a good place for Victor Wembanyama to develop<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThat, taken in totality, is a good reminder for us as sports fans that softer factors can matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the knowledge floor rises — just think about how data and analytics have evolved over the years — it's easy to get a bit removed from the human aspect of the game. The best team, in theory, is the one with the best underlying numbers. Soft factors, like chemistry, are easily written off as obsolete nonsense that isn't replicable across a large sample.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And while there's some wisdom to that, it's easy to take things too far. Pro athletes are, at the end of the day, human, which means that things like a positive work environment do matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the risk of painting with a broad brush, let's consider an example. Think about your job and how you feel in the workplace. Do you feel respected by those around you? Or do you simply watch the clock until it's time to go home? I'd wager that you'd be more productive in the former than the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can you argue that, if you were making millions of dollars per year, you could tolerate even the worst work environment? Sure, but it's easy to say that from the outside. Once you were actually in the trenches and had spent multiple years being (metaphorically) kicked, you might feel differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That's not to say that every sports team needs to sing Kumbaya around the campfire; there's room for criticism, coaching, and hard decisions. At the same time, though, there is something to be said for creating a positive environment around a team. Whether that's done through amenities, a strong organizational culture, or any other means, those things do matter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And, if you're feeling skeptical about those “soft” factors, just think back to Kobe Bryant. If one of the most fearsome players in modern NBA history took advantage of a gentler environment to get a solid foundation at a pro level, anyone can benefit from that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While Kobe Bryant was a ruthless competitor, he was apparently treated with some kid gloves when he first landed in Hollywood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":1574384,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4829,86460,4855],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers Were Told Not to Haze a Young Kobe Bryant - Sports7<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n