Hard Work and Dedication

Author's Note: I wrote this piece as a essay to be scored on the writing rubric at my conference. It's about working hard if you really want something, and you can achieve it.

Have you ever wanted to be that one guy that can play at a level above all others? That you could feel the glory? That the whole stadium will be chanting your name as you hold the ball in the final seconds of a nail-biter? I would love that feeling, and I’m sure everyone on the world would want that feeling at least once. It takes work though, and most people aren’t willing to put in the time.

One player that had this feeling from the first time playing in an NBA game until the last second he ever played on an NBA level, was Michael Jordan. He wasn’t just some player that ad a long career and goes under the radar, he was famous for his whole life, and that’s all he’s ever known. He was a great player, averaging over 30 points a game, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds. Every time he stepped on the floor, his game was money. There was no stopping him, no matter who you put on him, he was just that good. A great player can’t do it all himself, he was also on a team with a great group of guys who knew each other’s tendencies and that helped lead them to the best season record ever, at 72-10. The record still stands today, which shows you how hard it is to do something like that. He played all but 2 seasons of his career as a Chicago Bull, but ended his career on America’s team, the Washington(D.C.) Wizards.

It takes time that most people are not willing to use on basketball to get to the top tier of players in the NBA, and you need to work hard. You don’t get to be great without practice, it’s nearly impossible; but with the right team, using that team, and practicing like mad, you could be one of the greatest to ever play the game, and end up feeling that bone-chilling moment when the whole world knows your name.