Summer, 2000.

After my less-than-glorious High School basketball career ended in the spring, I found myself on a Sonny Hill league basketball team in June of that year.

If you're not from the Philadelphia area, the Sonny Hill league is the best amateur league for high-school-aged players in the tri-state area. Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Rasheed Wallace… Any baller who was “somebody” in high school played in the Hill league (at least back then).

In the summer of 2000, I was very much a “nobody” in Philly high school basketball. But, I showed up to a tryout for a Hill league team, and kept showing up. They never told me to stop showing up, so I ended up on the roster.

My team was sponsored by Aaron Mckie, a Hill league alum who’d played at Simon Gratz High school, and at the time a member of the Philadelphia 76ers (McKie was 6th Man Of The Year the same year Allen Iverson won NBA MVP).

My team was stacked. The first day I walked into Gustine Lake Gym, it was pretty much the Philadelphia Daily News All-City team... plus me. Our best player was Eddie Griffin, the #1 ranked player in the nation that year. Eddie went to Seton Hall for one year and then was a top-10 NBA draft pick.

All my other teammates (we had SOOO much talent that we got split into TWO teams) had D1 and D2 scholarships.

The season began, and as expected, I wasn't playing much.

I’d get into games in garbage time (when the game is already decided, and the players who normally don't play get a chance to get in and break a sweat), but that was it.

Around the 4th game of the season though, I got a chance for some real action.

We had a game at McGonigle Hall on Temple University's campus. The Hill League was a big deal back then, so the gym was packed with spectators. In the middle of the second quarter, coach John Hardnett looked down the bench and put me in.

It was during a free throw and I was on the low block. I missed a box-out. My opponent grabbed the rebound and made a layup.

[If you don't know how basketball works, this is a BAD outcome. And I had clearly messed up.]

Coach Hardnett was not happy with me. I knew this because at the next whistle – I had been in the game for literally 15 seconds – I got pulled out and sent back to the bench.

Coach Hardnett called me out in the locker room at halftime for my mistake. I did not re-enter the game.

Driving home, I vented to two friends who came with me, Tim (who was playing for his school’s summer league team) and Phil (a star in his own right who was on the other McKie Sonny Hill team) about my lack of opportunity.

I could be spending my summer working on my game solo… or stacking some money at my part time job at McDonald’s… or playing pickup games at the neighborhood playground… anything other than traveling to North Philly to sit on the bench and watch these other guys play!

“Don’t quit, Dre.”

These were Phil’s last words as I dropped him off at his house.

He didn't explain why, nor did he tell me what I would've told 18-year-old me today had I seen the situation.

But in his brevity, he was right.

***

Right now, you may be in (or are on your way into) a situation where you feel you’re in over your head.

The work is harder and more demanding than you expected.

You're being asked to do more than you're capable of.

Looking around, you feel like the LEAST-equipped person in the room.

Maybe you're right about ALL of that.

DON'T QUIT.

Why not?

Getting your ass kicked, being overwhelmed and feeling un-ready is not what you avoid. It’s what you NEED. Go towards it.

You’re outside of your comfort zone.
You’re exposed and vulnerable.
You’re naked.

That’s exactly where you need to be.

Yesterday I did 5 rounds of practice sparring with my boxing trainer, Shota.

He’s been an actual boxer. I can’t land a single punch on the guy.

I landed two punches in the whole session. On the other hand, I took about 100 punches. Got hit in the eye and lost a contact lens.

This is exactly what I need – not what I need to avoid.

Same for you.

When I played basketball, I did training that was harder than the actual game. I worked out with weighted vests on. Ran up hills. Practiced dribbling with a ball that was 3x heavier than a normal basketball. None of this stuff ever happens in a real basketball game.

Why did I do it? Because if I could do that, then the real games would be easy.

You need the same for your area of focus.

If you’re ready to jump into the crucible that will make you better, schedule your time here: http://www.WorkOnYourGame.net/apply