1. Hard Work Pays Off. Stephon studied and continually practiced playing basketball from the time he was a kid to an adult. He also had basketball in his genes (as he had siblings who played before him) and a great support system in the form of his family and coaches, who let him know that basketball could take him anywhere around the world if he allowed it to. Throughout his story, this proved to be true, as he worked hard, pushed through different adversities such as socioeconomic challenges, living in the projects, and trying to navigate the pressures and challenges that can come with being a rising star who’s skilled in a sport like basketball. His hard work and disciplined focused would eventually lead him into the NBA. Although we all have different journeys, I believe that if and when you discover what you were born to do, work hard at it, and become great with it, you may end up going places beyond your wildest dreams.
2. He Got Game. In 1998 Spike Lee released a film called He Got Game. It told the story of a gifted and highly skilled Abraham Lincoln High School basketball star, Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen), from Coney Island who was destined to soar to extraordinary heights with college basketball. I’m a longtime Spike Lee fan and had seen the film a handful of times before. Prior to watching A Kid From Coney Island, I had no idea about the similarities between the character of Jesus in He Got Game and Stephon’s real-life journey. In A Kid From Coney Island, Ray Allen, also a former NBA player, noted that the role he played was, “A bite off of Stephon’s life.” A film about a young athlete from Coney Island making it big is inspiring for sure.
3. You Can Use Adversity To Your Advantage. As Stephon began making strides and power moves in the world of professional basketball, he also faced a lot of challenges. As a young player he began to learn about the business side of being in the NBA; having to relocate and move through different team trades, bad press, harsh media criticism, and more. All of which began to weigh on him. In the midst of those challenges, he also lost his father, who ended up passing away. The pressure would eventually mount for Stephon, later leading to an exit from playing professional basketball in the states. But he used his adversities to his advantage and made a decision that would ultimately change the trajectory of his basketball career.
4. You Can Have A Fresh Start. After declining a veteran’s minimum offer to play in the NBA and deciding to move forward somewhere else, Stephon was offered the opportunity to play overseas and chose to go to China. Personally and professionally things were falling apart, and he needed to make some changes. He had the opportunity to have a fresh start, and this start afforded him the opportunity to continue doing what he loved and gain a whole new fan base and following in an unfamiliar area where he was able to make a new name for himself. Watching him have the opportunity to reinvent his basketball career was a reminder to me that fresh starts are possible. Sometimes, a fresh start is exactly what you need to move forward towards better.
5. Legacy Building Matters. While Stephon had an extraordinary basketball career in the NBA and overseas, what matters most is the legacy building he’s done. He was a kid from Coney Island who changed the lives of his family, community, and others. Yes, he had challenges, success, and controversial moments, but he’s also shown that legacy building matters. His journey is inspiring and shows that commitment, dedication, and sacrifice pay off.