Basketball junkies love to argue about who is the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.). Whether it's the current generation who argues Kobe vs Durant vs LeBron or the old guys in the barber shop harkening back to the days of Michael, Magic, The Big "O" or Wilt, there is no question it is a highly debated topic. I do not pretend to have any greater insight into the subject than anyone else but I am extremely grateful and blessed to have been around plenty of guys who could be considered the greatest in some way. I once had someone introduce me when speaking as similar to Forrest Gump and I guess that's hard to argue. From my time at Wake Forest with Tim Duncan to my professional career with Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan as well as Jerry Sloan, John Stockton, and Karl Malone in Utah, it has been quite the journey.
I am not going to try and answer the question of who is the GOAT because that is a question that will never be answered. Passionate fans of every era will always think their time was the best and of course the next Michael or LeBron is somewhere in a middle school gym right now honing his craft. To be honest I couldn't care less who is the GOAT. What I do care about is the integrity and culture of basketball. One of my favorite quotes is from my former coach Jerry Wainwright: "We live in a selfish and undisciplined society, but basketball is an unselfish and disciplined game." Basketball is a team game that requires great players to bring others along with them to be successful. For every Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan there is a BJ Armstrong or Scooter Banks fighting in the trenches with them. Championships are won when great players play on great teams.
Unfortunately our insta-society is bleeding over into the game. Enough already with the endless videos that over hype players. Get in the gym and work. Find a team and stick with it. Make others around you better. Only care about winning! That's how you become a GOAT and more importantly, that is what basketball is all about.
I am not going to try and answer the question of who is the GOAT because that is a question that will never be answered. Passionate fans of every era will always think their time was the best and of course the next Michael or LeBron is somewhere in a middle school gym right now honing his craft. To be honest I couldn't care less who is the GOAT. What I do care about is the integrity and culture of basketball. One of my favorite quotes is from my former coach Jerry Wainwright: "We live in a selfish and undisciplined society, but basketball is an unselfish and disciplined game." Basketball is a team game that requires great players to bring others along with them to be successful. For every Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan there is a BJ Armstrong or Scooter Banks fighting in the trenches with them. Championships are won when great players play on great teams.
Unfortunately our insta-society is bleeding over into the game. Enough already with the endless videos that over hype players. Get in the gym and work. Find a team and stick with it. Make others around you better. Only care about winning! That's how you become a GOAT and more importantly, that is what basketball is all about.
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