Concerning the Point Guard

DOES THE POINT GUARD like the colour green? Does he know of Bill Russell’s accomplishments? Larry Bird’s? How does the point guard feel about Kobe Bryant? About Blake Griffin? If we were to ask him, would the point guard give us an honest answer?

Does the point guard know he has the dreams of an entire city on his slender shoulders? Does he feel responsible for their hopes, for their emotional well-being? Does the point guard hate LeBron personally, or does he see the defeat of James, Wade & co.  as merely another job to complete? Does he view what he does as a job? Or does he recognize the peculiarities of the circumstances of his life, the charmed existences lead by him and his professional athlete peers?

Does the point guard realize that if he continues to play at his current level and assembles a string of triple doubles that helps his team overcome a 2-0 deficit and reach the Finals he will have cemented his own legend?

Do assists please the point guard? Does he derive as much pleasure from an aesthetically pleasing pass as he does from a textbook lay-up? Who are his heroes? Are they scorers or ball handlers? Or both?

How does the point guard choose whether or not to wear a headband?

Does the point guard know that photos of his horizontally striped, wide-shouldered jacket recently made the internet rounds, resulting in much derision? Does he care? Does he choose his own clothes? How does he choose? Does he shop, or is his shopping done for him? Does he iron his own shirts?

Does the point guard ache? Does plantar fasciitis rob him of sleep? Does he use sleep aids? Does the point guard read fiction before he turns out the light in his hotel room? Does he read from a book or on a Kindle? In the morning, does he read the newspaper? With coffee or tea? Does he worry about his knees?

Does the point guard admire Garnett and Pierce as men? Does he like them? Does he go to the movies with them, drink coffee, share gossip? Does he ask their advice in the areas of basketball and women?

Does the point guard truly think he and his teammates can defeat the Miami Heat? Does the point guard realize that the recycling bins of the nation will overflow with champagne bottles if he is successful?  Does the point guard drink champagne? Will he take it if it is offered? Will he wear goggles in order to keep its jubilant spray from stinging his eyes? Would the victory the champagne is meant to celebrate be more satisfying than his first title? Than his next?

Does the point guard think about all of these things? Or is the point guard focused only on the nuts and bolts of his game? Is this type of focus what makes the point guard successful? Is it what separates a player of his calibre from the rest of the human race?