A Timeless Resource

Like most people I am spending this summer with family and great friends. Having these moments with my children and my grandson are priceless memories. My life has been filled with some great memories; from my Dunbar Poet days, to Wake Forest, all the way through the NBA. As of late I’ve had a few fan ask “How does it feel to be retired?” or “What do you do now that you are retired?”. To be honest, I do the same things that I did prior to retiring.

I’ve always enjoyed helping the youth, so my basketball camps are still important to me. I still contribute to the community and dedicate my time to as many organizations and causes as I possibly can. I love reading the comments, posts, and tweets from fans that tell me that I was able to be a role model for them. My goal is to continue to grow as a role model; I want to be just as much of an inspiration now as I was then.

No matter how old we get, growth never grows old. It’s all about looking back and then giving back. Trust me when I say that dedicating your time to make a difference is more rewarding to you than those you help. I encourage everyone to find a cause or to support an organization with your time. Time is a resource that we all have in common and if we use it correctly we’ll make a timeless difference.

Winning The Title: On and Off The Court

                              

Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks for their Championship title. It was a great series with plenty of suspense, uncertainties, and very big plays. In watching this entire series two words continue to come to mind: perseverance and sportsmanship.

Both are pertinent qualities on the court, but they have just as much meaning off the court. Neither team just showed up at the finals. Both teams had to persevere through personal and athletic setbacks and triumphs. Playing through fevers, media stories, and just the pressure of playing on the big stage could all be issues that would make some people give up. The players on both teams pushed through it all and never looked back; in fact it was evident on the court that they used it as fuel to keep going. We all will experience setbacks but its how you use those setbacks to keep going that’s ultimately important. If you never give up on trying then ultimately you will succeed.

While dealing with these setbacks, you are going to have some small defeats. Sportsmanship is more than just being able to shake someone’s hand after the game. It’s respecting your opponent’s abilities and skills. Those who have high levels of sportsmanship not only respect their opponents, in time of defeat or victory, they do what they can to learn from them. If your opponent has caused you to come up short, look at it as a challenge. Learn their skills, find out how they were able to come up victorious, and then use that to strengthen your game. Again, this isn’t just a court lesson, this is a life lesson. 

Living a Dream

Tuesday’s game proved to be interesting. My pick for the NBA Champions is not wavering; the Mavericks will take this all the way. The Heat played very aggressive ball, especially in the second half. The Mavs are going to have to really focus on their strengths. The Mavericks have been playing great ball all season long. They didn’t accidently emerge overnight. This team has a solid game plan, they just need to execute it and remember what got them to the Championship.


Dirk’s game was great. He was flawless from the free throw line, which is going to be pivotal in the upcoming games. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do over this series. The guy put up a solid 27 points and he’s only getting started.


My love for this game extends well past my playing years. I enjoy watching the game, talking about the game, and just sharing that love and respect for the game with those around me. My summer is definitely going to be busy but I will always make time for my family and basketball. Sometimes I get lucky and I’m able to combine the two. I play with my son and his friends. And the answer is yes, I do beat them and I remind them that I’m still the boss. It’s always a joy to spend that time with them. Working with the youth has always been a passion of mine and spending that time with my son is no exception.


That passion helped me develop various camp programs. I have a camp coming up in June and I’m really looking forward to it. To have the opportunity to help kids who are determined to improve is inspirational in itself. It’s not always about the level of talent that will carry someone, the amount of dedication and sacrifices have been proven to carry people far above talent. Having these camps gives me the opportunity to teach technique and skills, but most importantly it gives me the opportunity to condition the minds of the youth. Mental strength is more than half the battle when training. I enjoy every day of camp, but watching those kids leave that court with more knowledge, more skills, and more confidence than they entered is always rewarding. It reminds me why I’m #ALLIN.

Full Court Pressure

A lot has happened this week in the NBA. As I predicted, the Mavs pulled it out to head to the finals. I still have them winning it all. Miami Heat pulled this out in the game tonight, although I predicted the Bulls. The finals are going to be tight, the Heat are hot right now but the Mavs are hungry.

In watching the playoffs I often reflect on the power of determination and heart. There are always plenty of people who don’t think that someone can succeed. That person may not have what it normally takes for someone to succeed, so they are instantly counted out. I didn’t have the height that other successful players had, but I wasn’t lacking in determination, heart, or drive.

I’m not just speaking about this from a basketball perspective, but from life. There’s always going to be that one person that has an advantage over you in anything you set out to accomplish. That advantage however is not a free pass to privilege. It’s quite possible that you are going to have to work harder, put in longer hours, and make some serious sacrifices to achieve the same goal that seem seamless for others.

When you put all your heart into a goal there is absolutely nothing better than not only achieving it, but exceeding all expectations and beating all odds. It’s like playing full court, man to man pressure. Its hard work, it’s tiring, at times it may even seem like it’s not working, but if you’re well conditioned for this goal your opponents will eventually get tired. Opposition, whether in the form of an opponent or an obstacle, is only meant to test your readiness for the ultimate goal. Are you ready; better yet are you #ALLIN? 

The 1st Quarter

I decided to start this blog to get more in touch with my fans and to share my current thoughts on various topics. Always feel free to ask questions or make suggestions for my next blog. I look forward to hearing from all of you and I hope you like the blog. So welcome to “In The Mind of Muggsy”.

So as you all know the NBA playoffs are well underway, NBA fans have seen some shockers this season. At first I thought that Miami was going to take it all the way to the finals, but now I think that the Bulls are going to take it. All in all at the very end of it, Mavericks are going to be the NBA Champions. Right now they are hot and with the numbers and poise of the team, I feel like they are going to take this all the way.

If you have been following my tweets or Facebook posts, you definitely know how I feel about D.Rose. To be so young, the kid has taken the Bulls on his back and has evolved into a great leader. He’s definitely someone that people should be paying attention to. His stats are solid and he’s very focused on the game right now, and that shows in his playing. Another young fella to look out for is Russell Westbrook. In the playoffs he’s averaging 23 points a game. He’s showing great maturity on the court. Of course, Jason Kidd is one of my all time favorite guards. He really brings focus and maturity to the court and I like the way he plays the game.

As for what I’m doing now, I still hoop for fun in my free time with my son, who I always beat. Working with kids is still a passion of mine and I enjoy every second of it.  Right now I’m working with kids in the local area (Charlotte, NC) and because of summer, I’ve been doing training for some college kids. I’ve got some summer camps and clinics throughout the summer. Stay tuned and make sure that you are ALL IN to get the latest news and info on what I’m doing and where I will be.