"I've always told myself, and always been taught by my parents, never be afraid to fail. ... That's the mindset my parents instilled in me."
Jalen Brunson when asked by Kon Knueppel on what makes a championship-caliber player 🗣
(via @NBA)
LeBron James on why preparation kills self-doubt:
“There’s no way the human mind in competitive sports or in life in general that you just don’t have self-doubt, right? And that’s okay. And I think for me how you manage those thoughts is by one if whatever that you’re doing. Whatever field that you’re in and ours happen to be professional sports, if you know that you’re giving the time to the process and you’re putting in the work to in order to get the results, then you’re okay with whatever happens, the win, the loss, the draw, whatever the case may be. The uncomfortable nights would happen if you did not put in the work and you’re not seeing results. That is more self-doubt than anything.”
(Via @mindthegamepod)
I wholeheartedly believe the NBA community took LeBron James going to 8 straight Finals for granted. It takes a monumental effort to get there. The fact that it became routine is mind boggling. To this day he’s the most underrated competitor that’s ever played.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on never letting his mental affect his play:
“I think I just love competition. I love adversity. I love when things don't go my way. It just gives me an opportunity to grow and get better. It's easy to be super engaged when you're making every shot and you're up 20. But when you're in the thick of things and things aren't going your way, you really find out about yourself. Those are the moments and the games where I learn the most. So as bad as it may seem, I relish those moments, I appreciate those moments and I use them for good.”
(via @Justintohoops)