I asked this question before, back in March, but let’s try again: Would you walk away from a job opportunity in place for the following year for a chance to win a championship? Even if you still might get another different opportunity after the current season?
My answer would clearly be no. It was then, and it still is now. I wonder if basketball player Mike Bibby, who just finished playing in the NBA finals, feels the the same or differently? After all, the Miami Heat just ended their season without a championship.
Background
My prior post described the original situation. To recap here, earlier this year, Mike Bibby was apparently set to make a nice pro basketball salary this season, and a nice pro basketball salary nex tseason, for his basketball services with the Washington Wizards franchise. Washington has a lousy team. Based on news reports (source: ESPN), he gave up that contract for next season. Then, he continued his current season with the Miami Heat (instead of Washington). Miami was loaded with big-time talent including LeBron James, and was widely considered by many to be the favorite to win the NBA championship this year.
Mike Bibby has played in the NBA for many years, is a veteran player who has had a highly impressive career, but never won an overall league championship at this pro level.
The Outcome
Miami breezed through the playoffs, including a convincing series victory against the tough Chicago Bulls, who had the best regular season in the league. Anyway, Miami did show their superiority as a team and made it all the way the NBA Finals, the last best-of-7 round to determine the NBA championship.
It looked like Bibby, who by now is a veteran contributor rather than current-season all-star player, might get that NBA championship ring that had eluded him all these years.
Unfortunately it didn’t happen.
The Dallas Mavericks upset Miami and won the NBA championship. Mike Bibby and his teammates did not get the championship.
Who knows, he’s a veteran but maybe he’ll sign somewhere next year and make some really good money anyway. He’s a talented player. But still…..
Bottom Line: Bibby took a buyout (per ESPN) but unfortunately failed to get a championship with Miami.
My Takeaways
Well, first of all I do respect the notion that what’s important to me might not be the same as what’s important to someone else. Many of us have different dreams and values we attach to those dreams. I may be wrong, but I’m guessing that he probably made the smartest decisions for himself at the time. I’m in no way judging someone else’s opinion for himself.
Of course, a pro basketball salary is a lot of money from the perspective of an ordinary joe or jane. A lot of people would love to have that kind of money, many people could retire on that money. It’s not an insignificant amount of money for regular folk.
Point two I’d like to explore further: Is any job you could possibly have worth giving up the kind of money that pro basketball players make?
I’m not begrudging Bibby in any way, and think his actions are quite noble. He seems smart. I’m just coming from a regular guy’s perspective.
What do You Think?