It’s always to hard to start in a new situation. Whether it’s beginning
a new job or joining a new team, there is always a sense of uncertainty
with how you will mesh with your new teammates. I’ve seen it happen a
number of ways and witnessed a couple of different outcomes. The first
way is the staying quiet, working hard and trying to learn as much as
possible from the veteran members. The other is coming in like you are
god’s gift to the world, not listening to a single word that anyone has
to say and simply doing your own thing. Only one of those situations
will produce a championship atmosphere.
Over the years we have all seen the talent that has come running out of
the tunnel at the Breslin Center. There has been a decade of excellence
in East Lansing and Coach Izzo consistently signs Mr. Basketballs and
High School All-Americans. Now, in this era of AAU coaches and athletes
being told how great they are and how they are destined to play in the
NBA, how do you get people to buy in to the system?
It doesn’t matter who you are when you walk onto campus or what you may
have accomplished, you either buy in or you will hate every day. It’s
the same as having a job that you hate. If you dread going to the
office every day, you are going to turn into a cancer in your office.
As a freshman, you have to prove that you want to be there and are
willing to leave everything you have on the court. In return, you will
be welcomed into the family. If you think you are too good to work hard
and not listen to all the veterans, you end up as that person who will
deteriorate the program from the core.
When you walk into a new situation put your pride on the back burner.
Keep your nose to the grind and earn your place in that family.
