Jay Wright
Jay Wright is a hall-of-fame basketball coach who recently retired after leading Villanova to 2 national championships and 4 final fours.
During a speech he gave for the Villanova alumni, Coach Wright talked about his leadership triangle, and the importance of having the right attitude, and shared stories of some of his more successful athletes.
You can access the full speech here:
Jay Wright | ATTITUDE
Jay Wright says, “We want our guys to understand that the greatest characteristic you can have is a great attitude. It’s a choice you have - every day - when you get up. There are things you can’t control. Some days, you are going to make your shots. Some days, the refs are going to make bad calls. What you can control is your attitude and how you approach what you are doing that day.”
Here is how they measure attitude: “Where is your mindset after something bad happens to you?”
They train their behavior by creating adverse situations in practice just to see people’s responses.
You can watch an example of how they do that here:
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from the video?
2 - When good things happen, what kind of attitude do you want to display?
3 - When bad things happen, what kind of attitude do you want to display?
4 - How hard is it to actually have the right attitude when bad things happen?
5 - What can you do to overcome those barriers?
JAY WRIGHT | BE FRANK TWEEZY
Coach Wright then tells a story about an athlete named Frank Tweezy who earned a scholarship and leadership role on a Final Four team because of his attitude.
Coach Wright said they didn’t recruit him because he knew he wasn’t good enough, but they offered him a scholarship because he was a great kid and because they thought he could bring a lot to the program.
Much of sports is a cutthroat world where coaches are always looking for bigger, stronger, faster, and better talent. But the real winners know that attitude, mindset, and culture are what truly leads to winning.
Be the person in the locker room who is always getting everyone fired up. Make everyone believe in their ability to do great things the right way. Be the person who can call team meeting that get your teammates straight and on the right track in a way that they can listen and respond.
Despite not playing at all, and not getting any star status, Frank Tweezy was the guy they elected to hold up the net when they went to the Final Four.
We can’t always be the best, but we can always be Frank Tweezy by having and leading with the right attitude.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from the video?
2 - Would a coach offer based on your attitude?
3 - Which teammate has had the best attitude you have ever been around?
4 - What do you bring to the team besides your talent and skill?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON
Shaun Livingston won championships as a player and front-office executive with Golden State Warriors, so he has a unique perspective on one of the greatest runs and dynasties we have seen in sports.
In an interview with All The Smoke, Shaun talked about his basketball career and life, but in the first few minutes, he talked specifically about his experience with the Warriors, the locker room culture during this last season, the leadership of GM Bob Myers, and the mindset and leadership of Draymond Green.
You can watch the entire interview here:
SHAUN LIVINGSTON | BE STEVE NASH
At 26:58, Shaun was asked about Steve Nash. Steve was a back-to-back MVP for the Phoenix Suns. Shaun said, “What attracted me the most to him was his energy, how we built everybody up around him and empowered them. He slapped high-fives with everyone coming on and off the court, and kept everyone engaged. He was the spirit of that team.”
Steve Nash was one of the most skilled, but one of the least athletic guys. He was able to affect the game without taking all the shots and hogging the ball, he wasn’t a killer like Jordan and Kobe, but his leadership was more internal and uplifting by empowering guys through positivity.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from this video?
2 - How would you explain your leadership style?
3 - How would others describe your leadership style?
4 - Can you affect the game without scoring or without the ball?
SHAUN LIVINGSTON | TOP 3 TEAMMATES
Later in the interview, Shaun tells Stephen Jackson, “I put you as one of my top 3 teammates of all time.”
Some teammates put the battery in the team’s back, and you can FEEL their energy when they walk in the gym. They have a different energy and swag. They give you confidence that won’t allow you to back down from anybody.
SOMETHING(s) TO THINK ABOUT
1 - What is your biggest takeaway from this video?
2 - Who is the best teammate you have ever had? What made them great?
3 - Who is someone who gives you confidence?
4 - What is something you have done to establish yourself and earn your minutes and time on the court?
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