COVER STORY
Hamilton: When you’re raised in my era, and are operating with the ‘lack of ’, you’re always trying to figure out how you’re going to work through challenges. You’re always thinking ahead and trying to operate from a proactive posture. So when that happens, your mind automati- cally goes to a different mode so as to calculate what the challenges are and how to avoid the pitfalls others were un- able to. So we were always prepared. A couple of things slipped our opponents. For the most part we were successful at thinking ahead and anticipating the things that could potentially go wrong. Journal: Another thing that was unique about this season was that we saw the explosion of the social justice movement over the summer. Of course, different programs handled it in different ways. I saw some programs where the play- ers and staff had social justice slogans on their jerseys, some programs did community outreach and participated in protests themselves. How did your pro- gram handle the modern social justice movement that we find ourselves in right now?
era that was much more volatile than what we are experiencing now, I think I was a little more unemotional, yet more prepared to deal with this from this standpoint: I am not a proponent of symbolic gestures that in my opinion don’t necessarily move the needle. I want to be a part of making an actual difference as opposed to following the crowd, which has never been some- thing I’ve been known for. I want to do things that have a way of affecting change. I tried to explain to my players behind closed doors what we actually are dealing with. And if we are going to do anything, let’s do something that will actually make a difference and not be a detriment, which hurts your platform. From that standpoint, that was a little challenging for us. So, we did what we could do in terms of representing our school and representing ourselves, as well as finding ways to eliminate the stereotypical impression that people have of athletes. We were trying to represent in a fashion that would give us a platform that would be positive as op- posed to one that could be positive and negative at the same time.
be a head coach in the NBA with the Washington Wizards. What was that experience like, and how did it compare to coaching at the Power Five level of college basketball? Hamilton: I really, really enjoyed the experience. And would not trade it for anything. But I’m a college coach. I en- joyed the experience and would not have had it any other way. But there’s a saying that “there’s nothing sadder than a man who doesn’t know who he really is.” It’s important to me to work with young people and try to prepare them for life after basketball. I feel more empowered. I feel like I’m making more of a contri- bution when I’m working with young- sters from all different backgrounds and all different types of exposures. When you’re dealing with the NBA you’re dealing with the elite professionals. And to be very honest with you, I don’t think they really need my services. My values is taking teenagers and helping them be- come successful young adults. I just feel more effective and comfortable in this environment. My skills are more suited for working with young people because that was more my journey. And because of my experience during the era that I
Hamilton: Being that I grew up in an
Journal: You had the opportunity to
30 | SPRING 2021 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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