Basketball Is A Canadian Sport: Cheering On The Raptors & Life Lessons
It is exciting and impressive to see that the Toronto Raptors have made the playoffs this year in the NBA. Being our only basketball in this league here in Canada makes it extra special, considering that basketball was in fact invented right here in our northern country.
Canada is literally standing beside these athletes as they venture into their final games. Of course, the unprecedented hype comes from the fact that the Raptors have never won a championship since their inception in 1995. To me, it sounds like 24 years without a championship has our Raptors hungrier than ever. This hunger has manifested itself in the dominant performance that the Raptors have displayed in their current NBA finals run.
Recently, I have been reading the book “The Captain Class: The Hidden Force that Creates the World’s Greatest Teams” by Sam Walker an in-depth look at what makes a great captain and why certain teams have had unbelievable legacies over others. In basketball fashion, people often talk about the “great ones” like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal and while these athletes contributed greatly to the sport if I were to pick I would want to imitate Bill Russell.
“Bill Russell played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven NBA championships during his thirteen-year career.” – Wiki
In the end, Sam Walker explains in his book that it was ultimately the team captains and seven key traits that allowed a team to elevate itself to all-time greatness.
- They served the team, often leading from the back.
- They focused on the competition with extreme doggedness – keeping going during injuries did not phase them.
- They thought intelligently while playing to the edge of the rules
- They practised practical communication
- Verbal wasn’t the only way they communicated
- They had the courage to stand apart
- They could regulate their emotions
I am hoping that our own Raptor’s captain is exuding these traits to help bring his team to victory. While I cheer on our very own “Canadian basketball” team, I too am reflecting on how these traits can impact a team and how I can become a better leader in the industry I have chosen to show up in: real estate.
Time will tell if we (the Raptors) can take home the win! Like you, I am anxiously watching the games and the final outcome.
