MARCH MADNESS: WHEN MENTAL TOUGHNESS MATTERS MOST

Mental toughness and a warrior mindset are often key to athletic victories, and no where is this as true as in the NCAA tournament where teams are fighting to get to the Final Four and then to win the whole thing.

In describing the lowest scoring NCAA Final Four game in history (UConn over Butler 53-41 in the 2011 Championship Game), the word “ugly” was used by sports writers about a gazillion times. Well… it WAS a low-scoring game (22-19 at the half – there are football games with higher scores than that!!) Yes, both teams played tenacious defense, but in a second half where Butler shot 6-for-37 (and just 2-for-18 two-point shooting – that’s 11.1%!!!) I believe it was more than the aggressive UConn defense that made the difference.

While UConn did manage to shut Butler down, the Butler players DID get many decent looks in the second half – the shots just didn’t fall. Any team – and any player – can have an off night where that is going to happen.  But I suspect that in large part, Butler had a hand in its own poor showing.

Consider the comment made by UConn guard Jeremy Lamb, whose solid second half play helped his team to a decisive pummeling of Butler. Lamb noted afterwards that after his own difficulties in the first half where none of his own shots were falling, he got a boost of confidence when he made his first two free throws in the second half. “Feeling the ball go through the net really helped,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the opposite dynamic was happening for Butler. As shots didn’t fall, the frustration kept building, and the disappointment kept growing. I suspect that guys’ mental/emotional state (stress) started to take its toll, and when it did, muscles tightened up, shots got rushed, and they began to force their game.

A few years ago in a second-round NCAA Tournament game, CAL Berkeley, known for its strong defensive play, faced Pitt, another defense-minded team. When California’s offense went four minutes without scoring, the team started to get into a rut. Soon their defensive effort went downhill as well. The dry spell on offense led to frustration, which in turn stymied their defensive play. It was a hard-fought game, and Pitt never let up, but in many ways CAL beat themselves when they let a few bad moments take them out of their game.

I am certain that Butler coach Brad Stevens (currently head coach of the Boston Celtics) came up with well-crafted plays to help his guys get back into the game. But I suspect that they were struggling to regain their competitive fight.  It was there - as much as in the X's and O's - where Butler could have used a re-set button. 

Thomas, a post player I worked with, had been struggling throughout much of the season, missing shots he knew he should have been making. We had been working together for two months when he told me about one game he had played.

“I missed a lot of easy shots in the first half – my coach was yelling at me, my head was going crazy. But at half time I listened to my body; it was tight.  I took some deep breaths and relaxed, trying to let go of all the stress and get back the two things you and I have talked about – playing with conviction … and having fun.  I then went out in the second half and finished two shots around the rim and hit a 3-pointer in the third quarter.  I ended up with 25 points and 10 rebounds, including going 5-for-8 from 3-point range.”

Few athletes would seem to possess the unshakeable confidence of a top athlete like NBA star Vince Carter. One season while he was still with the Raptors, Carter returned to the rotation following a five-game absence due to injury. It was clear during the first few minutes of play that his game was suffering, his shot flat and off the mark. He missed a number of baskets until he finally banked one in off the backboard. I got to speak with him after the game and asked him about it. 

“Well, I had my mom and my agent and everyone telling me not to try to make up for five missed games right away, and just to take it easy, but I kept thinking about that and couldn’t help myself, so I was pretty hyper for the first few minutes although after a while I settled down. Thank goodness for that three-pointer I shot going in, even though it was off the glass, or else I would have really felt embarrassed.”      

Of course, every athlete has to find his or her own rhythm, but Carter was, by his own admission, feeling beset by the demands of the moment to the point of a lapse of confidence, and consequently waiting for that first shot to drop to get his confidence back.

I know that most athletes share Carter’s view (I once argued the point with tennis great Andy Roddick, who similarly professed that – even with all the championships under his belt – having a rough patch brought down his confidence). I nevertheless believe – and tell the players I work with, “DON’T BASE YOUR CONFIDENCE ON HOW YOU HAVE BEEN PLAYING IN THE PAST 10 MINUTES (or worse – the RESULTS of those past 10 minutes).  BASE YOUR CONFIDENCE ON WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THE PAST 10 YEARS… ON WHO YOU ARE AS AN ATHLETE. ”

Helping Thomas (the player I was working with) keep that in mind was a critical part of getting him back to consistent top level basketball as the season went on.  When the Butler players needed it most, their confidence gave way to stress and disappointment. As a result, they allowed their performance to determine how confident they felt, rather than find the confidence to dictate their performance.

“DON’T LET YOUR GAME DETERMINE YOUR ATTITUDE - LET YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINE YOUR GAME” is how professional golf champion Davis Love III puts it.

It’s likely that UConn was the better team on this particular night in any event.  But Butler’s inability to match up with UConn in the second half was – I believe – in some measure, a failure in the mental area. After all, momentum in games does have a way of shifting.  But MENTALLY, where the Butler team seemed to be in the second half, put that possibility MORE AND MORE OUT OF REACH as the clock wore down. After the amazing run Butler had all season – and especially throughout the tournament – it was unfortunate to see it come down to that.

*          *          *          *          *

“When the pressure is on in big game situations, whoever is able to relax and enjoy the moment is the one who is most going to be in control.”

--Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett

HOW DECISIVE ARE YOU?

Nearly every every athlete has had days when they just seem to be a step behind.  A soccer player that I have been working with told me that on those days, he tells himself to "just shake it off," but rarely does that seem to help.  He added that something else he has tried to do in those moments is to focus on small details in practice, but noted that when he does he usually ends up overthinking things, so that doesn't help much either.

I don't think that any athlete is ever helped by trying to "shake it off."  This is too vague and general a thought and doesn't direct you to HOW to do that.  It is pretty much like wanting to go to New York but not having a map, or not even certain if you should drive, fly, or take the train.

Regarding the second idea, of focusing on particular details, Matt's instincts were good.  When you can get your mind to shift from feelings (especially if they are negative) to tasks, you are letting go - if even just for a while - of things over which you have limited control and directing your thoughts to things over which you have more control.  

Where Matt fell short was in the execution of his plan. He told me, for example, that when he has to make a decision about rushing his player or dropping back, he is uncertain as to which might be the better choice, and the brief moment in which he pauses means that he has lost the opportunity to act. By the time he decides, it's too late to do either with any effect.

To avoid making an "incorrect" decision, Matt finds himself nearly paralyzed by the inaction of uncertainty, which leads to his over-thinking things - as he mentioned - and this prevents him from shifting his overall mood and energy level which was the hoped-for goal in the first place.

To help reduce the hold which his uncertainty and indecision had on him involved helping Matt address his fears of making a "wrong" decision.

I asked Matt to consider replacing over-thinking with on-the-spot decisions.

"What would happen if you made a decision right away? Without knowing for certain if it was the best decision?"

Matt knew that if his decision turned out to be a good one it might mean stripping his opponent of the ball or causing a turnover.  But if he made the wrong decision and missed his assignment, he would probably end up getting yelled at by his coach.

While considering this possibly unpleasant consequence, Matt said that nevertheless he could use his coach's comments to learn and get better.

By accepting in advance the possibility that he MIGHT make the "wrong" decision, but that he could live with that, Matt was taking a huge step toward overcoming the fears that kept him on the "uncertainty" side of the UNCERTAINTY - DECISIVENESS scale.

I suggested three steps Matt could take to strengthen his decisiveness:
First, I proposed that he write down his intent to be decisive in practice during the coming week, and post this somewhere that he would see it repeatedly throughout the day.

Next, I instructed Matt to spend 5-10 minutes every day visualizing situations where he would (or did) have to make a decision and see himself in those situations being decisive - and then picturing how the moment might play itself out (what would be the consequences of whatever move he would make).

Finally, I suggested to Matt that on those occasions where his coach might yell at him, try to focus on the CONTENT of what was being said (what he can learn from to make better decisions in the future) over the WAY it was being said. He could even imagine that the words were being said to him by his girlfriend or a close family member. By keeping the larger picture in mind and remembering that each mistake is an occasion to gain more experience can help him in his long-term goal of becoming more decisive. He summed it up by saying, "When I feel more comfortable, I will trust my decisions more."

Ironically, the path to greater comfort leads through some stopping points that involve LESS comfort.  But the goal that Matt holds out to himself can serve him well as he works on his decision-making skills.  

MARCH MADNESS MINDSET

TIME TO TRIM THE FAT

When teams make it to the NCAA Tournament in March, they are preparing to play their best and advance to live another day.  One approach held by many of the best coaches is something I have been helping players with throughout my years of mental coaching.  This approach is likely to make a difference in your game as well.

Each summer, the best young European basketball players take part in the European U-20 Men's Basketball Championships, where junior national teams from all of Europe compete for top honors.  Once I was talking with one of the coaches about his team’s performance in the first rounds of competition, and the discussion led to the performance of one of the team’s leading players, their “go to” big man who in-season was playing at an ACC school. 

   “He is capable of doing a lot, and we really depend on him, but in the past couple of games he has fallen short of expectations,” the coach told me.

   As we discussed the situation further, one aspect that came to light was that a number of different tasks were being laid upon this player’s shoulders, clearly too many for him to successfully handle. It felt like the player was trying to balance too many balls in the air (so to speak).  I asked the coach what he thought about scaling down the assignments he was placing on this player.  “Less is more” was what I tried to sell the coach on.

             Narrowing one’s focus down once it’s time to go out and compete helps give an athlete one of the most critical things he/she can carry with him/her into competition: a sense of control.  Having fewer things to worry about makes the assignment feel more manageable, so that the athlete feels empowered rather than overwhelmed.

   Most players will have a wide range of thoughts going through their mind on the day of a game, from the time they get up that day and on to having their pre-game meal.  Later, arriving at the gym, an experienced player will put some of those thoughts out of his mind and start to narrow his focus.  As the player changes into his uniform, goes through warm-ups and then the team stretch …. as time draws closer to the tip-off, the athlete’s focus will continue to narrow down, in the manner of a funnel (broad at the top, narrow at the bottom).  By the time of the opening tip, a veteran athlete’s focus has narrowed down to ONE specific thought or intention. (For example, one post player I work with goes into games with the thought "Don't force things - just trust myself." Another reminds himself to go up high when he is going after rebounds as the key thought he takes with him into games.)

