Here is an example where basketball is much more than just a game. During Chris Paul’s senior year at West Forsyth High School, his grandfather was murdered. Chris was very close with his grandfather and just a few short days after the incident he paid tribute to his grandfather through the game they mutually shared a love for. Chris silently decided he would score one point for every year of his grandfather’s life (61). Chris made it to the 61 point mark on a drive to the basket where he made the bucket and got fouled. Rather than trying to stretch his performance into the North Carolina state scoring record, he intentionally missed the free throw and collapsed tearfully into his father’s arms. Click here to watch the ESPN special!
He has 25 years of experience playing basketball, training basketball players, and coaching basketball. The World of Hoops provides intelligent and intense basketball training to take basketball players to the next level.
Thoughts on the 2012 NBA Finals (through four games)
The World of Hoops Warm-up
Ball Handling – Eliminate Waste in Your Game
The Undervalued Bench
TESTING COMMENTS
I have so many wonderful momeries of Kobe it is hard to choose one, but my favorite has to do with my fraternity. I went to school on the East Coast so most of my fraternity brothers were not Lakers fans (but many of them were basketball fans). On the day of Game 4 of the Suns-Lakers series, my father and I drove back to college from NYC. This was the first and last time my dad ever came to visit me other than at orientation and graduation (which really don’t count as visits). Now I tell all of the brothers in the house that my dad is visiting and that he would like to organize a house beirut night (this was a big deal since it was a Sunday night, but I promised that my dad would buy good beer so most of the brothers decided to play). Before going out and getting the beer, my dad, some of the brothers, and myself watch Kobe put on a show that will never be forgotten. After watching the game, my dad and I go to Wegman’s to buy beer. And we bought so much of it we could hardly fit it in the car (we were so happy at what happened I don’t think we cared that we had gone nuts). After dinner, the house starts playing beer pong. By this time word had spread that Kobe went Mamba on the Suns and because my dad and I are Lakers fans, that was the primary topic of conversation for the evening. So we have 5 or 6 games going on at a time and we’ve been playing a while so most of us are really happy. At the end of one game, the other team hit the last cup and we needed to hit 1 to force overtime with our redemption shots. My dad goes first and misses. I’m up. I yell at the top of my lungs, KOBE TIME!!! hit the table with my free hand, and then bury the redemption cup, forcing overtime. My dad and I then went on to win the game. The house would never be same after that night. Ever since that evening, when someone guarantees that they will make a shot, they say Kobe then hit the table (thus hitting the Kobe button ), and shoot. I’ve been out of school for 3 years and to this day, the Kobe button lives on.