Blog Posting #59, May 31, 2009

Nicholas Owens Teaches the Nuggets About Perspective

Category: Philosophy

During my 12-year professional career, I have had the privilege of meeting a handful of fans that reminded me, basketball is only a game. There are more important things in life. The current Denver Nuggets players, it seems, have also met one of these very special people. During half time of Friday’s Nuggets vs. Lakers playoff game, ESPN played a feature that focused on the Denver Nuggets’ number one fan, Nicholas Owens. In his early thirties, Nicholas has unlimited access to the locker room, greets the players as they enter and leave the floor, and delivers their game tickets to the Pepsi Center’s ticket office, all in a wheelchair.  

Nicholas was born with “spina bifida,” a condition where the spinal cord is incompletely formed, causing permanent damage to unprotected nerves. The heavier and older Nicholas gets, the more pressure is put on his spine, bones, and back. His scoliosis makes things even worse.

When Dikembe Mutombo was a Nugget, he met Nicholas at a Children’s Hospital fundraiser. After the event, awestruck by Mutombo’s size and stature, he asked the 7’0” Nugget a bold question, “Can I walk under your legs?” This initiated a deep friendship, so much so, Dikembe said Nicholas was like his “little brother.”

The second Nugget to take a personal interest in Nick was Carmello Anthony. The two met just after the 2003 NBA draft, when Carmello was picked by Denver. In a hospital bed, Nicholas welcomed Anthony to Denver. The meeting touched an empathetic nerve in Carmello for, after discovering Nicholas’s family didn’t have the proper means for commuting, he bought them a $30,000 van, with an electric lift and ramp. As a result, Nicholas and his family don’t miss a game. 

But “giving” went both ways. The Nuggets admit Nicholas has given them a reality check. As an NBA player, it’s easy to get things out of perspective. It’s easy to become “full of yourself” in an environment full of reminders of how special and great you are. In the ESPN special, Chauncey Billups mentioned Nicholas Owens was “part of the team.”  To Nicholas, being “part of the team” doesn’t mean doing his part to help bring a title to Denver. He cares more about companionships than championships. This is proven by the fact that, when watching a game, he ignores his friends’ turnovers and missed shots because he’s too busy looking for the next thing to cheer about. 

If, sometime in my life, I witness either of the following two scenarios, I will cheer as loud as Nicholas.  
1. The first is a coach that, while teaching his team how to win games, shows more excitement about fun practices, team picnics, team hikes, and watching a college or pro game together at his home.

2. The second is, a dad that, after his son’s game is over and he’s driving him home, refrains from talking about the game and, instead, talks about how proud he is to be his father, what’s for dinner, and that father-son fishing trip coming up.

That “perspective” is something, I’m confident, Nicholas Owens has taught Carmello, Chauncey, and the rest of the Nuggets. Thank you, ESPN.