   At the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, U.S. downhill skier Tommy Moe surprised everyone when he took the gold medal.  Moe, who beat out the competition, had never won an international event in his career. When asked afterwards about his performance, Moe commented: I just kept my thoughts real simple. I wanted to focus on making my turns with a strong edge on the outside ski, and keeping my hands forward. I knew if I concentrated on those two things, I would ski fast. That’s all I wanted to do.”

   Bob McKillop, the highly respected men’s basketball coach at Davidson College (6 times conference Coach of the Year and 2008 national Coach of the Year) cites the competitive benefit of keeping things simple when the pressure is on, offering the following example:

   By the time you get to post-season play and the NCAA tournament, and you’ve got to prepare for whoever your opponent might be, that’s a time to strip your game down to the key elements – the things you’ve become good at during the season – and let go of the rest, the average stuff and the things you’ve just kind of experimented with. 

   Another veteran coach, Santa Clara’s Herb Sendek (ex North Carolina State and Arizona State) concurs, noting, “Sometimes I find that we go into a game and have to really simplify our offensive plan by using just a part of the whole – the part that we think will be most effective against our opponent – and really focusing on that part.  I think you have to go with certain reads on the game, instead of trying to cover every type of situation.  The idea is to ‘trim the fat’ and make it simple so that your guys aren’t compromising their highest level of play.”

   Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest golfers of all time, offered similar advice with regard to getting the ideal swing off: “Boil down your swing thoughts to the simplest two or three that have worked for you in the past.” Nicklaus himself came up with two ideas – “Head still” and “Complete the backswing” – and sticking with those two thoughts in crunch time was how he got the job done.

   After speaking with the European coach of that men’s Under-20 team, he went into the next day’s game asking this player to concentrate chiefly on rebounding, and secondarily to look to score inside if the opportunity presented itself.  Giving the player a more narrow focus gave him a more manageable task… and helped him to feel MORE IN CONTROL.  He was no longer being asked to keep too many balls in the air.  And as a result, his game productivity returned to top form, and he had one of his best games in the tournament, helping his team advance to the medal round of play.

  

Post Script:  Here is what one player wrote me after I sent him the above article:

"I wanted to tell you, the idea you had of focusing on just one thing has been really useful for me. I have had three of my best games and two full weeks of great practices – and it’s all due to this idea of one thought! I just keep telling myself to be an animal.  That’s it… I just say 'Be aggressive and be an animal' and that thought is what makes me able to play with aggressiveness and energy.  Because of that I am able to not only play well but to instill confidence in myself and not only that but in my coaches and teammates as well! They want to get me the ball because I showed them what I can do once it is in my hands.  All this success is because of that one word. So thank you!! I really appreciate the ideas that you keep sharing with me.”

Shortly after writing to tell me this, this player had his first double-double, followed by his first 20-point game.

Another player wrote to say:  “I used your idea in a recent game to focus only on defense and nothing more and I played well. I didn’t allow my opponent to get the ball – or when he got it I defended his shots so he couldn’t get them off and even blocked some of them.  As it turned out, on offense and on rebounding things went well for me also because of the confidence this idea helped me to maintain. I will continue to use this strategy. Thanks!!"

© 2017 by Dr. Mitchell Smith.  All Rights Reserved.

HOLDING COURT WITH ... LATVIA'S DAVIS BERTANS

"I have no doubt he is going to be in a Spurs uniform for a long time.”    --- Former San Antonio Spurs great Sean Elliott.                    

Call him Tiago Splitter 2.0.  Like Splitter before him, Latvia’s Davis Bertans navigated his way through injuries and contract issues to make the same trip from Spanish club

Saski Baskonia (formerly Caja Laboral) to the San Antonio Spurs. And like Splitter, Bertans left his own native country as a teen to seek his basketball fortunes abroad with teams known for developing young players. Venturing first to Slovenia’s Olimpija at age 18, then on to Partizan Belgrade, Davis developed his game in the Balkans before heading to Spain, before finally joining the Spurs in the final days of the 2016 NBA Summer League.

HOLDING COURT WITH …caught up with Bertans at the start of the current season, and again in recent weeks.  First the interview that appeared in early November on the Spanish website Solobasket.com

You’ve been waiting for the day for a while.

DB:  Yes, for about five years. It feels great to be here.

You had your first game in the Alamodome in pre-season exhibition play, and more recently saw action in the season opener against the Warriors.  That must have been an exciting game for you.

DB:  Definitely – even though it was not so competitive at the end, it was still great to get on the court in the very first game and to score my first bucket. 

Although you have only had limited minutes so far you seem to be finding your rhythm the moment you step onto the court.  Against the Warriors you went 2 for 2 and then a couple of games later against the Heat you started off draining your first two shots… and in all of these cases it happens within 30 seconds or less of entering the game.  Most NBA rookies struggle in their first few games as they are fighting off nerves. Was that typical for you, or were you just having great nights or what?

DB:  I’m just staying ready. You never know when you’re going to get minutes throughout the game so I stay warm and if I get a chance I have to use it.

