Sophomore Jordan Tyson is a redshirt with Georgia State this season after spending two seasons at St. Bonaventure. Each month during the season, he will give us a behind-the-scenes look at what it is like to have to redshirt and not get to play. Make sure to check back next month for another edition of A Redshirt's Guide to College Basketball.
The process since I've been at Georgia State has been amazing. I've learned so much about myself, and more about the people around me. Time is going by very fast.
I find myself sitting in the hallway after a loss to Auburn trying to make sense of it all; how we got here so fast, what we're going to do now, and how I'm going to handle this transition. It's all a process, and it takes more patience than I obtain.
I'm starting to understand the importance of a team and people around you. One man can't do it by his or herself. That's something I had to learn at a very young age. But I'm thankful that I did, because now I have a better understanding of what's going on right now.
Everyone's pretty upset about the loss. But it's only the second game and we have a very good team with a lot of potential. Through the two years of experience I've had at my prior college, St. Bonaventure, I understand the root of the issue.
The most talented team I've ever played on was the team I was on my freshman year at St. Bonaventure. We had a center who was on the NBA draft board, who I got the chance to learn from and possibly play behind. Two junior college transfer guards that were ultra talented. A power forward who was all conference in the A-10, which was a top 5 conference in the country. Another 6-10, 280 pound center who was going on his second year at the school, a 6-9 shooter, a super athletic 6-8 wing, and three freshman, which included me and two other freshmen with loads of potential. We were stacked at all positions. We were probably one of the most talented teams in the country, yet at the end of the year, we didn't even make it to the N.I.T.
Our biggest downfall was a lack of chemistry, and a lack of belief and hope. When times got hard, like how they are now after tonight's loss, we made excuses and blamed each other. I always had the habit of talking and saying things I didn't fully live out or was willing to sacrifice myself. I'm doing better. I understand my word doesn't hold much right now since I'm not playing, but being in this same situation before, I know how to handle it better and I'm prepared to face the challenge. I'm very thankful for our coaching staff. Coach Hunter and the assistant coaches are just as competitive as any college coaching staff, striving to win games and make it to the Promised Land of the NCAA tournament.
But the noticeable difference I see between them and other coaches I've played for, is that they truly care about the full development of their players, and want us to be better people more than anything. The biggest thing Coach Hunter has been stressing to us lately is that it's not about one individual, but it's about the team as a whole; and that includes the coaches, managers, trainers, etc. Everyone must be on one accord in order to have success this season and reach our goal of making the NCAA tournament. If we're not all on one accord, than there will always be a hole, or some sort of malfunction within the program. Becoming one as a team also is a process that has it's ups and downs, but is worth the sacrifice and commitment.
Before I even committed to come to this school and play basketball, on my visit Coach Hunter talked about sacrificing for the betterment of the team and how important that was for him. His choice of sacrifice were certain foods. My sacrifice this year is my mind and my body. I've sacrificed the desire to become complacent and just sit back and do nothing while I sit out this year. I've sacrificed my body and give it my all during practice and treat it like a game, in hopes that it will prepare my teammates for the real opponent.
Finally, I've sacrificed my mind. Whenever my team plays I prepare as if I'm playing in the game. Watching my teammates play against Auburn, I was visualizing myself out there playing with them. I was encouraging them, getting hyped up as if I was out there with him. It's great to watch from a different perspective, and I'm thankful for this time in my life to sit back, evaluate, and come back even better.
Until next time,
Jordan Tyson
