Saw a story the other day about Tayshaun Prince's role on Team USA that's competing in Beijing next month. According to the article: "Prince was chosen for the 2008 Olympic team headed for Beijing because of his intangibles and willingness to do grunt work — not in spite of those things."Said Prince: "You have to have guys that are willing to sacrifice and do some other things, and I definitely feel that I am that guy."
Coach K described Prince as a "glue guy," someone who can keep the team together:
"He's the ultimate team player and a star. I don't want to reduce guys' egos and say, 'You're the 11th or 12th man.' I want them to be a star. And I'm not saying Tayshaun is the 11 or 12th man, but wherever we put him in the ballgame, we want him to come in with a high level of ego, worthy of championship team. He's a glue guy on the team."
Every team needs a "glue guy." I've been fortunate to coach several players who fit the description. In the CBA, it was Keith Smart. In the USBL, Larry Lewis filled that role. Shane Battier was the "glue" in Memphis. Brian Cardinal and Darrell Armstrong were the guys who were willing to do whatever took to help the team win in Golden State and Orlando, respectively.
If you're a coach, find your glue guy. If you're a player, how can you be the glue that holds your team together?
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