You’re not exactly new to playing at this high level, between Euroleague competitions with  Saski Baskonia and playing for the Latvian national team in European Basketball Championships, but even so this is the NBA(!!)  Do you ever find yourself thinking: I can’t believe I am on the same court with this or that player that maybe you watched on TV over the years?

DB:  Maybe before or after the game you think about players you have watched on TV for five or ten years, but once you are on the court you forget about all of that.

The much greater number of games in the NBA – up to four games a week – can take a toll, though I probably need to ask you this in February or March. 

DB:  Well the (five-star) hotels make it all good. It’s a lot of travel but our team plane is very comfortable, we don’t have to go through normal security checks, so there are a lot of things that ease that for us.

As you say, there are many “perks” available to NBA players even compared to the better teams in Europe?  What else have you noticed?

DB:  The staff that are part of the organization, like whenever you are on the court you have someone to rebound for you, and whatever you need there is someone to help you out, so that is probably the biggest difference.

There are more and more European and international players in the league with every passing year, but you are probably on the best team for an international player, given the number of international players that have played for the Spurs during Gregg Popovich’s time as head coach and the culture he has built here, and even having Ettore Messina who is an accomplished veteran of European basketball. 

DB:  It is really perfect, plus even some of the American guys have played in Europe before getting on an NBA roster, so all of that makes it easier. Even if there are some things that I need to get used to I have players to turn to, for example Manu spent a few years playing in Italy before coming over here. 

With that, was there any player on the team that you knew personally before coming here?

DB:  Not really. 

What did Gregg Popovich say to you when you first got here?

DB:  Just welcome to the team.  He was talking to the whole team in training camp, telling us what he expects of the team and for everybody to accept their roles and that was pretty much it.

And since that time what is the most memorable thing he has said to you?

DB:  Fresh in my memory is what he said to me in last night’s game (against  ) when I stepped onto the court and I didn’t take an open shot and I tried to pass the ball and ended up turning it over and he said that’s a good lesson for me (laughing).

You are in touch with Kristaps Porzingis?

DB:  We got in touch after I signed with the Spurs and texted before the season opener – he wished me good luck and I wished him the same. Hopefully when we go to New York we will get some time and we will go for dinner. 

              

He had a surprisingly amazing season last year.  People weren’t expecting this, and saying things like he lacks the physical strength to succeed in this league.

DB:  I didn’t expect that it was going to be THAT good. I knew that it was going to be better than what people were predicting from when he went in the draft. I knew that he was ready and that I knew that he might average like 10 (points) and eight (rebounds). People thought he wouldn’t really be ready for the league for the first couple of years. But I believed that after he was playing in the ACB for two or three years that he was ready and would do better than all the people predicted. I knew that he could play and could average 10 (points) and eight (rebounds per game).  But I didn’t expect that he would do as well as he did so quickly and average like 15 or 16 points per game. 

He did comment on how much it helped him that then-coach Derek Fisher let him play through mistakes.

DB: Well that might be the hardest thing to overcome, for example if you make a turnover and then you get subbed out. But still you can see how hard and has been working and how much he has improved since his final season in Spain (2014-15). 

And do you yourself feel pressure this year coming in as a rookie?

DB:  No, not at all.  Really I’m just happy to be here. And if I don’t get many minutes on the court I will just try to learn. And get better. Hopefully next year I will get a bigger role but I will take whatever Coach Pop gives me.  One of the best things on this team is that everybody accepts their role and no one is getting frustrated with the minutes they get. 

How do you think it will be for Kris and Willy Hernangomez being reunited again after playing together two years ago?

DB:  I think when Willy gets more comfortable and gets more playing time they will be a really great duo. And of course they have great chemistry between them and all that size. When Willy gets more experience in the NBA he’s going to be a great force. 

What’s the biggest adjustment you have found yourself making so far this season?

DB:  Probably the biggest adjustment is being on the bench so much and just waiting for the opportunities. But I’ve been in that situation before, like when I was 18 and moving to Slovenia and I knew that you just have to go step by step to get a more important role on the team so I know what it’s like when you just have to start all over again.

When you went to Union Olimpija and then to Partizan, was it that you were on their radar, or that you and your agent sought that out for you?  How did that come about?

DB:  At that time Olimpija was known as a good place for young players and young players could usually get some minutes there.  And they were a Euroleague team back then and also playing in the Adriatic League. And getting to play in Euroleague back then at age 18 and 19 was a big deal.

Knowing that other players who were successful but in the beginning had to be patient for their opportunities, does that help you?

DB:  Well definitely that helps but I think it helps more that I’m on a really great team and the team’s goal isn’t to make the playoffs, it is to win the championship. On a winning team you’re always happy, whether you get minutes or not. 

Well the Spurs have had some historic games here in the Miami Heat arena.  I was at the Game 6 when it looked like the Spurs could start celebrating a championship and they Ray Allen stepped back to take that three-pointer and…

DB: No… don’t say it!

Today Sean Elliott does the radio broadcast of Spurs games, but as a longtime player himself Elliott was part of the 1998-99 team that won the first of five NBA Championships, and had his own jersey retired by the team.  This is what Elliott had to say about Bertans.

