Everything We Want is on the Other Side of Hard
In the summer of 2019, Monty Williams was hired to become the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big Suns fan, but it has not always been the easiest team to root for. The Suns last made the playoffs in 2010, and that magical playoff run came to a heartbreaking end that still haunts me to this day (thanks Ron Artest).
Since he was hired, Monty has been preaching a consistent message, "Everything we want is on the other side of hard." This was not an overly dramatic statement given the situation he was entering: A 10-year playoff drought looming, disgruntled players exiting nearly every year, and a once proud franchise that had become the punchline for far too many NBA jokes.
His message has been focused. It will not be an easy journey to the top. Everything must be earned with steadfast commitment. The Suns have never won a championship in over 50 years as an NBA franchise. Sometimes it seems like cosmic forces are working against the Suns. Nevertheless, Monty is not intimidated. The gravitational pull of recent Suns failure is strong, but Monty's steady voice instills hope in the future.
Monty has not lived an easy life: Divorced parents, a tough neighborhood, a heart condition that caused him to miss two years of basketball at Notre Dame. Despite this, he was still drafted in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft, albeit lower than a player of his caliber would be expected to go. His career was cut short by chronic knee problems, but he quickly found his way into coaching.
In 2016, Monty's wife, Ingrid, was killed in a car accident by an intoxicated driver. I cannot to begin to imagine what that must have been like. His remarks at his wife's memorial service were some of the most gut-wrenching, yet inspiring words that I have ever heard.
He speaks frequently about how he does not want to be defined by the hardship in his life, and I respect that greatly. It is clear, however, from his experiences that he knows how to handle tough circumstances and continue to be all that he can be.
The Bubble
These past three weeks the Suns have been in the Bubble in Orlando, Florida. They were invited to be part of the NBA restart but were not expected to do much. They trailed the last playoff spot by six games with eight to play.
Some national news outlets were suggesting that the Suns might go 0-8. Others were "unintentionally" leaving the Suns off of graphics or predicting their odds of making the playoffs to be less than 1%.
Only in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the Suns would fight for a playoff spot, and even in those, an undefeated record seemed impossible. What the Suns accomplished was incredible.
It started with a routine win over a mediocre team, but it quickly heated up with close games, epic buzzer beaters, and poster dunks.
When the dust settled, the Suns were the only undefeated team in the Bubble. They had defied the odds, and earned the respect of the league. Even after all of that, they still needed some help. On Thursday evening, the Suns needed Brooklyn to beat Portland to have a chance at the playoffs. The game came down to a last-second Brooklyn shot that narrowly missed, sending the Suns back to Phoenix.
I have not been more proud to be a Suns fan in a long time. Monty won Coach of the Bubble and Devin Booker was named to the All-Bubble 1st team. I am hopeful that this is the start of something beautiful and incredible for Phoenix Suns basketball. I will be anxiously waiting the start of the next season with dreams of playoff basketball.
After winning the eighth game, Monty shared a heart-felt speech with his players. His leadership and commitment to the team are undeniable.
I don't want to make too much of a sporting event, but I was inspired by the Bubble Suns.
In a world that has been rocked by a global pandemic, the Suns dug deep and found a way to win eight straight games.
Everything we want is on the other side of hard. We have never been guaranteed lives free from personal or professional trials. Many live today with broken hearts and many more will experience tragedy in the future, but we must never give up. Challenges can be overcome. Lives can be changed. New histories can be written. Never forget that difficulty is not a signal to quit. Everything we want is on the other side of hard.