Parents with sports-loving children are often faced with a challenge when it comes the their kids’ real life athlete heroes. Sometimes — in too many cases — an athlete who displays spectacular and enviable play on the court or field will then behave outside the lines in a way nobody would want a kid to emulate.
Then there is 2x NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, a completely different story.
Where Charles Barkley once famously said he was not a role model, Antetokounmpo is a role model, even if that’s not his goal. It’s in Antetokounmpo’s very nature to be a role model, because his priorities exemplify the best an athlete can embody.
The monologue below is practically ripped from the script of Life Coach 101 — Antetokounmpo would make the best Life Coach in the NBA.
“I just focus on — tomorrow, today — how can I get better. How can make free throws, how can I improve my jumpshot, how can I be a better teammate, how can I be stronger, more explosive?” Antetokounmpo asks himself. “How can I make good decisions, how can I enjoy the game, how can I focus on myself without being selfish? How can I be in the moment and not think about the future?”
Antetokounmpo is a role model for kids and adults alike, especially because he’s not altering his behavior to play that role. Instead, he’s leading by example, doing what he needs to do to succeed and thereby setting a high bar for those who wish to follow his principles.
As Antetokounmpo explains the principles and priorities he holds in the video above, the principles and priorities that drive him to succeed, he also explains how he defines success. His explanations are a masterclass in humility, ambition, and achievement.
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