Polish NT member names things he wish he knew as 20-year-old at age of 30 / News - Basketnews.com

Tomasz Gielo made an interesting thread on Twitter, naming things he wish he had known as a 20-year-old basketball player he knows now as a 30-year-old.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Merkezefendi Bld. Denizli Basket forward Tomasz Gielo made an interesting thread on Twitter, naming things he wish he had known as a 20-year-old basketball player he knows now as a 30-year-old.

Throughout his career, Gielo played for such teams as Joventut Badalona, Lenovo Tenerife, MoraBanc Andorra, s.Oliver Wurzburg, Peristeri B.C, and Merkezefendi Bld. Denizli Basket.

He became FIBA Intercontinental Cup winner with Tenerife in 2020.

In his NCAA years, Gielo played for Libery Flames and Ole Miss Rebels.

1. You won't like all your coaches

It's a piece of advice from one of my veteran teammates early in my career and something that has stuck with me till now. He mentioned that in all of his career, he's only had one coach that he actually liked and stayed in contact with.

Hard truth: coach's job is NOT to be your friend. He has a goal for a team and a job to protect. He has 12 players to worry about, which means there are 12 different egos to handle. Understand that. Don't expect your coach to give you the attention you believe you deserve.

2. Focus not on the places where you want to be but on the type of person you want to become in the process

The saying goes: "We plan, God, laughs". The truth is you have less control over the exact teams you will end up playing for than you'd think.

Professional sports are a business industry like any other. Changes happen. Your team might lose a game, then the next day, you find out your coach got fired and next thing you know, your agent is telling you the team wants to make changes, and you have to find a new team to play for.

Especially as a young player, you tend to get emotional over these things. With time and experience, you see that often these situations are not just a player's fault, it's simply part of the business.

3. You will never regret choosing your goals over a party/social event

Not much to explain here, but especially when we are younger, we feel the urge to socialize with others and be a part of a group, feel that we belong. This will eventually collide with your goals.

I learned early on that my priority is basketball and my dream. However, I can still remember the times I felt terrible for declining a party invite, missing out on somebody's birthday party on the weekend because of a game, etc.

Looking back now, the decisions seemed more obvious and paid off, but it wasn't till I became older that some of my friends brought this topic up and said that they couldn't always understand my decisions back then, but they respect it now.

Credit FIBA

4. Your dreams and work ethic might take you where you want to be, but not everybody will make that journey with you

There's always a hidden price to pay for your goals, and you can't expect to know it all beforehand. The "tax" on your dreams.

I'm blessed to turn my dream of becoming a professional athlete into true. But it came with things I didn't understand at the time when I was younger. Best example? The lack of family time. I've spent Christmas with my parents TWICE in the last 12 years.

Most of my teammates growing up, whom I used to practice with and dream about going pro, didn't make it. So on the one side, I feel extremely blessed. On the other hand, at times, you don't realize this journey gets lonely and it's not meant for everyone.

5. You will never regret standing up for your teammate if you see something wrong or unjust being done... no matter the consequences

I try to live my life with a set of values - partially instilled in me by my amazing parents and partially by the experiences in my life.

Life will test you. So be careful of whatever you say you are because life will go for sure put you in a situation where you have to prove it. Not only to others but primarly to yourself. Will you stand up for the values you say you believe in?

Having gone through a few of these by now and oftentimes having to deal with the consequences, I am much better off having paid the price BUT knowing who I really am and what I stand for. It's not for the gratitude of your teammate, nor for publicity. It's for you.

6. Every country has a different culture, but people are more similar than you think

Since turning 18, I've lived in 6 different countries. Each one with its language and culture. What's amazing is that life, in general, is so similar despite all these differences.

People have the same feelings and deal with similar problems. We are much more alike than different, which makes me believe the most close-minded people are the ones that never travel and become prisoners of the idea of other nationalities being "generally bad" or "hostile".

Credit FIBA

7. Basketball will define you only if you let it

At 30, I can honestly say that I've spent more time in my life being a basketball player than not. My whole life revolves around basketball now. But what if you expand your timeline a bit? How about when you are 80?

You'll spend more time in life NOT being a basketball player. How will you handle that? Where will your value come from? Can you find success off the court and provide for your family? Answering these questions determines how you handle your career both on and off the court.

*BONUS: Enjoy the ride, it goes by faster than you think. I'll end by just leaving this gem by Isaiah Thomas

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