Basketball and the NBA

NBA The Ultimate Dream?

By Justin Yen Illustration by Karissa Poon Layout by Natalie So

What is the NBA and why is it every basketball player’s wish to be a part of the team? The National Basketball Association, abbreviated NBA is a league of teams from many different cities in the United States and one from Canada (the Toronto Raptors). Needless to say, the organization cherry-picks each and every player from American colleges, ensuring that only the cream of the crop makes the cut. Such is the extent of prestige associated with the NBA that it has become a well-known fact that NBA players are the world’s highest-paid athletes, as seen by the mean annual salary per player. To give you an idea of how proftable it is to be an NBA player, statistics have shown that the average NBA player in the 2018 season pocketed an impressive USD $5 million per year! However, the actual salary would be highly dependent on the specifc player’s popularity, skills and demand in the league.

One of the main reasons why NBA players are paid so well is partially due to the extensive viewership that NBA games have not only in America but also across the globe. The appeal of basketball to audiences can be attributed to several key reasons. Firstly, the audience tends to be drawn into the intense rivalry between certain teams whose strengths parallel each other, making it diffcult to predict the eventual winner. The most exhilarating games often conclude with the smallest possible winning margin of a solitary point. This makes it diffcult to predict the outcome of crucial playoffs, raising the spectators’ suspense. In addition, the match duration is much shorter than football, lasting just over 2 hours. Every single minute is packed with adrenaline and nail-biting moments, especially when particularly ambitious shots are made. It is incredibly diffcult to purchase NBA tickets, given that they are in such high demand. Ticket prices range from USD$10 to $3000 per match. Although prices can be exorbitant, many die-hard fans are more than willing to splurge to secure an opportunity to catch their favourite teams play live. It would be a dream come true if I ever had the chance of watching an NBA match live!

My Basketball Journey

When I was in Year 2, I considered myself to be a soccer player. It seemed to be the most popular sport among students and defnitely the most commonly played sport during recess. One day, my dad said, “Hey Justin, your brother Arthur is playing basketball and he really enjoys it. You should try it out too!” However, basketball had not yet intrigued me at that point. Thus, I politely rejected my dad’s suggestion. However, as time went on, I found myself beginning to be subconsciously infuenced by my elder brother. Initially, my dad was the one who had to convince me to play. Unsurprisingly, I was fearful of the ball initially as I was not equipped with knowledge about how basketball should be played. However, as I developed my skills over time, I started to appreciate the beauty of the game and became more enthusiastic about playing. My dad also introduced me to the NBA matches that were broadcasted on television, in the hope that I would be inspired by professional basketball players, and perhaps even pick up some of their legendary skills. Slowly but surely, I began to perceive basketball in a much more positive light as my horizons broadened over time. The NBA games demonstrated to me how amazing and captivating basketball could be when played at the highest level. Towards the end of Year 2, I pondered over whether I should join the school’s basketball team to pursue my interest in the sport.

When my mom was in the process of signing up for CCAs, she asked me if I wanted to join the school team. I felt apprehensive at that moment, as I still had some concerns about switching from soccer to basketball. I did not know if I was passionate enough about basketball to give up soccer completely. I decided to take a leap of faith and made the switch. A day before the tryouts were due to take place, I was so nervous that I could hardly stand straight and breathe evenly. I understood the importance of the audition and was worried about not being good enough to be selected. Thankfully, the coaches must have thought that I had the potential to become a good basketball player, as I was eventually selected. I came home that night with my head held high, for all my training efforts had paid off.

After I joined the school team, I got better with every training I participated in. As I learned more about the sport, my knowledge deepened and my skills improved gradually. After every match, my dad pointed out my mistakes and provided me with advice on how to improve. He would then take me to the public park near my house the next day, reminding me to put into practice what he had taught me the day before. After spending considerable time and effort developing my skills, I am proud to claim that my skills - be it lay-ups, shot quality, defensive stands or shot-blocking - have become more polished.

As I continued watching more NBA games, I started to learn more about the current players’ style of play. It was interesting to see how the sport has developed over time, although audiences will always remember famous legends, or perhaps better dubbed ‘the greatest of all time’ - Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. While I have incredible respect for these stars, my personal favourite NBA player is Stephen Curry. I remembered that I was completely speechless when I watched him play for the frst time. Known as one of the most accurate shooters of all time, he is capable of making even the seemingly impossible shots. From the games I watched, Curry’s shooting form never failed to impress me, with almost every single shot going into the hoop. His speed, agility and ball-handling skills are also top-notch and arguably one of the best among the current NBA players. I grew fond of him very quickly, and he is no doubt a player I hope to emulate in the near future.

In 2015, CIS’s U10 basketball school team had won every single match except one, which was the match against HKIS. Everyone in the team knew that HKIS was one of the strongest teams in the league. Even though we were up against formidable opponents, all of us had high hopes of winning. The reason for that was because our previous head-to-head encounter with HKIS was a very close call, with CIS losing only by the closest margin of 1 or 2 points. Although we lost, we had given a good account of ourselves and demonstrated that we had what it took to challenge the best of the best. We managed to turn the tables on HKIS, exacted sweet revenge in 2015 fnals and lifted the championship trophy. We continued our winning streak into the second season of that same year, beating the same old foe (HKIS) in the fnal, successfully bagging yet another title.

What Basketball Means to Me

To me, basketball is a sport I love playing for leisure. It is one of my favourite pastimes, but I do not currently have any ambitious dreams of pursuing the sport professionally. However, beyond providing mere joy and entertainment, basketball has taught me many invaluable principles about life. It has inculcated in me the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, resilience and hard work. In sports, winning is not everything. Rather, it is often the process that teaches us priceless lessons. For example, we should never give up in the face of imminent defeat, even if we are lagging behind a huge point defcit. Every point counts and we should always strive to give nothing less than our best on the court. Furthermore, I have forged meaningful friendships with my fellow teammates, who have grown to become my close circle of friends. I cherish the camaraderie we share both on and off-court. It is truly amazing to see how much I have learnt and matured over time, as well as how my skills have evolved and improved. I look forward to becoming an even better basketball player in the near future.

As much as I have seen improvements in my game, there is always room for further improvement. Having the right attitude is also essential not only in basketball but everything else in life. Every time I lose a game or make a mistake, I take it in stride and learn from those mistakes. In fact, I do my best to transform my disappointment into motivation to push myself harder in training. It might be easier said than done, but I believe that when I place less emphasis on winning and more emphasis on the process, I will enjoy the game a lot more. Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” If a wise man like Michael Jordan does not fear failure, why should we? We should instead fear not trying. As long as we know that we have invested our maximal efforts, it will leave no room for regret.