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In those pickup games, Obama has written, “a handful of black men, mostly gym rats and has-beens, would teach me an attitude that didn’t just have to do with the sport. That respect came from what you did and not who your daddy was. That you could talk stuff to rattle an opponent, but that you should shut the hell up if you couldn’t back it up. That you didn’t let anyone sneak up behind you to see emotions — like hurt or fear — you didn’t want them to see.
As a boy Barack Obama playing basketball, and he never stopped - Alexander Wolff - SI.com
I know exactly what he means. When I was a young boy all I did was play basketball for hours on end, perfecting my shot and ball handling. I was mad if I saw any cars in our driveway, blocking the rim. It paid off, basketball comes more naturally to me than anything else I do atheletically. And I am a little above average baller. Like Barak I sat the bench in varsity in school and was very frustrated about it, thinking I was better than I was. But I really had my best moments in street basketball, constantly striving to win the next game. I can still walk on to any court anywhere and spot ballers and play with them according to the near universal unwritten rules of pickup basketball. I have played 6-8 even 10 hours straight of pickup basketball, dragging myself home after one final game in near dark. I have hit shots that have won games and missed layups that have lost them. I learned how to play to win in basketball games, and never give up a chance to beat your opponent. However there is always another game if you lose. I have connected with many different types of people over basketball and hope to connect with many more. I never understood how my cousin Ryan, who was a college player, gave up on basketball after he graduated and let the weight come on. Basketball is something I will play into my sixties or seventies. There is an intense team against team war-dance at the heart of a good game of basketball and is evident to those who understand the game. It is such a team sport. Damn, I should go play right now.
