Denver's Patience Pays Off with NBA Finals Berth
There is so much gold (pun intended!) in this 90 second sound bite from Denver head coach Michael Malone on the patience, consistency, and ongoing improvement it takes to be successful in the NBA. A simple formula we can all use to pursue excellence in our lives as well.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reflected last night on his team making the NBA Finals
“In this business patience is not a word that comes easily. And for [ownership] to have patience after that 3rd year…came up just short of the playoffs, they saw something in Nikola, Jamal and myself, and allowed it to come to fruition. And that’s a rarity in this business.”
on Nikola Jokic’s evolution as a player
“No one ever could have seen that he’d be a two-time MVP, passing Wilt Chamberlin it seems like every other night. And that speaks to his dedication to his craft, getting in great shape, and understanding that for him to fulfill his potential, he had to work harder. And he’s done that.”
on how success never changed Jokic and his approach to the game
“And what I love most about Nikola, aside from his great play and the consistency, is he’s never changed. Success, money, fame has never changed that guy, and that’s a rarity in this business as we all know.”
The hardest thing in pro sports is understanding how an athlete will react when they sign on the dotted line. Too often we beleive that someone's success is determined by their intelligence, resume, or talent. The success of this Nuggets' team is a great reminder of the intangible traits that result in success at the highest levels any profession, in basketball and beyond.
🔊Related Sound Bite #1: Erik Spoelstra discussing Malcolm Gladwell's "The 10,000 Hour Rule" and how it relates to the playoff success of Heat teammates we are witnessing currently on their playoff run.
🔊Related Sound Bite #2: Aaron Gordon on the Nugget's Team Chemistry said "It's really a brotherhood. And we really do it for the person next to us. It's rare in this league to find a team that has a bunch of unselfish guys that buy-in and really do it for the man next to them.
The bottom line is that the seeds for the success we often see did not develop overnight. These seeds were planted long ago and highlight the value of patience in allowing players to develop and teams to grow into conference champions we see now.