“He has a tremendous upside.  The coaches are really high on him. The sky’s the limit for him. He’s got great size, he’s got a good basketball IQ, he’s a little more athletic than I thought he was and actually he’s been a surprise athletically to a lot of people. We all knew he could shoot the ball and he’s only going to become a better shooter with more confidence.   His ability to get into the game and make his shots immediately is remarkable.  That is hard for guys coming over here to San Antonio because so many times players come here and they want so badly to be a part of it that they will forget who they are as players and they will end up passing the ball instead of taking the shot. Pop wants him out there to score; that’s what we brought him here for. Manu and Kahwi are doing a lot to pass along the culture of the Spurs to him, showing him and the other young players how to be a professional on and off the court. NBA Newcomer Davis Betrans

“I have no doubt he is going to be in a Spurs uniform for a long time.”

Call him Tiago Splitter 2.0.  Like Splitter before him, Latvia’s Davis Bertans navigated his way through injuries and contract issues to make the same trip from Spanish powerhouse Saski Baskonia the San Antonio Spurs. And like Splitter, Bertans left his own native country as a teenager to seek his basketball fortunes abroad with teams known for developing young players. Venturing first to Slovenia’s Olimpija at age 18, then on to Partizan Belgrade, Davis developed his game in the Balkans before heading to Spain, before finally joining the Spurs in the final days of the 2016 NBA Summer League.

HOLDING COURT WITH …caught up with Bertans at the start of the current season, and again in recent weeks.  First the interview that appeared in early November on the Spanish website Solobasket.com

You’ve been waiting for the day for a while.

DB:  Yes, for about five years. It feels great to be here.

You had your first game in the Alamodome in pre-season exhibition play, and more recently saw action in the season opener against the Warriors.  That must have been an exciting game for you.

DB:  Definitely – even though it was not so competitive at the end, it was still great to get on the court in the very first game and to score my first bucket. 

Although you have only had limited minutes so far you seem to be finding your rhythm the moment you step onto the court.  Against the Warriors you went 2 for 2 and then a couple of games later against the Heat you started off draining your first two shots… and in all of these cases it happens within 30 seconds or less of entering the game.  Most NBA rookies struggle in their first few games as they are fighting off nerves. Was that typical for you, or were you just having great nights or what?

DB:  I’m just staying ready. You never know when you’re going to get minutes throughout the game so I stay warm and if I get a chance I have to use it.

You’re not exactly new to playing at this high level, between Euroleague competitions with  Saski Baskonia and playing for the Latvian national team in European Basketball Championships, but even so this is the NBA(!!)  Do you ever find yourself thinking: I can’t believe I am on the same court with this or that player that maybe you watched on TV over the years?

DB:  Maybe before or after the game you think about players you have watched on TV for five or ten years, but once you are on the court you forget about all of that.

The much greater number of games in the NBA – up to four games a week – can take a toll, though I probably need to ask you this in February or March. 

DB:  Well the (five-star) hotels make it all good. It’s a lot of travel but our team plan is very comfortable, we don’t have to go through normal security checks, so there are a lot of things that ease that for us.

As you say, there are many “perks” available to NBA players even compared to the better teams in Europe?  What else have you noticed?

DB:  The staff that are part of the organization, like whenever you are on the court you have someone to rebound for you, and whatever you need there is someone to help you out, so that is probably the biggest difference.

There are more and more European and international players in the league with every passing year, but you are probably on the best team for an international player, given the number of international players that have played for the Spurs during Gregg Popovich’s time as head coach and the culture he has built here, and even having Ettore Messina who is an accomplished veteran of European basketball. 

DB:  It is really perfect, plus even some of the American guys have played in Europe before getting on an NBA roster, so all of that makes it easier. Even if there are some things that I need to get used to I have players to turn to, for example Manu spent a few years playing in Italy before coming over here. 

With that, was there any player on the team that you knew personally before coming here?

DB:  Not really. 

What did Gregg Popovich say to you when you first got here?

DB:  Just welcome to the team.  He was talking to the whole team in training camp, telling us what he expects of the team and for everybody to accept their roles and that was pretty much it.

And since that time what is the most memorable thing he has said to you?

DB:  Fresh in my memory is what he said to me in last night’s game (against  ) when I stepped onto the court and I didn’t take an open shot and I tried to pass the ball and ended up turning it over and he said that’s a good lesson for me (laughing).

You are in touch with Kristaps Porzingis?

DB:  We got in touch after I signed with the Spurs and texted before the season opener – he wished me good luck and I wished him the same. Hopefully when we go to New York we will get some time and we will go for dinner. 

              

He had a surprisingly amazing season last year.  People weren’t expecting this, and saying things like he lacks the physical strength to succeed in this league.

DB:  I didn’t expect that it was going to be THAT good. I knew that it was going to be better than what people were predicting from when he went in the draft. I knew that he was ready and that I knew that he might average like 10 (points) and eight (rebounds). People thought he wouldn’t really be ready for the league for the first couple of years. But I believed that after he was playing in the ACB for two or three years that he was ready and would do better than all the people predicted. I knew that he could play and could average 10 (points) and eight (rebounds per game).  But I didn’t expect that he would do as well as he did so quickly and average like 15 or 16 points per game. 

He did comment on how much it helped him that then-coach Derek Fisher let him play through mistakes.

