In The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons describes a conversation he had with Isiah Thomas where he learned “The Secret” of basketball. The SportsGuy listened intently while the one of the greatest pure point guards of all time told him what truly mattered on the basketball court.

Amazingly enough, the secret to basketball is that it’s NOT about basketball…at least according to Isiah Thomas.

The way basketball is structured, especially the NBA, encourages players to play for their own stats. If a player averages 20 p.p.g., or 10 r.p.g., or 10 a.p.g., or so on, HE will get paid. On the flip side, a player like Shane Battier bounces from team to team, EVEN THOUGH every team he has ever played for admits that he contributed in ways that never showed up in the box score.

Thomas knew from experience.  His Bad Boys seemed to get closer and closer every single year, but they could never get over the hump. Eventually, it was a trade that made absolutely no sense from a statistical standpoint that seemed to push them to the finish line. When they traded Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre, they lost both inside scoring AND rebounding. But for some reason, the team meshed better with Aguirre, it opened up more minutes for a young Dennis Rodman, and the Pistons ended up winning two straight titles.

The secret to winning went far beyond basketball and the stats that were being piled up by players. It was something mental. Something that stretched far beyond the hardwood. Until each player made the choice to put team over self, the team was doomed.

That’s one reason why the point guard position has always fascinated me. More than any other position, it is responsible for making sure that everyone on the floor understands and abides by “The Secret.”

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