When you’re not handed things in life, it’s very easy to look at yourself in the mirror and say, “What did I do to deserve this?” Or, “There’s nothing I can do to make it out of this scenario.” Kevin Durant did the complete opposite of that. With all odds stacked against him, he went from zero to hero by using his limitations as fuel to maximize his potential. He would end up not only making it to the NBA but also becoming the league MVP in 2014. Through his MVP speech, he was able to change many young dreamers’ lives by delivering a heartwarming and powerful speech that is assuring and gives hope that the saying, “Anything is possible” is authentic. This rhetorical analysis shows Durant’s ability to be an NBA player and a role model who can inspire his admirers …show more content…
I know you guys think I forgot Russ, but I can speak all night about Russell—an emotional guy who will run through a wall for me” (Durant). Through the use of this example, Durant showed his awareness of the audience’s expectations of addressing his teammate Russell Westbrook. Everyone knew how crucial Westbrook was to Durant’s MVP campaign and failing to mention him could have caused opposition. However, by mentioning him, he praised Westbrook for taking the attention off of himself to humbly state how important Westbrook was to the team. Throughout Durant’s speech, a clear target audience he was attempting to hit was young fans. He attempted to stay humble and become a role model for his young audience, and this would not have been possible without the use of imagery in his speech. By painting the picture of the challenges he’d faced to get to the podium he was standing on delivering his speech, he invited his audience to empathize with his journey and feel a sense of admiration for his determination. An example of Durant using imagery in his speech is: "We moved into our first apartment with nothing - no furniture, no
Basketball is a chart-topping sport that is loved by many fans. It’s been a hit since 1891 when it began, starting in Springfield, Massachusetts. It grew rapidly in popularity and spread around the world. Many people found it comforting to play, such as Pat Conroy. Pat Conroy was an outstanding basketball player, who was committed in going far with his teammates. Although he seemed superb, he had a troubled life growing up at his family home. His parents were abusive and uncaring towards him, therefore he used basketball as an alternative. In My Losing Season, Pat was able to obliterate the thought of his abusive parents. His comfort was playing basketball with a team he will never fail to remember. The outcomes Pat acquired were admirable,
Advertisements are constructed to be compelling; nonetheless, not all of them reach their objective and are efficient. It is not always easy to sway your audience unless your ad has a reliable appeal. Ads often use rhetoric to form an appeal, but the appeals can be either strong or weak. When you say an ad has a strong rhetorical appeal, it consists of ethos, pathos, logos, and Kairos. Advertisers use these appeals to cohere with their audience. Nike is known to be one of the leading brands of the sports shoes and apparel. It holds a very wide sector of followers around the world. In the Nike ad, Nike uses a little boy watching other basketball players play, and as the kid keeps growing, his love for basketball keeps growing. Eventually, he
It was not until the year 2002 that the NBA was able to find someone to match Jordan’s dazzling acrobatic style of play. His name is Lebron James. Lebron, who plays shooting guard and small forward, stands at an athletic six-eight. James, however, never played in the NCAA. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 2003-04 season, by the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is already on the road to success by achieving co-rookie of the year, and he appeared in the Olympics. James is expected to be a champion, but he may not have what it takes to become a real champion such as Michael Jordan was. Before Jordan or James can be categorized as a champion, they have to be able to handle pressure, fame, and maintain a positive relationship with their team. When comparing Jordan and James’ clutch capabilities, or their ab...
Your dreams of being someone may not turn out the way you think they will. The documentary Hoop Dreams is a story about two boys from the ghetto that want to play in the NBA. Arthur ¨Man”Agee goes to Marshalls and William Gates goes to St. Joseph’s which are both situated in Illinois, where their dreams of becoming a pro basketball player vanished. Both of the boys face obstacles that are outside of themselves. Arthur´s family struggled with money, education, and pressure from others hurts him. Also, William struggled with balancing his family with basketball, the pressure from others, and education.
Lebron James capitalizes on the importance of family throughout the article. He is announcing to the fans and “haters” that he will be returning to Cleveland. He is also incorporating the fact that he is apologizing for his actions in the past. He emphasizes the importance of family and relationships in order to capture the emotions of his audience. James uses rhetorical appeals, such as logic and reasoning, in "I'm coming home" to convey that he is sorry for his actions: however, he still makes it a point to justify his previous departure, while also keeping the importance of family and relationships relevant to his decisions
The NBA is well known for the number of amazing professional athletes it has had over the years. Some of the most gifted and talented individuals come through the NBA and one of the better-known superstars is none other than Kobe Bryant. For years people have wondered what makes Bryant so successful. The main contributors that lead to Kobe Bryant’s success is his hard work and dedication, his mindset, his natural ability’s and talent, and the people that have helped him throughout his life. Kobe Bryant was very successful in the NBA because of the amount of hard work he has put in, the people in his life, his relentless determination and his god given natural abilities.
