Brent Price

By Jay Hoberecht

Everyone has heard the old clichés “there is no ‘I’ in team” or “TEAM…Together Everyone Achieves More”.  In sports and in all walks of life, being a great teammate makes positive things happen.  What are some of the distinguishing characteristics of a great teammate?

I talked with 20 people to find out what they considered the most important characteristics of being a great teammate. The group included one former NBA player, six college coaches, eleven high school coaches and two older former players.  

Brent Price, former NBA player, talked with me about the differences in being a great teammate in high school, college and the NBA.   Here is what I found out.

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT TEAMMATE

Trustworthy: Trust yourself and trust your teammates, be respectful and loyal.

Teachable spirit: Coachable, listen and respect leadership.

Accountable: Accept responsibility, accept valid criticism, the best players are the hardest workers when no one is watching.

Disciplined Start: your own engine, love the hard parts, understand the process.

Enthusiasm: Passion for the game, love the arena not the attention.

All the people I talked with said other things that can be summed up in a couple of statements.

Each day you control your attitude and effort.

The little things are the big things.  Players that concentrate on the little things get better little by little.

Remember you will always be part of a team throughout your life.  A great teammate knows when to lead and when to follow.  Being a great teammate is always a process not an event.  

Go be your best teammate! It’s a difference maker!