A Coach's Diary

“Be loud. Communicate. Play with great effort. Have a great attitude. You’re going to miss shots. You’re going to make shots. You’re going to make mistakes, but if you do those things, you’re going to fulfill your potential.” - Klay Thompson How do you make an impact outside of your talent or ability? Klay Thompson is one of the best shooters of all time. When he was asked what advice he has for rookies, Klay said, “Be loud. Communicate. Play with great effort. Have a great attitude. You’re going to miss shots. You’re going to make shots. You’re going to make mistakes, but if you do those things, you’re going to fulfill your potential.” Talent isn’t everything — communication, effort, and attitude are what separate good players from great ones. When you stay positive, work hard, and stay connected to your team even through mistakes, you give yourself the best chance to grow and reach your full potential. Question of the Day: When things aren’t going your way how can you still make a p...

“People who deserve success through hard work, merit, and personal responsibility are not quite sure they deserve it, and the people who don’t deserve it are often the people who are most sure that they do.” - Daniel Goleman  Do you ever suffer from imposter syndrome — the feeling your success isn’t earned and that you’ll be exposed as a fraud, even when you’re fully capable? Daniel Goleman is a psychologist best known for popularizing emotional intelligence. He once said, “People who deserve success through hard work, merit, and personal responsibility are not quite sure they deserve it, and the people who don’t deserve it are often most sure they do.” He said healthy people see both what they are good at and not good at, while the world mostly focuses on their strengths. You have full visibility; the rest of the world doesn’t. So, do the same. Recognize and improve weaknesses, but do more of what you do best — because that’s what the world wants from you. Question of the Day: Wh...

“Greatness is boring.” - Anthony Edwards Are you willing to do the same thing over and over again, until it gets boring, then keep doing it over and over again until it becomes second nature? Anthony Edwards, nicknamed “Ant-Man,” is a rising NBA superstar and the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Drafted first overall in 2020, he’s known for his explosive scoring, highlight-reel dunks, and competitive fire that has made him one of the league’s brightest young leaders. But he also knows the importance of routine. He once said, “Greatness is boring. There was a lot of boring days in the gym just working on my one dribble pull ups.” Greatness requires doing something over and over again until it becomes boring, then being willing to keep doing it over and over again until it becomes 2nd nature. Question of the Day: What is one thing you can or need to do over and over until it gets boring, and when it does, how do you stay motivated to keep going?

“The glaring difference between winners and losers is people either want or avoid responsibility.” - Maurice Clarett Do you seek or avoid responsibility? Maurice Clarett is a former Ohio State running back who burst onto the scene as a freshman, helping lead the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship. After facing legal troubles and setbacks in his career, he has rebuilt his life as a speaker and advocate for mental health and personal growth. When asked about the difference between winners and losers, Clarett said, “The glaring difference between winners and losers is people either want or avoid responsibility. People who are typically losers in life or people who typically don’t excel at something—these people just avoid responsibility which obviously avoids accountability for their behavior. People who typically win a lot are people that you don’t have to tell everything to. They are people who you can give half of the idea to, and they are going to execute or contribute.” Winne...

“You hit home runs not by chance but by preparation.” - Roger Maris When do you feel most prepared? After a rough game, a coach told me, “I knew we were going to play badly.” After I asked him how he knew, he told me, “Because of how we practiced this week. It’s hard to outplay how you practice.” That is so true. It blows my mind how many people practice slow but expect to play fast—it just doesn’t work that way. You might get lucky every now and then and outplay how you practice, but that doesn’t happen often. Roger Maris was an American professional baseball player, best known for breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record. He once said, “You hit home runs not by chance but by preparation.”  Sustained success doesn’t come from luck—it comes from what you do every day and how hard you work. You might get lucky every now and then, but you don’t set and break records because of luck—you do it because of how prepared you are. Question of the Day: How can you be as prepared a...

“Do your job; be the best at whatever your job description is.” - Randy Moss Do you know what your job or role is? Whenever I start a new job, the first thing I do is study my job description and make sure I understand what’s expected of me. I also ask my leaders how success will be measured. That clarity helps me focus on what matters most because I want to be known as someone who is excellent at what I do. As a basketball player, I wanted to know what my coaches felt like the team needed from me, then I worked on my game to make sure that I did what was needed to the best of my ability. The better I was at my role, the more playing time and recognition I received, whether I was the star or leading scorer, or not. You don’t have to be the star to make a big impact. What matters is understanding your role, taking pride in it, and giving your best effort consistently. Your role may change, but your responsibility will always be to bring value in the way your team needs it most. Randy Mo...

“I kept telling myself this word, process. Focus on my process, don’t care about the result.” - Rory McIlroy Do you focus more on the process or the result? Rory McIlroy is one of the most successful golfers ever. He once said, “I kept telling myself this word, process. Focus on my process, don’t care about the result.” Results come and go, but the process is what you can actually control. When Rory says he kept reminding himself about the word “process,” he’s pointing to a mindset shift. Instead of obsessing over outcomes—winning, losing, shooting a certain score—he chose to anchor his attention on the steps, routines, and habits that put him in the best position to succeed. This approach is powerful because results are often influenced by things outside your control—weather, luck, an opponent’s performance, or timing. But the process belongs fully to you. It’s the way you practice, how you prepare, the focus you bring, and the effort you commit each day. When you keep your eyes on th...