DB: Well that might be the hardest thing to overcome, for example if you make a turnover and then you get subbed out. But still you can see how hard and has been working and how much he has improved since his final season in Spain (2014-15). 

And do you yourself feel pressure this year coming in as a rookie?

DB:  No, not at all.  Really I’m just happy to be here. And if I don’t get many minutes on the court I will just try to learn. And get better. Hopefully next year I will get a bigger role but I will take whatever Coach Pop gives me.  One of the best things on this team is that everybody accepts their role and no one is getting frustrated with the minutes they get. 

How do you think it will be for Kris and Willy Hernangomez being reunited again after playing together two years ago?

DB:  I think when Willy gets more comfortable and gets more playing time they will be a really great duo. And of course they have great chemistry between them and all that size. When Willy gets more experience in the NBA he’s going to be a great force. 

What’s the biggest adjustment you have found yourself making so far this season?

DB:  Probably the biggest adjustment is being on the bench so much and just waiting for the opportunities. But I’ve been in that situation before, like when I was 18 and moving to Slovenia and I knew that you just have to go step by step to get a more important role on the team so I know what it’s like when you just have to start all over again.

When you went to Union Olimpija and then to Partizan, was it that you were on their radar, or that you and your agent sought that out for you?  How did that come about?

DB:  At that time Olimpija was known as a good place for young players and young players could usually get some minutes there.  And they were a Euroleague team back then and also playing in the Adriatic League. And getting to play in Euroleague back then at age 18 and 19 was a big deal.

Knowing that other players who were successful but in the beginning had to be patient for their opportunities, does that help you?

DB:  Well definitely that helps but I think it helps more that I’m on a really great team and the team’s goal isn’t to make the playoffs, it is to win the championship. On a winning team you’re always happy, whether you get minutes or not. 

Well the Spurs have had some historic games here in the Miami Heat arena.  I was at the Game 6 when it looked like the Spurs could start celebrating a championship and they Ray Allen stepped back to take that three-pointer and…

DB: No… don’t say it!

Today Sean Elliott does the radio broadcast of Spurs games, but as a longtime player himself Elliott was part of the 1998-99 team that won the first of five NBA Championships, and had his own jersey retired by the team.  This is what Elliott had to say about Bertans.

“He has a tremendous upside.  The coaches are really high on him. The sky’s the limit for him. He’s got great size, he’s got a good basketball IQ, he’s a little more athletic than I thought he was and actually he’s been a surprise athletically to a lot of people. We all knew he could shoot the ball and he’s only going to become a better shooter with more confidence.   His ability to get into the game and make his shots immediately is remarkable.  That is hard for guys coming over here to San Antonio because so many times players come here and they want so badly to be a part of it that they will forget who they are as players and they will end up passing the ball instead of taking the shot. Pop wants him out there to score; that’s what we brought him here for. Manu and Kahwi are doing a lot to pass along the culture of the Spurs to him, showing him and the other young players how to be a professional on and off the court. Davis is an intelligent young man and I have no doubt he is going to be in a Spurs uniform for a long time.”

HOLDING COURT WITH … caught up with Bertans again just before the All Star break.  Here is what he had to say with half a season under his belt.

The more time that passes the more I am getting used to being here and learning the system. 

We talked before about your great shooting percentage and how when you take the shot you have total certainty that it’s going in.

I had Coach (Dusko) Vujosevic at Partizan who used to tell me “If you miss a shot you just forget about it right away and you focus on the next one and that one is going in. So that’s what I have been doing.

I’ve always had confidence in my shooting but with more playing time I am feeling more comfortable being out on the court and being more aggressive both offensively and defensively. That comes with more games and more minutes on the court. 

Bertans’ inaugural NBA season includes a 21-point performance to lead the Spurs to victory over Charlotte back in January.

HOLDING COURT WITH … caught up with Bertans again just before the All Star break.  Here is what he had to say with half a season under his belt.

The more time that passes the more I am getting used to being here and learning the system. 

We talked before about your great shooting percentage and how when you take the shot you have total certainty that it’s going in.

I had Coach (Dusko) Vujosevic at Partizan who used to tell me “If you miss a shot you just forget about it right away and you focus on the next one and that one is going in. So that’s what I have been doing.

I’ve always had confidence in my shooting but with more playing time I am feeling more comfortable being out on the court and being more aggressive both offensively and defensively. That comes with more games and more minutes on the court. 

Bertans’ inaugural NBA season includes a 21-point performance to lead the Spurs to victory over Charlotte back in January.

HOLDING COURT WITH ... NBA VETERAN DAVID LEE

David Lee has what most NBA players do not:  an NBA Championship ring. The two-time NBA All-Star/ 11 year veteran is wearing a Spurs uniform this season, following a five-year stint with the Knicks out of the University of Florida, and another five with the Warriors, and last season split between the Celtics and the Mavs.  Before a recent game against the Magic, Lee talked about life with the Spurs.

It's been a great transition. Obviously you know when you come to the Spurs it's going to be about chasing a championship and being part of a great tradition ... and playing for a coach like Gregg Popovich, who has a great history of winning.  It's absolutely lived up to every aspect of that.

What is it about Pop that has most impressed you?

