If you get an opportunity to hone your skills, don’t let it pass.
The concept sounds simple enough, but things change once someone becomes so good at his or her respective craft. Suddenly, there are only certain challenges athletes are supposed to take and they are left to pick and choose.
New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis chose to take the challenge of playing in the FIBA World Cup this season. It’s aood thing, seeing as he’s one of the most essential parts to the United States taking home the gold again.
On Aug. 22, Team USA announced its 12-man roster for the World Cup, including Davis at forward. This announcement came after stars like Kevin Durant and Kevin Love withdrew their names from the tournament.
The problem with playing internationally is that the NBA team that pays you millions of dollars is powerless. A team can’t have its star player get injured, and if he does it better occur while he’s representing the team.
A NBA team’s worst nightmare happened Aug. 1 when Indiana Pacers star Paul George suffered a compound fracture of both bones in his lower right leg during a Team USA scrimmage. George is not likely to play next season, ruining the Pacers chances of making a playoff run.
What many don’t understand is that George could have gotten injured anywhere, it just happened to be with the national team. Injuries are a random occurrence and attempting to prevent them is a waste of time.
For a player like Davis, the World Cup should be seen as an event to showcase his skills. Davis can improve his game not only by competing against elite teams but also by playing with All-Stars like Stephen Curry and Derrick Rose.
After winning the FIBA World Championships in 2010, many players on Team USA had breakout seasons with their NBA teams. Lamar Odom won the Sixth Man of the Year award, Rose won the MVP and Tyson Chandler was an integral part of the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA title.
Davis became one of the best big men in the league last season, averaging a double-double and nearly three blocks a game. And at only 21 years old, the list of things he may accomplish after a positive stint with the national team is endless.
More importantly, Team USA needs Davis if it want to win gold. Passing the ball well is crucial in international play, so having a big man like Davis who can do it well pays dividends.
The team is also short on height with the departure of Love. Team USA’s biggest rival in the tournament is host nation Spain, which features centers Pau and Marc Gasol, both towering at seven feet or taller.
My advice to Davis is not to think about those who have left, but see the tournament as his opportunity. This can be the event that helps him take his game, and his NBA team, into the spotlight in the 2014-2015 season.
This is Davis’s chance, and he’d be foolish to pass it up.