Anthony Edwards was drafted and started playing during the pandemic. His first viral interviews featured him talking about Rubio. Edwards said he wanted to travel and learn Spanish, etc. I imagine being in the cold of Minnesota during lockdown and dreaming of traveling. I think Rubio's mentorship helped Edwards so much, especially since there was a low key negative buzz around Edwards at first.
Before this excellent piece I knew little of him except for his absolute heartfelt appearance in a PSA during the pandemic. The other players robotically read their lines but with Rubio he absolutely radiated true compassion while pleading for it.
Some players are ballers - they love the lifestyle and the spotlight. Some players are hoopers: for them it's the sensory input of the game itself, the physical release and dopamine bloom of a beautiful arc of the ball through the hoop, an improvised pass through a stalwart defense, the art of execution. There are the mercenaries and professionals that simply play hard for pay, the physically gifted and mentally focused on the satisfaction of winning and being paid handsomely.
If you play well enough, long enough and with the right amount of luck, you get to be teammates with guys like Ricky Rubio, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Love and Timmy Duncan. Superstars on stat sheets, but whose secret superpower is being great teammates and glue guys. They support their teammates win or lose, fill in the gaps created by ego and money and the life of a pro athlete far from home and family.
I once saw Thurman Munson, the scowling, intimidating catcher for the Yankees come to the mound to talk to a pitcher. I expected yelling and intimidation; instead he was as gentle as a teenage girl with a colt. I don't remember anything else about that game, just how Munson calmed down that pitcher. Great basketball teams are responsible for and to one another. That's why we still love Russell's Celtics, Red Holzman's Knicks, and the Beautiful Game Spurs. Jokich reminds us that a great pass makes two people happy. Plenty of point guards earned their first runs on the big boy courts because they figured out the magic of sharing. The best basketball is played in joy, and grace, and selflessness.
Anthony Edwards was drafted and started playing during the pandemic. His first viral interviews featured him talking about Rubio. Edwards said he wanted to travel and learn Spanish, etc. I imagine being in the cold of Minnesota during lockdown and dreaming of traveling. I think Rubio's mentorship helped Edwards so much, especially since there was a low key negative buzz around Edwards at first.
Fantastic work.
Before this excellent piece I knew little of him except for his absolute heartfelt appearance in a PSA during the pandemic. The other players robotically read their lines but with Rubio he absolutely radiated true compassion while pleading for it.
Some players are ballers - they love the lifestyle and the spotlight. Some players are hoopers: for them it's the sensory input of the game itself, the physical release and dopamine bloom of a beautiful arc of the ball through the hoop, an improvised pass through a stalwart defense, the art of execution. There are the mercenaries and professionals that simply play hard for pay, the physically gifted and mentally focused on the satisfaction of winning and being paid handsomely.
If you play well enough, long enough and with the right amount of luck, you get to be teammates with guys like Ricky Rubio, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Love and Timmy Duncan. Superstars on stat sheets, but whose secret superpower is being great teammates and glue guys. They support their teammates win or lose, fill in the gaps created by ego and money and the life of a pro athlete far from home and family.
I once saw Thurman Munson, the scowling, intimidating catcher for the Yankees come to the mound to talk to a pitcher. I expected yelling and intimidation; instead he was as gentle as a teenage girl with a colt. I don't remember anything else about that game, just how Munson calmed down that pitcher. Great basketball teams are responsible for and to one another. That's why we still love Russell's Celtics, Red Holzman's Knicks, and the Beautiful Game Spurs. Jokich reminds us that a great pass makes two people happy. Plenty of point guards earned their first runs on the big boy courts because they figured out the magic of sharing. The best basketball is played in joy, and grace, and selflessness.
A great piece. Thanks!