You live by the sword and you die by the sword. Utah Jazz forward John Collins knows this principle well. For many years as an Atlanta Hawk, Collins was known for his high-flying dunks – sometimes at the expense and over other players.
But on Monday, March 18, 2024, Collins was the recipient of this NBA season’s Dunk of the Year by Minnesota Timberwolves superstar player Anthony Edwards.
With 5:34 remaining in the 3rd quarter and the Jazz leading by a score of 66-65, Edwards stole a pass and proceeded down court. Only Collins stood between him and the basket. Watch the video below to see what happened next.
5 Leadership Lessons from Anthony Edwards’s Dunk of the Year
The following are five leadership lessons we learn from Anthony Edwards’s dunk of the year:
One Man’s Mistake Leads To Another Man’s Opportunity
It was a Jazz turnover which led to the Timberwolves’s fast break resulting in the play you saw above. You do not want to wish ill-will on anyone but if one of your rivals makes a strategic error or mistake, this presents an opportunity for you and your organization to fill the void and do something significant.
The Value Of Team
It gets lost because of the magnitude of the play but the Edwards dunk was setup by a pass from Nickeil Alexander-Walker. No matter what industry you lead in, you need a team to reach your full potential.
Play To Your Strengths
Edwards is the most physically-gifted athlete in the NBA and his skills were put on full display. If you want your organization to reach its full potential, you must put your most talented people in positions to play to their strengths as well.
Leaders Must Be Willing To Pay A High Price For Success
Edwards dunked with such force he dislocated a finger on his opposite hand. Afterwards, he immediately walked to the dressing room to have it reset. Then promptly returned to action to shoot his free throw.
If leaders want to accomplish anything memorable, they must be willing to pay a high price to do so.
Celebration Is Best Done In Community
One of the best parts of the video clip was the reaction of the Timberwolves’s bench. It is a reminder that when you succeed as a leader, it does you no good if there is not anyone there to enjoy it with. It is true, celebration is team sport.
My latest eBook is available for download. The Top 65 Leadership Quotes Of 2022 Part 1 is a resource every leader should have. Great quotes bring clarity and put into words who we intuitively feel as leaders. They give us wisdom and insights which advance the mission and vision of our organizations. This eBook includes thoughts and insights from leaders like Warren Buffett, Nick Saban, James Clear, Dawn Staley, Jurgen Klopp, Jerry Seinfeld, and even Ted Lasso. This resource will take you about 10 minutes to read but a lifetime to apply. You will want to stop and ponder the implications of each quote. Click HERE or on the image provided for immediate download!