Just the overall attitude. He’s very disciplined about what he expects of everyone’s role. There’s no question who's in charge here. He’s the one who tells the players what he wants them to do and he expects a lot out of his players. And I think that is why the team is so efficient and so organized, because the commands come from one place and players know what is expected of them.

It is often said that the NBA is a “player’s league.”  Is that less so in the case of the Spurs? 

I would say that as peole he does let us be who we are. As players he does give us freedom, but I think he is very specific in wanting guys to play to their strengths. And they're big on players that they bring here fitting into this system.

How is it different and how is it the same as your experience with the Warriors during their championship season? 

Completely different makeup of guys.  In both cases great group of guys and great group of winners, but just a totally different vibe.  In Golden State we would listen to music before the game and it was a looser vibe and a younger team. The guys were more outgoing.  Whereas here the team is an older group of veterans and more reserved guys – more quiet guys on the team personality-wise.  It has really been interesting for me to be in two situations with unbelievable people involved and winning teams in both cases but which seem to do things in very different ways, so it’s been really cool to see how that works.

When you’re on a team like the Spurs or the Warriors, is there pressure that anything less than a championship is a disappointing season?

Well I wouldn’t say that that’s the way you look at it, but going into the season that’s definitely the goal. There are a few teams in the league that legitimately think they have a chance at the championship – we’re one of them, Golden State’s one of them – and that’s our goal.  And sure, if you fall short of your goal you’re disappointed. A million things can happen during the course of a season. But that’s the goal going into the season.

Do championship teams do anything different in practice or in how they are organized than other teams?

Not that I’ve noticed.  I think a big part of it is just that you’ve got to have the talent. But I think the hardest thing to do in the NBA is to be consistent. Bringing it every single game for 82 games is not the easiest thing to do. There are always days you are going to be sore and tired. It’s the teams that overall have a good group spirit together and bring it more times than not – and then you add in the talent factor – and I think that’s what makes a winning team in this league. 

What does a player call on during games when you aren't bringing it 100%?

For me it’s just being grateful that I’m in the league and part of my game is to try to bring that energy every single night. I think that we’ve got a group of guys on this team that subscribe to that same thinking. You know what also helps is when the chemistry is the way it is in this locker room.  When somebody’s not having their best day, having teammates around them to pick them up and to encourage them. That always helps.  I know I’ve had times when I was having a kind of slow day and someone next to me is having a good day and says something to me and gets me going. 

If you were to have a conversation with your younger self when you were just coming into the league, what do you know now that you would share?

I think more than anything as a veteran I have just learned to not put so much pressure on myself. I think most young guys – and maybe some veterans, too – every time you have a good game you think you’re on top of the world and can’t be beat, and every time you don’t have your best game or you’re 1 for 7 from the field, you think the world’s over. Now that I’m in my 12^th year, you learn that life goes on, and the key is how you bounce back from a tough game. And that everybody – whether you’re LeBron James or the 12^th guy on the bench – has tough shooting nights and it’s a matter of just being as consistent as you can.

With the Warriors being your primary rival in the Western Conference, what do you think the Spurs need to do to prevail?

We had a good outing against them last time. They’re very talented. I think the key is to keep their most dangerous shooters from having big games.  When they have big games they are tough to beat.  So we need to guard the defensively, come in with a great game plan, and stick to it.

Is defense a larger part of the picture in this club than in some others you have played for?

It’s something we talk about endlessly here.  It’s something that’s very important on any good team in this league. Just like in everything else, Coach Popovich is very specific in what he expects in the coverages.  Scouting report stuff is very detailed. And then it’s a matter of going out and taking care of it.

For veteran players such as yourself, what is the place of continued improvement and growth as a player at this stage in your career?

For me it’s first about finding a good situation to be in, like what I have this year with this team. Other than that I have found that the biggest change for me is how important being in shape is.  You saw with Tim Duncan towards the end of his career he played at a lighter playing weight and that helped to keep him healthier. Something that has been important to me is really being in good shape has made my body feel better and given me more energy. so that is something I continue to work on in the off-season so that I can come into the new season in as good a shape as possible.  Obviously I continue to work on the skill stuff and work on my weaknesses. But for me being in good shape is at a premium because it’s not as easy to get back shape when you’re out of shape when you’re 33 vs. 25.

Have you had much chance to interact with Tim this season? And what have you learned from him?

Quite a bit actually.  Well I learned a lot from playing against him. The guy’s very, very tough to play against. He doesn’t try to force his way in terms of giving you information. But I think more than anything he comes in and helps out with practice and he’s just so selfless.  He will rebound for you – and I’m not sure there are too many Hall of Famers with their jerseys in the rafters who are willing to come in and rebound for guys on the team a year after they retired. He’s a really special human being above being one of the best basketball players to ever play to play the game - so it’s pretty cool.

You said you learned a lot just playing against him?  What did you learn?

Well for one thing just his consistency. And his level of fundamentals. He’s a guy that it just seemed that the harder you played against him the more difficult it was. He had a counter for anything that anybody threw at him and was so skilled and so level headed.  He just really thought the game and had as high a basketball I.Q. as anybody I ever played against. I give him credit for that.

If you factor out sheer athleticism, what would you say are the three most important qualities that the successful big men possess?