Dreams come and go every night, but some dreams tend to stay for a lifetime. I have always dreamt to become a professional athlete in some way or another. Growing up I have always looked up to many different athletes. Whether it was Ladanian Tomlinson on the football field or Kobe Bryant on the basketball court I have always had some athlete that I wanted to be like someday.
Several foreign basketball players have individually left their marks on NBA courts, in NBA record books, and in their fans’ hearts. Different ethnic groups, races, and sports fans in general have united, cheering on heroic efforts from players from overseas. These international players amped up the level of competition in basketball and found themselves at home in the NBA. Four international players have been honored with the most prestigious award a player can receive in professional basketball, NBA MVP. These same four players are undoubtedly future Hall of Famers and were listed in the top 30 international players of all time in a 2013 “Dime Magazine” article (Daruaku). These four players, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan,...
Upon hearing that this topic was about heroes, my mind became flooded with ideas and concepts. Family members, historical figures and celebrities had all come to mind. However, this person was the first name that came to mind. This man, depending on your prospective, is either a hero or a villain. To many, he and his qualities are basically the definition of a hero. He has a no-quit attitude, a passion, and a fire in his heart. He has the heart and soul of a true warrior and champion. He has never run, he has fought through the down times, the lows, to achieve greatness, and reach those highs, those great moments. This man is a rare find in this world, nobody will ever be like him. He has a killer instinct, or “Mamba Mentality”, and that is
Many NCAA basketball players who make the decision to enter the NBA are not mentally prepared to deal with the responsibilities of life in the NBA. Young players depend on others who influence them or help make bad life decisions. What the young players visualize as the reward for playing in the NBA is the big money and with that big money make many mistakes financially. In th...
Stephen Curry, currently one of the best players in the NBA, experienced an obstacle when he was not to a top college. Rather than seeing this as an end to his NBA dreams, he overcame this obstacle by turning it in to an opportunity. As a member of the Davidson College team, the underdogs at the 2008 NCAA tournament, he was able to demonstrate his skills during his teams dream run to the final 8. Through his shooting prowess and never give up mentality he showed the basketball world his ability to change the course of a game. Had he not been challenged by this obstacle he may not have had the opportunity to demonstrate his skills, with this opportunity acting as a catalyst for many more in the future.
Usain Bolt is known as the “fastest man alive.” Usain Bolt was just a normal Jamaican kid, but he wanted more. He pushed himself the be the very best. Now no competitor can even get close to accomplishments, determinations, sacrifice, and pure talent (“Usain Bolt”). He won nine gold medals as a predominant champion at the 2008, 2012, and the 2016 Summer Games. LeBron is one of the most popular basketball player known in the United States of America. Most people do not know Lebron James’s story. LeBron James basically grew up without a father. His father was arrested several times for drug problems. His mother struggled with finding a job and battled with money to provide for her family as a single mother. Going to bed hungry was not uncommon for LeBron James and his siblings. LeBron wanted to make a difference in his life and his families’ life (“LeBron James’s life story”). Our culture today classify the athletes as “insanity,” but each of these individuals were completely lively.
“The odds of a high school basketball player making it to the “next level” to play college basketball (DI, II, or III) is slim. In fact, only 3.4% of high school players go on to play college basketball. Taking it even further, only 1.2% of college basketball players go on to get drafted in the NBA” (Winters, 2016). There are two types of players in the game. There are the kids who play basketball because they are athletic, and all they are seeking to gain is the recognition and awards. They want to be known. Those players are self-centered, they do not play for the team, and generally don’t play because they love the game. These are the types of players who don’t usually go on to play at the next level. On the other hand, there are the players that absolutely dedicate their life to the game of basketball just because they love the game. That is what coaches are looking for in a player, and that is the kind of player I am striving to be.
When someone says the name Michael Jordan, the first thing that comes to mind is basketball, The Chicago Bulls and Nike shoes. Through the years, Michael Jordan has proved time and time again that he is the greatest basketball player ever, and by performing in this rapidly expanding sporting field, he has gained tremendous popularity throughout the world. People of all ages and from all nationalities have gathered to watch him play. A journalist states 'even your Aunt Matilda might not know nothing about basketball, liked watching him play' (Jonathon 1999:58). Jordan has become more than just an entertainer. He is a hero and a role model amongst basketball spectators. Johnson claims that 'he is the most famous American in the world' (ibid.). Perhaps he was born to be the best.
water in the solution is too high. But if there is no change in weight