James not being stationary giving Durant two free-throws which tied the game (basketball.com). Decisions as such give a momentum switch to a team, and if that very call was not made Cavaliers would have possibly one that chance and a better sitting to win the 2018 NBA Finals.March Madness has ended and the winners have been declared for both Men and Women basketball. Let’s just say i ended up 50% on wins again for men and women teams combined. There was success in choosing Baylor for the men’s tournament, but I did not have much success choosing the winner for the women’s tournament. The national championship between the Stanford and Arizona game went as expected. Though I thought it would end on the opposite end of the stick, it was a difference of one point that gave Stanford the victory at the last second. Arizona played a hard felt game just as I knew they would. Their team lives and dies by defense. I know we have all heard, defense wins games. Sadly, defense did not win this game but it held them only to a one point win. Arizona's chances to win came down to the last shot. Inbounding the ball, Stanford double McDonald, knowing she had the highest chances of leading her team to a win. Stanford took a 8 to 16 lead over Arizona in the first quarter, but Arizona took back the lead starting the second and going into half time. From then, the score was neck and neck, Stanford never won a quarter after the first, but still able to come away with the win. McDonald did not have the best game, but she covered in areas where she knew was still a part of her weakness, including defense. Senior guard Kianna Williams also had a struggling game, only bringing in 5 points for this victory. It was sophomore guard Haley Jones who put the pedal to the medal and put the pressure on all of Arizona defense. The Baylor game was a little different. Baylor did not trail at all in the game, taking a 11-0 start to the first half and never looking back. Gonzaga had a better second half only losing the half by 6 points, but it was the run Baylor had that cost them this game. Often coaches have used the term “punch first” meaning, do not let your opponent make the run, take the first hit, or make the first move. Doing it first, or taking the first step gives the team an upper hand usually and that's exactly the quote Baylor seemed to live by. What an end to the season, so many broken brackets, and two winners that reign supreme over all men and women ncaa teams.Today is the Men’s final four, and there should be no drop off in the level of play from the Women’s final four yesterday. Today we have Houston and Baylor playing and UCLA and Gonzaga going head to head. Texas Showdown! Two Texas teams battling for a spot in the championship game has to be exciting. I know as someone from Texas, this will be a hard one to choose from. Looking at each team's success, Houston would be the underdog fighting their way to the top, and Baylor is the team expected to win this game. Houston has been proving they are capable of competing against top ranked and highly talented teams, and beating them! Baylor has three seemingly unstoppable guards, and it is intriguing to see how this matchup aligns. Both teams have the same style of play. Defense is at a high, and guard play is impeccable. This should be a fun game to watch. Next is UCLA and Gonzaga, two teams that play the same and are the complete opposite of Baylor and Houston style. UCLA and Gonzaga have an offense that they go through option 1-5 until they score, and if they can not get something from an option their offense presents, then they freestyle to get a basket. Baylor and Houston do not play that way. They put themselves into offensive sets and rely on their guards to create something for themselves and their team. UCLA and Gonzaga also have very good coaches. Gonzaga is known for having a solid team that has great potential to win the championship every single year. Tonight I choose: UCLA and Baylor. Let’s see who takes the cake
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