Linspired, Kids Edition by Mike Yorkey

Author:Mike Yorkey [Yorkey, Mike; Florea, Jesse]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-310-73526-7
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Published: 2012-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

The Tempting Life of the NBA

Playing nearly as many games for the Reno Bighorns (twenty) as he did with the Golden State Warriors (twenty-nine), Jeremy discovered that the NBA was not an easy gig. The long season had players bouncing from city to city like a ball in a pinball machine. The physical strain of performing on back-to-back nights in different cities fatigued the legs. Even the best-conditioned athletes found they had to pace themselves during the season—even during games—so they had something in reserve for a fourth-quarter rally.

Besides the physical demands, Christian hoopsters like Jeremy have it even tougher because of temptations that bombard them daily. They are presented with numerous opportunities to compromise their values and follow worldly desires. Without overstating it, NBA players face challenges and temptations that are nearly impossible to comprehend. They have money, lots of free time on their hands, and flocks of women trying to catch their eye in hotel lobbies, restaurants, and bars. Often dressed provocatively, these women hope to develop a relationship with a millionaire athlete.

“Most people forget that we’re talking about kids in their early twenties,” said Jeff Ryan, the chaplain for the Orlando Magic. “If you can remember your early twenties, and I can remember mine, you don’t always make the right choices. I was fortunate that I didn’t have the temptations that these guys have. Remember, they are targeted. Some handle it well, and some don’t. Unfortunately, there are plenty of guys who get caught up in the women thing and get their heads turned. They come into the league with the best of intentions, wanting to be faithful, wanting to be strong, but they give in to temptation.”

Before Jeremy set foot in the NBA, his mom and dad warned him about the temptations he’d encounter.

“They said, ‘Be smart. There are going to be girls throwing themselves at you, so be smart,’“ Jeremy said. “They also reminded me to make sure that I took care of my relationship with God first.”

Because Jeremy had his eyes wide open, his faith as a priority, and good Christian teammates, he said after his rookie season: “I don’t want to say it was easy, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It helped that I had a couple of teammates who were strong Christians—Stephen Curry and Reggie Williams. We would go to chapel together before the games, and we would occasionally have Christian conversations, so that was definitely helpful. I had a lot of accountability in terms of a small group. And I was at home playing for the Warriors, so I went to my home church whenever I could.”

Having his family nearby made the transition into the pros a lot easier, but his busy schedule made getting to church difficult. Often he listened to sermons on his computer on Sunday. His dad also burned a bunch of sermons for him onto CDs, so he carried them around in a case and listened whenever he got the chance.

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