A horrible basketball player

Having the pleasure to watch the greatest basketball players of all time; MJ, Magic, Bird, etc. I’m currently enjoying the experience of watching an NBA that is redefining the “no-mans land” it has been in for the past 10 years or so. The playoffs have been extremely fun to watch especially in light of recent events surrounding the Celtics and Heat, it almost elevates the level of play each time down the court.

Did you pick up on that word ‘almost’?

That’s right, ALMOST!

Watching the first game of the Lakers Thunder series I couldn’t help but have two thoughts.
1. Is there a bigger D-bag in professional sports other than Kobe? Maybe Phillip Rivers!
2. Kobe questions the integrity of the game of basketball.

My first point is easily understood, and debatable at best. However, let me speak to my second point.

The referee blows the whistle, eyes grow wide, hands cover the mouth and the utter look of disbelief is evident on the face of the player who just committed the foul. I know this is typical of every player in The Association, but no one does it better than Kobe on both ends of the court.

I can’t imagine another circumstance in life, where every time you made ‘quality checks’ in the workplace, that a fellow co-worker questioned your decision. Put yourself in that position. The next time you make a decision at work, felling confident, and automatically a fellow co-worker questions your decision, how badly do you want to make that persons work life a living hell?

If Kobe doesn’t get the foul on offense, simply because he missed a basket, a quick glance at the Ref. with palms facing upward, a shrug of the shoulders and utter wonderment is thrust upon a co-worker-who is just doing his job!

And heaven forbid that playing defense Kobe would actually get a foul called on him!

There was a point in the game that Kobe stepped in to take a charge, having arrived too late at the spot, he committed a blocking foul. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! It was as if someone just kicked a baby in the crowd! The reaction of Kobe was priceless. He covered his mouth and gave that look only magnified by 10x! And of course, instant replay, all the commentators called it a foul.

So this brings my point – Kobe questions the integrity of the game.

This is how he does it...

Arguing with the Referee each time down the court.

I coached a high school varsity basketball team for a few years and one lesson I always taught my guys – Don’t complain about the referees. It does no good! The pure aspect about sports is that there are clearly defined rules. Violation of those rules equal consequences. If you play your best game and the other team plays their best game, and you win, success, but if you lose, you need to work harder to play better.

Kobe bends the integrity of basketball to his advantage rather than honoring the purity of the sport. Each glance at a referee. Each shrug of the shoulder. Each palms facing upward. Not only questions a fellow co-workers ability to perform his job effectively, but sets a negative example to kids competing in sports while questioning the integrity of what sports truly are.

Kobe will be written down in the history books of basketball as a all-time great player, but when I teach my guys how true basketball players act on and off the court, I turn my head quickly away from Kobe.

I want my guys to know that playing your best equals success. I want my guys to know that arguing with someone is a characteristic of immaturity. I want my guys to know that honoring the integrity of basketball is what makes it a beautiful game!