Embrace the Fundamentals, and the Greatness Will Follow

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Michael Jordan's journey reveals the profound impact of total immersion in the fundamentals of basketball. Arriving at college, he dedicated himself to mastering the core techniques, contrasting sharply with many peers who displayed a lack of commitment to practice. This dedication not only honed his skills but also instilled a sense of confidence in him, recognizing the hard work required that others overlooked. Under the guidance of coach Dean Smith, Jordan transitioned from raw talent to disciplined player, absorbing knowledge about various aspects of the game. Notably, his under-the-radar emergence challenged the expectations set for others in the sport. Jordan's experiences highlight a crucial lesson: greatness often arises from a deep commitment to fundamentals rather than simply relying on natural talent. Ultimately, he emphasizes that the next generation of talent will emerge organically, rather than needing to be sought out, underscoring the unpredictability of excellence in sports.

What I learned from reading Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby.

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(5:07) His competence was exceeded only by his confidence.

(5:58) He worked at the game, and if he wasn't good at something, he had the motivation to be the best at it.

(6:33) It seemed that he discovered the secret quite early in his competitive life: the more pressure he heaped on himself, the greater his ability to rise to the occasion.

(14:06) At each step along his path, others would express amazement at how hard he competed. At every level, he was driven as if he were pursuing something that others couldn't see.

(16:10) Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I'd close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it, and that got me going again.

(19:29) Jordan could sense immediately that he had something the others didn't.

(59:53) The Jordan Rules succeeded against the Bulls so well that they became textbook for guarding athletic scorers. The scheme helped Detroit win two NBA championships, but it also helped in the long run, by forcing Jordan to find an answer. "I think that 'Jordan Rules' defense, as much as anything else, played a part in the making of Michael Jordan," Tex Winter said.

(1:16:35) Jordan had been surprised to learn how lazy many of his Olympic teammates were about practice, how they were deceiving themselves about what the game required.

(1:19:56) I have always liked practice and I hate to miss it. When you miss that one day, you feel like you missed a lot. You take extra work to make up for that one day. I've always been a practice player. I believe in it.

(1:29:47) Jordan presented a singleness of purpose that was hard to dent.

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