Storyline: Today’s basketball is more about individual success than team performance.
Courtesy: YouTube.com
Have you ever noticed when some people talk about basketball they always say things like, “Man, did you see how many threes Curry hit last night?” or “That dunk by Malik Monk against Auburn was cold!”
Sometimes they don’t mention how the player’s team did. They may not even know the team name.
The problem? Americans, especially the younger generation, are infatuated with individual achievement. While the reasons are many, I think it boils down to the growth of social media and how the media covers sporting events.
Those conclusions are a little ironic coming from a soon-to-be sportswriter in the technology age? Yeah, a little.
But I believe it has become a major problem. We have allowed basketball to become an individual sport, just like golf. Too many players care more about whether or not their name gets in the newspaper. Too few seem to care about team success.
Courtesy: KOMU.com
We’re putting too much emphasis on “star players,” not on role players and others who give it their all each and every time they step on the floor.
Newsflash: BASKETBALL IS A TEAM SPORT!
There may not be another sport in the world that requires more teamwork and cooperation than basketball. But those who’ve never played basketball may not realize just what it takes to win as a team.
It requires five guys on the floor and ten guys on the bench praising each other when things are going well and sticking by one another when adversity hits. It requires a common trust between teammates. It requires hard work, hustle, and heart.
Today, though, it seems that many players could care less about whether or not their team wins–as long as they “get their points.” But a selfish attitude brings problems.
Courtesy: Springville.org
In 1989 researchers at Michigan State University conducted a survey of fourth through either graders on motivation for playing sports. The top ten responses were:
To have fun
To do something I’m good at
To improve my skills
For the excitement of competition
To stay in shape
For the challenge of competition
To get exercise
To learn new skills
To play as part of a team
To get to a higher level of competition.
How revealing it is that “to play as part of a team” was, on average, the ninth important reason why kids play a sport.
That finding is alarming.
Keep in mind this study was conducted before social media. Before Twitter, SnapChat, and Instagram athletes were learning to put “I” before “team.”
Courtesy: Changing The Game Project
Flash forward more than 25 years. Today, we’re living in the age where cooperation and teamwork take a backseat to what the so-called “star player” does.
Who’s to blame? Parents and coaches encourage this behavior.
Sometimes parents give their kids incentives to perform individually. Let’s say little Joey has the ball with an open shot. But a teammate, Brad, is wide open under the basket for an even better shot. Joey’s dad has promised him $5 bucks for every basket he scores, so Joey chucks it up rather than doing what’s best for his team.
Coaches often let star players get away with murder. Look at what’s going at Duke. Grayson Allen trips opponents. He disregards sportsmanship with his “Nobody Can Touch Me” attitude. And he’s on a fast track to becoming the most disliked Duke player since Christian Laettner.
What did Coach K do in response? He suspended Allen for ONE game.
It’s not like this is going on just at the college level, either. It’s occurring on every level from youth to high school to college–all the way up to professional ball.
Courtesy: The Cheat Sheet
From where I sit there’s no such thing as “Most Valuable Player.” I hate that concept. Every player–whether he/she plays every minute or rides the bench next to the manager–has a place on the team. No single player can win a basketball game. It takes a a team, not a person, to succeed.
Star players and “MVPs” keep fans entertained, but team basketball wins games and championships.
The team is most important. Right?
Well, I think so, but it’s a minority opinion today.
