Alonzo Mourning has always been a gifted individual ever since he first laid hands on a basketball. Around Mourning’s middle school years, he was already looking like a promising basketball star. By the time Mourning had reached his sophomore year of high school, colleges were already out trying to recruit the young Alonzo. Alonzo Mourning is a very talented player, but what he used his talents for is what is so amazing. In Alonzo Mourning’s book, Resilience, Alonzo talks about his struggles and obstacles that he faced and still faces today. After graduating Georgetown, Alonzo had a promising future and was drafted into the National Basketball Association (NBA) and chosen by the Charlotte Hornets. There, in his rookie year, he managed to help the team advance to their very first playoff game. He also came in second place for Rookie of the Year, won gold at the World Basketball Championships, and participated in the All-Star team. Alonzo was eventually traded to the Miami Heat after his rookie year and he had his sights on nothing else but a NBA championship. His goals were set and nothing was stopping him until he had to put his desires aside for something more important. Alonzo Mourning had been diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease called focal glomerulosclerosis. Mourning was forced to retire in the prime of his basketball career. Alonzo has always been a very religious person. He knew that God had a plan in store for him and he was ready to take on the challenge. Alonzo Mourning gives his audience inspirational tools, tools that can be applied to anyone’s daily life. Alonzo Mourning’s motivational key points can be beneficial to whoever applies them in to his or her lifestyle.
In this book, Alonzo Mourn...
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... Alonzo has brought somewhat of a balance to the not-so-popular areas of South Florida. Through Alonzo’s experiences, he tries to instill his beliefs. Beliefs that he feels anyone can follow and that it will better everyone within society. From looking down, from the top of the world, to looking up and facing the struggles, Alonzo Mourning showed great strength and perseverance. Alonzo is like no other. He has shown great determination and is a living example of dedication. Because of his efforts, in 2006, the Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks to take home the NBA championship. His determination, resilience, and relationship with God have brought him to a place where he is truly content and satisfied. Alonzo Mourning’s characteristics have a shown a great deal of positive outcome. With Alonzo Mourning’s tools, anyone can be just as satisfied as he is.
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,
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.
Wes Moore, the author, had many important role models in his life that would eventually enable him to live up to his full capability. Uncle Howard, Wes’ mother’s brother, filled the hole that was left when Moore’s father died and when“[he] was eleven… and having difficulty in and out of the classroom [he could lean] on Uncle Howard’s shoulder”. Moore’s uncle was the man who convinced Moore that he could achieve more than just basketball at school, that education would allow him to reach his full potential. The persuasion to drop basketball as a career, enabled
Phil Jackson is a well-known man in the basketball world, as a championship coach and leader. Not only for his knowledge of basketball was he considered great, it was also for his use of alternative spiritual methods to assist his coaching. Through his Naturalist and Pantheist worldview he left a legacy of a role model. Phil Jackson’s views about the nature of God, career, and family are ultimately shaped by his worldview of Naturalism and Pantheism. Comparing my worldview of Christianity to Phil Jackson’s nature of God, career, and family, we will determine whether the role model status is relevant to how I perceived a role model.
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.
First, we will celebrate LeBron James’s accomplishments in the NBA. There are over 400 players in the NBA. These players are on the battlefield, fighting day after day because they all know only one can become the Most Valuable Player. LeBron James rose above all, claiming the MVP award, not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 times. Not only is LeBron James an MVP, but he is also a 13-time All-Star player. LeBron James garnered enough votes from the fans, the players, and the media to become an All-Star like a presidential candidate getting enough votes from the voters to become the President.
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.
Throughout his childhood and teenage years Terry has shown strong determination to achieve his goals. As a child Terry had always wanted to play basketball for his school. Unfortunately, he was not very good at this sport. He practiced until in eighth grade when he made the basketball team. His coach advised him to take up a different sport such as running or soccer due to his short height. Although
The book Slam, a Coretta Scott King Award winner5, was a very interesting book. Derrick Shore, Slam6, was the main character in this book. Being one of the best hoopsters1, Slam was very cocky in basketball. Losing his dad when he was little1, he tried really hard to help out his family. Slam was very aggressive, trying his hardest to do well on the court2. In school he wasn't the greatest, confused by all of the different things he had to remember4. Stunned that he failed some classes3, he realized he might not be eligible to play basketball. He studied hard to be eligible, worried that he might not be able to play the sport he loved4. Hoping to pass the test7, he studied really hard. His mom, Carolyn6, was very excited that her boy passed the test. Slam, a wistful young man5, had finally done well in something other than basketball, but that was the least of his challenges. Knowing he would have a hard time making college7, he studied hard his last couple years of high school. Slam made it threw high school, maturing enough to realize that college was important2. Slam ends up getting a good job and helping his family out, he always remembers the rough times he had when he was in high school, and uses that to push him every day.
Michael excelled at sports all throughout middle school. He made it to high school and played basketball his freshman year, when tryouts for varsity came around for Michael’s sophomore year he had confidence that he could make the team. He ended up not making the team but, he says that it was a good thing because it just gave all the more motivation to be the best basketball player he could be.(NBA.com 1)
Everyone wants to get better at something, but some want it more than others. In “How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium”, the narrator wants to get better at basketball, so he wakes up everyday at 4:30 to go with his dad to his work. Everyday, the narrator would wait 3 hours in his dad’s car until the gym opened, only to sit on the bench and watch the other men play basketball. Finally, one of the best players, Dante, tells the narrator he can play but he’ll get “smoked”. However, the narrator proved him wrong. The narrator learns that if you persevere, work hard, and have confidence, your dreams may come true. In How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place
Earvin “Magic” Johnson did not earn his nickname of “Magic” for nothing. In 13 season playing for the Los Angeles Lakers he averaged a career double-double with 19.5 points and 11.2 assists per season (The Announcement). This led his team to many championships and put Magic in talks as one of the greatest point guards of all-time. Sadly this career was cut short by a terrible disease that developed in the 1980’s called HIV. This has now made him an advocate for HIV awareness and also pushed him to form organizations to help find a cure for the HIV virus. During this time in history HIV was emerging all over America and for someone of Magic’s caliber to get it shocked the whole nation. Through Magic getting this disease and rising above it showed that it was possible to live through this terrible disease. Magic Johnson overcame the world by facing the adversity of his diagnosis, by facing the critics of how he got the disease, coming back to the sport he loved, and becoming a figure to help cure HIV.
When you look at a basketball what do you see? Most would see an orange, sphere, shaped rubber ball. There are black lines and real leather. If you look closer, you would even see the size of the ball in which you are playing with. A basketball could be just a toy for many, or even represent a release for others, but for me, it means a lot more. A basketball represents my blood, sweat, tears, passion, sacrifice, and most of all, a sense of belonging, like a family. At this moment in my life, there are only three things I devote my life to- family, friends, and basketball. Basketball has shaped my life probably more than anything else. Basketball has instilled in me a vicious will to achieve and embrace my ambitions instead of fearing them. Basketball gave me an open opportunity to try something new. New opportunities and experiences are not such a big deal anymore. From academics to personal matters, the lessons that I have learned from basketball has impacted my life.