Professional Basketball Takes Youth Development One Step Backward
Swen Nater

The deliberate effort of youth coaches who are attempting to equip young people for successful adulthood by teaching them to accept coaching decisions with tact for the benefit of the team, took a tragic step backward last night in an NBA game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks. Instead of playing his starting point guard Russell Westbrook in the fourth quarter, Thunder Coach Scott Brooks opted not to put him back in and went with his backup, Eric Maynor who was doing a better job. The Thunder won.

When Westbrook walked to the bench and passed Brooks, he was flagrantly upset, telling his coach (according to ESPN), “I’m trying to run the [expletive] play, man.” while swinging his arms. He continued his protest for roughly a minute saying, “Tell them to run the [expletive] play.” As the fourth quarter progressed, he sustained his disapproval—although in a less-animated fashion—by putting on a manufactured smile and shaking his head. While his team was increasing its lead, he rarely applauded and gave acquiescent high fives, only when initiated by teammates. 

As I observed, I thought of the thousands of youth athletes who were watching and wondered what they were thinking. I guessed, from their perspective, they saw an adult having a temper tantrum and demonstrate disrespect and insubordination toward authority.  

Charles Barkley once said he wasn’t a role model and that, just because he dunks a basketball, he is not qualified to raise the children of others. Charles is correct in that professional athletes are not in primary positions of influence like parents are, but because children watch them, they do play a role in their development as future adults. To a great degree, young people learn how to be adults by mimicking what those older than them do, especially if they respect them. The family has the most opportunity to model behavior. Parents have primary influence because the interaction is day to day. Brothers and sisters can also impact behavior as well as grandparents, uncles, and aunts. But they also absorb information from periodic exposure to non-family members such as youth coaches (level 2) and celebrity athletes (level 3).   

Although the teaching and leadership quality of American youth sports leaves a lot to be desired, in theory, those coaches can do a lot to guide young people toward correct and civil adult behavior, the caliber of behavior necessary for success in the workplace, for example. In their first jobs, young adults will most likely be in a subordinate position. As they work to improve, there will come a time when the boss will make a decision not to promote them at that time. Although they should not quench their desire to advance, they should possess the maturity to understand, it is in their best interest and that of the group, to accept the status quo by patiently continuing to work hard, waiting for their next chance. I know of no better setting for teaching this than youth sports.

One level down from family in influence is everyone else, including the professional athlete. Those individuals have the ability to validate or counter what parents and youth coaches teach. Russell Westbrook had an opportunity to send a “second voice” message to the youth of America by accepting Coach Brooks’ decision and sitting down and shutting up. Instead, he gave a visual tutorial on exactly how not to handle the situation. But those observant and impressionable young people watching TV didn’t see it as a lesson on how not to do it. They saw it as a lesson on how to do it, and that is why I say, he performed a memorable disservice by setting youth sports back.   

I give credit for Scott Brooks for making the decision and sticking with it, win or lose, and also to Kevin Durant who publically supported Coach Brooks’ decision to play Maynor instead of Westbrook down the stretch. But, the damage was done.

The NBA markets itself by pointing out all of their community efforts and how they give back. For the sake of our young people, don’t you think it’s time something is done about poor role modeling? Scott Brooks and Kevin Durant took a very big step, one you rarely see in professional sports. May other coaches take note.

Each person must life their life as a model for others.
Rosa Parks