Failure is a Necessity
What I learned from disappointment and failure and how it applies to the Knicks and Grizzlies’ seasons
Nobody wants to lose but we all have to learn to deal with it.
Failure is a part of progression. You try, you fail, you try again until you reach the end. Whether you succeed or give up, that is entirely up to you. That is normal in the human experience.
I distinctly remember back when I was a junior at Penn State University I had given one of my professor’s grief because my grades were not up to par and I felt like I was not only failing those who expected great things from me but also failing myself because I felt that I could have and should have done better. It was nerve wracking because I was constantly putting pressure on myself and tried to handle it all but it was abundantly clear I was in over my head and began to hate myself for it.
I got some clarity when I was at a luncheon for a leadership training program for African American men. Two of my mentors were the representatives who were in charge of the program. One of them spoke to me personally since he could tell that I was not really in a talking mood and actually spoke to me in private while we were eating. I told him about pretty much all the ways I screwed up and how I am beating myself over it and just want to rage about my failures.
“Good,” he said. I was taken a back by it because I was expecting yet another lecture or chastising for my failures. No, my mentor said that it’s good I am failing and it is good that I actually am frustrated and angry about failing. It showcases I actually care and the failing reminds me of what I did wrong and how I can learn from them. It humbles me and forces me to recognize that I can’t get by in life half-assing everything. I need to put in the effort if I want to succeed.
It was weird mainly because no one has ever said that to me. No one has ever told me, “Hey! It’s good that you suck!” I’ve been used to people snapping at me for not being at my best that my name might as well be “lecturee.” It would serve as a “fuel” for me to correct my mistakes and bounce back the following year, which led to my graduation from Penn State. I never imagined that particular moment would be replaying in my head. You can thank both the New York Knicks and the Memphis Grizzlies for that recollection.
It has been more than two weeks since both teams were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks and the Grizzlies were touted as one of the more exciting teams to watch in the postseason since both have struggled to return due to extensive rebuilds as well as the fact that they foster one of the youngest rosters in the league with a couple rising stars. The playoffs did not end the way they wanted and both were soundly eliminated in five games by better structured teams. Despite the disappointing end to both teams, the failures should serve as humbling experiences to see where they stack up in the league and what they need to do to improve.
I’m fully aware of the nature of NBA Twitter. Both teams loss so this is the time where so many analysts, writers, and basketball watchers have “hot takes galore” trying to break down what each team did wrong and how they never were meant to succeed and “blah blah blah.”
To save yourselves time, the answer is simple: their time just was not now. Both teams were not expected to take such leaps this year and enter the postseason. The Knicks were never expected to achieve a top four seed in the Eastern Conference but they did and earned their home court spot in the playoffs. The Grizzlies were not expected to beat Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors for the final playoff spot but they did and put on an epic fight against the Utah Jazz in five games in the playoffs.
Both teams dealt with painful losses due to the nature of the rosters. The Knicks were missing their starting center in Mitchell Robinson and lacked true shot creators to help keep the offense afloat when guys like Julius Randle and RJ Barrett were struggling to score. The Grizzlies were a young team filled with inexperience. Despite excellent games from a rising All Star in Ja Morant or even Dillon Brooks they could not slow down Donovan Mitchell when he came back from injury. Neither could they get easy baskets against defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert.
It was growing pains that each team had to learn to deal with but vital in order for them to improve.
Both teams are now in prime position to better this off season and it is prudent that the front offices and head coaches keep this momentum going. That means making small, incremental moves that improve the roster without sacrificing the competitive edge or capping themselves out of future opportunities to continuing to improve the team dynamic. They will have to ensure that the correct decisions are made that does not disrupt the chemistry of the young players on the roster since any trade or free agent pick up can make or break the team.
The players themselves will have to strive to get better. Guys like RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Obi Toppin, Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and Desmond Bane showcased a lot of promise when they were on the court during their playoff games. None were perfect but there is always room for improvement. They are going to take these lessons to heart and know where to improve come next season.
Failure is part of the process of learning. Both teams had overachieved and now know their measuring stick of where they are realistically in the NBA. Their competition will likely improve and this would put further pressure on both organizations to ensure that the teams do not fall off the map once the off season begins. The Knicks and Grizzlies may have failed this time around but they should be inspired and motivated from it to only further improve.
*additional content from ESPN, NY Post, Bleacher Report, Daily News, The Strickland, The Knicks Wall, NY Times Sports, The Athletic, The Grizzly Bear Blues, Daily Memphian