I think there’s a high premium put on guys who can rebound. That takes skill and I.Q. And there’s probably a bigger premium – especially with 4's – on being able to shoot the three. And also being able to make decisions with the ball, handle it a little bit, pass the ball.

Post Script
   When David Lee signed with the Spurs before the start of the season, he passed up on other, better paying offers, to play for a coach he had long admired, since playing for "Pop" on the West team in the 2013 All Star game. 
   During the 2013-14 season, Lee scored a game-high 32 points along with 13 rebounds in a 104-102 loss to the Spurs, before helping the Warriors defeat the Spurs in an OT rematch, where he scored 25 points and brought down 22 rebounds.

   When Lee was asked to take a back seat to Draymond Green on the Warriors' 2014-15 championship team, the four-time NBA Player of the Week continued to be a fan favorite, and the way he accepted a more limited role earned him accolades from Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr.

Towards the end of the offseason in 2010, after Lee had been signed by the Warriors, Marcus Thompson of bayareanews.com wrote the following:
   "Lee also ... doesn't forget the support staff around his team. He was (at home) when the trade to the Warriors was announced, but before he could come to the Bay Area to be introduced, he went back to New York. A security guard at Madison Square Garden had died, and Lee went to his funeral, making sure his former Knicks teammates were represented."

Earlier that same year, while Lee was still with the Knicks, award-winning New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey wrote of Lee's attending the funeral of his own gradnfather, a successful St. Louis businessman:
   "As an officer during World War II, (Mr. Lee) had tried to improve the way blacks were treated in the service. At the funeral, (David) watched busloads of former employees arrive from out in the countryside, recalling how (his grandfather) treated the janitor the same nice way he treated the plant manager."

KEEPING PERSPECTIVE IN SPORT AND LIFE

   Few of us live our lives free of adversity, challenges and disappointments. Likewise, few athletes compete without adversity, challenges and disappointments.  Two thousand years ago, a philosopher and sports enthusiast named Philo who lived in Alexandria Egypt, wrote the following words: "It rarely happens that God allows a man to run life's race from start to finish without stumbling or falling, and to escape fouls by rushing past them with a sudden and violent burst of speed."    

 A mark of champions is their ability to face those challenges and disappointments in such a way that they are able to rebound from them and resume a spirit marked by energetic enthusiasm and a competitive attitude.  

  The following parable offers an insight into that wisdom.

   IN THE COURT OF KING SOLOMON there served a loyal officer named Joseph, who took upon himself any task that was required to minister to his master.  Often he could be heard bragging to others, "There is no assignment the king could ask of me that I would be unable to fulfill."

   When word of this reached the king, he thought to put the braggart Joseph to the test.  He decided to ask Joseph to fetch him an item that did not exist!

   Summoning Joseph to the royal chambers, King Solomon said to him:  “There is a ring that I have had my heart set on owning for some time.  It is a special ring that can make a sad person happy, and yet make a happy person sad.   I want you to find this ring and bring it back to me within the next 6 months.

   Joseph accepted his assignment eagerly.  First he went to the camel traders, certain that in their journeys across the deserts, one of them would have surely come across such a ring.  But, alas, none of them had knowledge of such a treasure.  So he turned to the seafarers, hoping that in their voyages to far off lands, one of them might have knowledge of this fantastic ring.  But none of them were of any help to him, either.

   SO JOSEPH DECIDED that he would have to go off in search of this special ring himself.  He traveled from country to country, from bazaar to bazaar, but nowhere was he able to find the ring he had been asked to locate.  Nevertheless, the knowledge that his king depended on him to fulfill this mission kept him devoted to the task.

   Month followed month, and after Joseph’s searches brought him no success, he arrived at yet another country, yet another bazaar, at yet another jeweler’s stall.  Here he found a young lad, and asked him, as he had so many others, if he knew perhaps of a ring such as the one he had been assigned to bring back.  Hoping against hope that the lad might offer encouraging words, he learned that the boy knew of no such ring.  Deeply disappointed by the news, and with the six months coming to a rapid close, Joseph turned to leave the shop when the boy’s grandfather, who had overheard the conversation, came forth and said, “I know of such a ring that truly has the power to make a sad man happy, and make a happy man sad.  Wait here and I shall produce it for you.”

   AS JOSEPH WAITED with great anticipation, the old man went into the back room of his shop, took a simple gold band, and inscribed something on the inside of the ring.  This he then brought it out to Joseph.

   Joseph examined the ring, smiled, and said, “Yes, this is certainly the ring I have been looking for!”

   Upon his return to Jerusalem, Joseph proceeded to the palace of Solomon.  When the king asked if Joseph had succeeded in his task, imagine his shock when Joseph replied that indeed, he had located the ring as requested of him.

   He handed the ring to the king.  As the king examined it, a strange expression came over his face, for he was reminded that both his greatest accomplishments and his deepest sorrows were but fleeting occurrences.

   “Yes,” said Solomon, “this is truly a ring that has the power to make a sad man happy and a happy man sad.”  For what was written on the ring were the words: THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS.

   The king put the ring on, and wore it from that day forward.  And every time he felt sad or depressed, he would look at the ring, whereupon his mood would change and good cheer would come to him.

                       © 2017 by Dr. Mitch Smith, Certified Sport Psychology Consultant