Bets were placed, license plates were swapped, but the wallet remained empty.
I have to be very sure before I even consider placing a bet. The risk of losing is always too high for me. But then there was this beautiful purple Koenigsegg Regera, and my clear vision was deceived. I was floating on a purple cloud.
Monday, February 24th – To even make it onto my purple cloud, I first had to take a detour from Frankfurt to Seattle and then, early Tuesday morning, catch a flight from Seattle to Los Angeles. Finally back in La-La-Land to cover Lakers vs. Mavs.
No trade has ever filled me with this much excitement. I keep wondering why that is. Would I be just as ecstatic if Jokic had been traded to the Lakers? Or Giannis? I don’t think so. What makes this trade so special that I willingly sacrifice sleep and money just to cover Lakers vs. Mavs in person? I’ve asked myself that question repeatedly over the past few days, but I haven’t found a clear answer yet.
I think it’s mainly because of what he has already achieved at just 26 years old—and because I believe he has done it all with the brakes still on. What happens when we see his 100%? When he becomes fitter, more experienced! The thought that there’s still so much more we haven’t seen yet fills me with such anticipation that I’m willing to endure sleepless nights just to report live on what’s unfolding in Los Angeles.
Arriving at Crypto Arena, my purple cloud was about to turn into reality. The Koenigsegg Regera was actually parked right in front of the entrance—the same one that Jordan Brand had featured in a clip on social media just hours before tip-off. In the video, you could see the purple Regera as someone swapped its license plate from “77 Texas” to “77 California”—“Full tank, no mercy.”
Was all the hype surrounding the game too much pressure for Luka? Later, in the post-game press conference, we learned that he hadn’t been able to sleep before the game. That’s something I’ve really come to appreciate since Luka became a Laker—the fact that he doesn’t pretend to be “tough” but instead lets us see a glimpse of his emotions. I value that tremendously. Too often in professional sports, we forget that we are dealing with human beings, not machines. We judge faster than ever when we don’t see or get what we want or expect.
We’ve never had this much talent in the league, yet we’ve also never been this quick to criticize players or the game itself. What has changed in society that makes us so quick to complain, even when there’s nothing to complain about? Are we projecting our own shortcomings onto others? Do we feel better when we find flaws in someone else?
What would happen if Luka had multiple off-games in a row? Would people already call him “washed”? And then there are all these social media posts flooding our feeds, claiming the Mavericks supposedly wanted to get rid of him because he was drinking too much beer and smoking too much hookah.
The problem with social media is that anyone can take an old picture—maybe even years old—and claim whatever they want.
Why am I writing all this here? Honestly, I don’t really know. I guess I just wish for a little more respect. Respect in the way we treat each other and an appreciation for what we have.
There are so many top games happening every single night that I can’t even keep up. Should I watch the Celtics today? Or maybe the Cavs? But I also want to see OKC, or maybe the Nuggets? Then there are the Lakers, the Knicks, the Bucks, the Warriors, the Pistons, the Clippers, and so on. Every team is incredibly fun to watch.
But back to Lakers vs. Mavs. Before the game, I had the opportunity to ask JJ Redick a question. First, I wanted to tell him, how impressive his career path has already been. Then, I asked him how he always seems to find the right words—the ones we hear coming out of the locker room after a game—and how he prepares for a game emotionally.
“Well, first of all, I wouldn’t say I’ve had much success as a coach yet. I’m still very new to this, and I hope that in five or eight years, I can look back and say that I’ve accomplished a lot as a coach. As for my speeches, part of it is very instinctive. Another part is reflective, and sometimes it takes a bit of discussion with our coaching staff to decide when I should push the group or when I should hold back. We have 17 people on our coaching staff, including our coaching associates, and I have daily interactions with every player, but these coaches also have daily interactions with different players. That’s why it’s important to truly understand what’s happening within the group, what they’re going through, and how they’re feeling.
In preparing for this coaching role, I spent a lot of time talking to other coaches, and some of them were very helpful in giving me advice. I had about a 30-minute conversation with ‘Spo’ during last year’s All-Star break. We talked about various things, and he kept emphasizing that a lot of it is more of an art than a science. Some of it is just based on feel, and honestly, there have been times when I didn’t push, and it didn’t work. And there have been times when I did push, and it still didn’t work. You’re never going to be perfect at it. In the end, you have to trust your instincts.”
Everything he said explains exactly why I believe JJ is such a great coach. He sees deeper, he listens, and he understands that this is a process. Nothing is perfect from the start.
Which brings us back to Luka. Luka finished the game with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. Not perfect. But we are at the beginning of a new chapter, and not every game in the future will be his best either. But the journey is the goal.
And greater things are yet to come.
P.S.: All my bets ended up breaking even. What did I learn from this? That I’m right in not betting otherwise.
Just enjoy the process.
See you soon,
Your Flight Girl
Photo Credit: Adam Pantozzi
