Let's Live with the Spirit of “Why Not?”
Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening.
Thank you for visiting.
Today is about basketball.
He is one of my favorite NBA players,
and I would like to take some essence from his way of life and spirit.
That person is Russell Westbrook, who will be playing for the Denver Nuggets starting this season.
(His prime was the 2016-2017 season, where he was also named MVP.)
Things have calmed down a bit now, but
I love his all-out style of play that seems to use up everything he has.
The death of a friend
I would like to delve into the question, "Why am I drawn to him?"
I will call him "Russ" with affection.
The thing I find coolest about Russ.
It is the mantra that Russ upholds: “Why Not?”. It is a phrase that embodies him,
and it is also the name of his signature shoe.
Literally, it means "Why not do it?" or "Of course, right?", so I think it has a nuance of
"Why wouldn't you try your best? It's only natural to do so."
. (Literal translation is difficult.)
Although Russ has become a superstar whose name is etched in history,
it seems he wasn't a top-tier player from the moment he started playing basketball.
In high school, he was only about 175cm tall and was not a standout player. One reason he didn't stand out was that his teammate at the time was Khelcey Barrs, who had both a tall stature of 198cm and abundant talent.
Russ and Barrs were best friends, but it was always Barrs who received the attention.
However, one day during practice, Barrs lost his life due to a sudden heart attack.
On the day he passed away, Russ was not participating due to other business,
and they had promised to play a game at a later date.
It is said that he deeply regretted not being able to participate in the game on the day Barrs died.
The “Why Not?” Spirit
From that point on, his thought was:
No matter how talented a person may be,
no one knows what will happen tomorrow.
If that's the case, why not give everything you have to what you can do now?
(No, you have to do it!) ← This is the "Why Not?" spirit.
How fleeting life is,
and how easily it can end.
And in this short life, there is no time to cut corners.
He realized this,
and it is said he strongly vowed to play with all his might for the sake of the late Barrs as well.
This event became the catalyst for Russ aiming to become an NBA player.
From then on, Russ put in desperate, life-or-death effort,
and steadily built up his skills.
By his final year of high school, he had become a player good enough to receive a scholarship offer from the prestigious UCLA, which has produced numerous great players.
Actually, it seems the UCLA scouts originally had their eyes on Barrs. It is moving to think that he entered UCLA as if guided by his friend's spirit.
And his performance in college was recognized, allowing him to enter the NBA as the 4th overall draft pick. Despite the twists and turns since joining, his "always all-out" style of play is truly moving.
There is only one set of facts, but there are infinite interpretations.
Russ has also left behind many famous quotes.
Among them, one that left a particularly strong impression was:
There’s no reason to hold yourself back and say you cannot do something in life unless you go for it and try to do.
There is no reason to hold yourself back or say you can't achieve anything in life without even trying or challenging yourself.
(So, just go for it!)
I believe this is the interpretation of the “Why Not?” spirit.
Why shouldn't you aim to be an NBA player? (You should aim for it!)
Why shouldn't you believe you can become the best player in the world? (You can do it!)
There shouldn't be even a millimeter of room for others to control your thoughts.
If I had faced the same event, I might have been crushed by the tragedy,
and might have even chosen to quit basketball.
But Russ did not make that choice.
He shifted his paradigm regarding the fact of his best friend's death,
and 'proactively accepted it, choosing to aim for his goal.'
I think that is why he is who he is today.
This is not limited to basketball,
but something that can happen in our daily lives as well.
If you feel like you want to do something, you should do it regardless of what others say,
and if you do it, do it with all your heart.
Any event can turn out either way depending on how you perceive it.
“There is only one set of facts, but there are infinite interpretations.”
What you focus on and what you choose to do,
that is what gets engraved into your subconscious and creates your future.
I am convinced that Russ is also someone who embodies the idea that “thoughts become reality” with tremendous energy.
Having learned this,
I hope you all live today with a “Why Not?” spirit and gratitude.
And let's cherish each day!
Thank you for reading until the end this time as well.
See you later!