"There's no failure in sports"

Just disappointment and lessons learned

Yesterday, the top Basketball team (the Milwaukee Bucks) was ousted from the NBA playoffs by the underdog #8 seed. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks' superstar player (aka the Greek Freak) and widely considered the world's best, was questioned by a reporter after the game about whether the season would be deemed a failure.

Giannis replied:

“Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That's what you're telling me?

“It's a wrong question; there's no failure in sports. There's good days, bad days. Some days you're able to be successful, some days you're not. Some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn. And that's what sports is about. You don't always win. Sometimes other people win. And this year somebody else is going to win, simple as that.”

I wish I knew this during my playing days, and have come to realise that sport isn’t about winning and losing, it’s about trying and learning.

Yes winning is great, but sport is about getting out there and having a crack, learning when you come up short, and going again.

I used to think I’d failed every time I lost. But the problem with that is once you’ve deemed yourself as having "failed", you inadvertently label yourself as a "failure", which leads to constant self-doubt, stifling growth, and preventing you from achieving great things due to a lack of confidence.

Things I was guilty of throughout my career, and wish I’d heard Giannis’s words earlier, as it may have helped me see my career as a journey, rather than just a series of results.

Looking forward to watching the Giannis and the Bucks bounce back in 2024.