The Stretch Provision

If you are a young and aspiring basketball player, you need to read and watch Bill Simmons’ The Finish Line. Not because it will teach you how to become a better youth basketball player but because it may help you realize how precious the game is.

The documentary lays out the last few months of Steve Nash’s journey to get back on the court with the Los Angeles Lakers. It documents the workouts, the treatments, the criticism of taking a $9.3 million paycheck this year and potentially $9.7 million next year while being mostly injured. It’s clear that Nash loves the game. What hits home is that Nash, probably like most older well paid players in the NBA, is unaware of the “Stretch Provision”.

The Stretch Provision is an out, a way the NBA teams can release a player early from their contract and stretch out the hit on their salary cap. Or more simply, it’s a big warning sign to an injured player near the end of their career that says “You might be done playing earlier than you thought”.

When the realization hits home for Nash, it is incredible to see what he is willing to do just to get on the court a few more times. And remember, this is a guy that has already played basketball in the NBA for 18 years and made over $137 million in his career (not counting endorsements). Why?

The injections in his back.

The grueling workouts.

The constant bashing he takes from fans.

Why would he do it?

Because the game is precious. Because it is love. Because the challenge is what matters. He doesn’t know where the journey will end. But he knows he is 100% in control of the process.

All of our bodies have a shelf life. And the shelf life of a basketball player is at most a third of your entire life IF YOU ARE LUCKY.

Enjoy the process youth basketball players

Steve Nash is now 40 years old. He’s at the end of his basketball playing career. But think back to the beginning of every kid’s youth basketball career. It usually starts with a ball and just figuring things out.

Maybe you get a chance to play at the park when you are little. Or on your driveway. Maybe. Maybe not. Not everyone lives near a park or has a driveway.

Then a chance to play in a youth basketball rec league at the Y or community center if you are in an area that supports that. If you really hit the jackpot you get to learn from a coach that knows what they are doing. Maybe.

In junior high you might be one of the 30 kids that gets to play for your school. That is if your school has a budget for the program. Maybe that number is less.

Those fortunate enough to get to play at some level in high school may get one to four years to play for their school. You might even get to play on a travel team. Maybe.

And at this point, you probably know the odds of getting to play in college at any level. Today there are approximately 15,000,000 men aged 18-24 years old in the United States. There are about 26,000 roster spots on men’s college basketball programs in the United States. That means that less than 0.2% of guys will get a chance to play meaningful basketball after high school.

The point is simply this: the game is precious and will come to an end for everyone. Enjoy the process. The process is the only thing you can depend on, whether you are 10 years old and just developing your passion or 40 years old and trying to hang on to it.

Steve Nash gets it. Hopefully we all “get it” before it’s too late.