A couple weekends ago I was at a beach party in the Philippines. The crowd comprised locals from the Cebu City region but my friends knew a couple of Americans there they wanted to see. As we joined this group exchanged pleasantries, I met an NBA recruiter named Greg*. Greg works for one of the great NBA teams–one with multiple championships–and travels the world to find the next NBA superstar.
Greg regaled us with the stories behind the the greatest players (and coaches!) in the league. After listening for a few minutes, I asked a question whose answer may change my life. Or at least profoundly summarize my plan for personal development. I asked Greg, “What is the single best quality in a recruit that predicts his success in the NBA?” Greg answered simply and quickly.