How Basketball Has Affected My Life

I love basketball I mean… I love it, love it. When I play basketball I play with my heart even if I am hurting in my legs or arms it is so damn fun! I love the game because people assume that I was built for it because of my height. The best enjoyment I get from the game is when I block people and just to see their reactions and pump up the players or the watchers. That affects my mental well being because it boosts my confidence as I feel like i’m the king of the world. Sometimes my mental well being is affected negatively while playing basketball because I feel like an underdog in a game like the feeling where you see taller people who just stares down at you and think they gonna block me. So I try play swiftly when I lay the ball up to
the hoop to get a trick shot in so those taller people will just grab a head full of air. When I play at school or just having a scrimmage at the park I expect everyone else to be on my level of excitement and adrenaline. So then my mental well being rises and I am able to have a higher confidence and I do not get mad. I consider this level when I play “Beast Mode” which is inspired by another one of my favourites the “Brodie” Russell Westbrook. He is my new idol since Kobe’s retirement.
Playing basketball I was able to attend training camp funded by Steven Adams.
It was a great experience to stand next a New Zealander who has made it to the big league in a sport that I love. Going to this affected my social well being because I had made a friend that also comes from Hawke’s Bay. He was waiting for his friends but they had not shown up, so he hung out with me. It affected my social well being because I had made a friend and he was easy to connect with as we shared the same interests. It also affected my mental well being because it made me feel more comfortable at the camp because he made it more enjoyable and I did not feel out of place because I had someone to talk to. I did not mind him hanging out with me as he was a very good basketball player, he stood around about 6’4 tall which kinda intimidated me. This affected my mental well being because I thought he was better than me and I am a very competitive person. So that affected my physical well being because I had to be better than him so ran faster and be better at the drills. Another thing that affected by well being was when Steven Adams was defending us in the key and I saw my mate drive up to him and got blocked so I went up and scored on Steven. My spiritual well being was affected (big time) because I just had a boost of confidence and my adrenaline just skyrocketed to the moon. I was so excited that I scored on a NBA player because Steven Adams is very tall, he stands at about 7’0’. It affected
my mental well being because I kept thinking to myself that “Anything is possible” - quoted by Kevin Garnett. So one day in the near future I could do the possible be made out of plastic and made out of pixels and achieve my goals like; seeing my own name on my own shoes or be known as a professional baller. It also makes me think it is possible that you don't have to have American to be in the NBA because that is where I want to go one day. I am very passionate about basketball and I respect anyone who plays it and respect anyone even more if they ask me to join their game or just an one on one. I only played one game with this short person who was so eager and keen and almost confident that he’ll “Whoop my ass” as he said, but he gave up cause I was “Too Fast” with 5 points to me and 2 for him. But I respected him from trying as he was from around my community also. It's hard to ask for a game as I grew up in a area where you’ll get a no if you are not known so I try my best to be known around my area. Mainly those that play at the basketball courts are gang members but most of them were related to one of my cousins or uncles.