Once again, my favorite player of all time does it again.
(via TrueHoop)
But it's hardly the only way to fire up your teammates. In that regard, consider what Jackie MacMullan writes in "When the Game Was Ours" about Magic Johnson's first year at Everett high school:
Magic's congeniality was a gift and a blessing to a school that was struggling to maintain order in the wake of the redistricting. There were incidents throughout Johnson's tenure at Everett between white and black students, yet the gifted young ballplayer defused much of the tension by coaxing his friends into becoming like him -- colorblind.
He showed up at parties held by his white teammates, even though he and his friends were often the only blacks in attendance. He convinced his white friends to listen to his soul music and coaxed the principal into setting aside a room to dance during free study periods. He organized a protest when no African American cheerleaders were picked for the school's squad, even though their talents were undeniable.
"For all his basketball skills, the biggest contribution Earvin made to Everett was race relations," said Fox. "He helped us bridge two very different cultures. He ran with the white kids, but never turned his back on the black kids. He broke down so many barriers. He was so popular the students figured 'Hey, if Earvin is hanging out with these guys, it must be okay.'"
It was an Everett tradition that after the first practice of the season, the players ran around the basketball court until the last teammate was standing. Two years in a row, that person was Earvin Johnson. The summer before his senior season, Johnson's teammates Randy Shumway informed Fox that he was out to beat Magic. The two ran around the court for more than a half-hour as their teammates dropped by the wayside. After 45 minutes, both players were panting, clearly exhausted, yet neither was willing to quit. Fox was contemplating how he should break the stalemate when he noticed Johnson whispering in Shumway's ear. The two did one more lap together before Magic announced, "That's it, Coach. We're calling it a draw."
"Earvin could have outlasted him," said Fox, "but he knew it would be better for team morale if he didn't."
Of course, this is just a fraction of the leadership moments from Johnson's life to date. But it's a powerful tale. Remember how awkward you were in high school? All those insecurities that ruled your life? Imagine the self-assurance it takes to walk into that environment and lead a successful and inspiring one-man race relations campaign, complete with protests on behalf of cheerleaders, a room set aside for dancing and passing up opportunities to prove athletic dominance in favor of team cohesion.
Even just reading about it I'm inspired. That's leadership.
