The anatomy of a champion: Lessons from Jalen Brunson and other sports icons

Prescinding for a moment from the endless loops of our current “Senatflix” soap operas, the seasonal hand-wringing over flood control, and the latest impeachment threats blocking our view, let us look at something that requires quiet reflection: the anatomy of a champion.

The question of how an athlete matures becomes fascinating when viewed through physical blueprints. We often think of sports giants as genetic anomalies blessed with height or raw power. But look at Jalen Brunson, who carried the New York Knicks to a National Basketball Association (NBA) title, ending a 53-year drought. At 6’2”, Brunson is shorter than a number of our local players in the Philippine Basketball Association. He does not survive on aerial acrobatics; he dominates through a specialized basketball IQ, impeccable footwork, and a low center of gravity.

The late Ateneo rookie and Palarong Pambansa Most Valuable Player, Rene Baterbonia, whose tragic passing recently shocked the basketball community, showed raw, native dominance on the high school courts, and clearly possessed that rare spark. Had he been given attention and an elite, protective training environment designed to nurture his unique gifts, he could well have become another Jalen Brunson for Philippine basketball.

Article continues after this advertisement

Every now and then, Mother Nature—or God if you will—gifts us with an exceptional being. We see them across human history and endeavors: Steph Curry rewriting the physics of basketball, Michael Jordan defying gravity, Babe Ruth swinging for the fences, Joe Louis dominating the ring, and the legendary racehorse Secretariat. In the arts, we find them in Michelangelo, Paganini, Chopin, and Mozart. Closer to home, we have Manny Pacquiao, Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, and Lydia de Vega.

FEATURED STORIES

OPINION

OPINION

OPINION

But witnessing raw, native talent is only half the equation. The more critical question is: Are we, as a society or as managers of talent, ready to recognize them for who they are? Do our local sports trainers and administrators understand what it takes to let that talent mature safely?

An old-school mentality in local sports administration treats athletes with uniform compliance. Bureaucrats and trainers demand rigid institutional discipline to keep a prodigy in line with the rest of the pack. They believe in treating a rare talent like an ordinary performer. It stifles genius, and sometimes leads to tragedy.

Local sports trainers and administrators lack the capacity to build a bespoke, specialized environment. Discipline is vital, but for a prodigy, it should not mean forcing them to fit into a standardized local sports system. It means designing a nontraditional, elite ecosystem that allows their unique gifts to sharpen safely.

Article continues after this advertisement

Brunson’s father, an ex-NBA player, painstakingly built a training regimen focusing on leverage, mental toughness, and a refined mid-range game to beat taller defenders. Alex Eala was given specialized international exposure at an elite academy, recognizing that she needed world-class anticipation and a razor-sharp mental edge that local public clinics cannot provide. Mozart and Paganini were not left to standard music tutorials; their extraordinary capacities were recognized early and met with rigorous instruction.

If we expect them to carry our national aspirations, we must discard the rigid, one-size-fits-all rulebook and give them the specialized care and protection extraordinary talents deserve.

ATTY. JAMES D. LANSANG,

Article continues after this advertisement

[email protected]

For letters to the editor and contributed articles, email to [email protected]

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.