Life Gave Me My Own Summer League
I spent this past week experiencing the NBA Summer League for the first time. What to say about the most exciting week of the year? Ummm...amazing. Just.... everything I thought it would be, but BETTER.
What is the NBA Summer League, you ask? Well, it's a time when the rookies, or newer players to a team get the opportunity to play each other, sort of as a practice, but also as a way for coaches to test out how the players will fit on the team, and for the players to get acclimated to the NBA world.
I had the opportunity to attend Summer League here in Salt Lake, as well as in Las Vegas over the past week, and I'm still on a high. The energy was amazing, the players were trying their hardest, some of the players from the actual team roster were there, and so many scouts and podcast stars and people I follow on twitter were just walking around..... I almost died of happiness.
Something that stood out to me over the entire adventure was how these were all rookies. These were all people who had been at the top of their game and were now at the bottom of the NBA, fighting to prove why they had been picked over anyone else. Fighting to prove their worth to the team. Fighting to be better, and not be labeled by the number of the pick. These young, fast, tall players were new to the NBA world, but well seasoned in the basketball world. They know the rules, they know the big players names, they know the object of the game. And yet, they still need more training. They need to learn to push harder, play stronger, be braver, connect with their teammates, and be the best they can on the basketball court.
As I was reflecting on the effort they were putting in, as well as the sloppy parts of their games, it made me realize, once again, how much this related to my life.
I wrote a blog a few years ago about becoming Cassandra 2.0. I like to think that I've progressed past 2.0, with a few upgrades that have been less painful than in the past, but still hard. With every life lesson thrown at me, I seem to get better at accepting the troubles that life throws at me, and know how to handle the hardships in life without having a complete break down. I am familiar with the territory, and know how to better prepare for the hardships, because of my past experiences.
This is what Summer League does. It exposes the young players to new challenges, and forces them to find new ways to take on the competition. A few years ago I was that rookie. I'd just been drafted into the singles world of post college life, and had to figure out everything all over again. I knew how to take care of myself; I'd lived away from home for a few years, and could cook and clean and do my laundry. However, post college life was a completely different world. Becoming the Assistant Registrar was a completely different world. Going through the temple was a completely different world. Moving across Salt Lake was a different world. I've been facing new challenges for years, and with each challenge I'm reminded of what life taught me back in 2011, as a newly graduated from college single adult, new to Salt Lake, and new to post college life.
As I was watching Jayson Tatum on the court, proving his worth to our team, I kept mentioning how 5 years from now when I'm wearing his jersey, I'll remember getting to see him play at Summer League his rookie year, and it made think of Past Cassandra, and where she once was, 6 years ago, figuring out her life, and sloppily making mistakes, but pushing her hardest to prove that she was worth the fight. She was worth the long hours, the stressed out days, the rumors, the changing of friends, the off days; she was worth it. She wouldn't have become me if she had given up, or settled for mediocrity.
Just because our lives aren't as public as the basketball stars we get to see throwing down on tv doesn't mean that our struggles and our growth is any less than theirs. Just in reflecting over the past 6 months I can see growth in ways I did not think was possible. I was with an old roommate the other day and she commented on how much I had changed since we lived together just a few years ago. At first I denied the change, but quickly as I started talking more I realized she was right. I have changed. In the best of ways. I'm not the girl I was just a few short years ago. I've become better, stronger, more resilient toward the hardships of life that would have crushed me a few years ago. I'm so grateful that life gave me my own Summer League all those years ago so that I could be who I am today. What a wonderful life.
What is the NBA Summer League, you ask? Well, it's a time when the rookies, or newer players to a team get the opportunity to play each other, sort of as a practice, but also as a way for coaches to test out how the players will fit on the team, and for the players to get acclimated to the NBA world.
I had the opportunity to attend Summer League here in Salt Lake, as well as in Las Vegas over the past week, and I'm still on a high. The energy was amazing, the players were trying their hardest, some of the players from the actual team roster were there, and so many scouts and podcast stars and people I follow on twitter were just walking around..... I almost died of happiness.
The Summer League crew!
Salt Lake Summer League (#utespride #celticslove)
Las Vegas Summer League
Las Vegas Summer League
As I was reflecting on the effort they were putting in, as well as the sloppy parts of their games, it made me realize, once again, how much this related to my life.
I wrote a blog a few years ago about becoming Cassandra 2.0. I like to think that I've progressed past 2.0, with a few upgrades that have been less painful than in the past, but still hard. With every life lesson thrown at me, I seem to get better at accepting the troubles that life throws at me, and know how to handle the hardships in life without having a complete break down. I am familiar with the territory, and know how to better prepare for the hardships, because of my past experiences.
This is what Summer League does. It exposes the young players to new challenges, and forces them to find new ways to take on the competition. A few years ago I was that rookie. I'd just been drafted into the singles world of post college life, and had to figure out everything all over again. I knew how to take care of myself; I'd lived away from home for a few years, and could cook and clean and do my laundry. However, post college life was a completely different world. Becoming the Assistant Registrar was a completely different world. Going through the temple was a completely different world. Moving across Salt Lake was a different world. I've been facing new challenges for years, and with each challenge I'm reminded of what life taught me back in 2011, as a newly graduated from college single adult, new to Salt Lake, and new to post college life.
As I was watching Jayson Tatum on the court, proving his worth to our team, I kept mentioning how 5 years from now when I'm wearing his jersey, I'll remember getting to see him play at Summer League his rookie year, and it made think of Past Cassandra, and where she once was, 6 years ago, figuring out her life, and sloppily making mistakes, but pushing her hardest to prove that she was worth the fight. She was worth the long hours, the stressed out days, the rumors, the changing of friends, the off days; she was worth it. She wouldn't have become me if she had given up, or settled for mediocrity.
Just because our lives aren't as public as the basketball stars we get to see throwing down on tv doesn't mean that our struggles and our growth is any less than theirs. Just in reflecting over the past 6 months I can see growth in ways I did not think was possible. I was with an old roommate the other day and she commented on how much I had changed since we lived together just a few years ago. At first I denied the change, but quickly as I started talking more I realized she was right. I have changed. In the best of ways. I'm not the girl I was just a few short years ago. I've become better, stronger, more resilient toward the hardships of life that would have crushed me a few years ago. I'm so grateful that life gave me my own Summer League all those years ago so that I could be who I am today. What a wonderful life.
The start of an epic weekend!
It's tradition!
Do I look as exhausted as I felt?!
Amir Johnson! #formercelticsplayer
Chris Paul, James Harden, and basically the rest of the Rockets!
Blurry picture that Shams Charania took of us! I fan-girled out in a big way
Did not take a group picture in Salt Lake on either night, but I had a blast!
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