Youth often goes unappreciated until it's gone.
Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans has many gifts and talents, but none can help or accelerate life's learning process.
It's unavoidable, yet valuable.
Evans on Memorial Day used up a lifetime worth of luck while driving up to 130 miles an hour and weaving through traffic on a Sacramento freeway.
Fortunately for him, the worst fate he suffered was getting arrested for reckless driving and the subsequent legal penalties.
The embarrassment and criticism he's incurred and deserved from having the video recently released is nothing in the big picture.
And at 20, the big picture for many of us, can be as invisible as Casper, the friendly ghost. And as untouchable and unreachable as grabbing a handful of mist.
Hopefully, Evans recognizes Memorial Day he received a tremendously underrated opportunity.
He received an opportunity to live and those are not to go unappreciated.
Evans has untold potential as a basketball player. As young as he is, I'd wager he doesn't yet know how good he can become even two years from now.
Evans turns 21 Sept. 21. Give him an improved 15-foot jump shot - not to mention a three-pointer - two more years of competing against the world's best combined with deeper self-understanding of himself and his game.
Evans' capabilities are limitless.
His reckless driving, once again, was dangerous not only to himself, but to others. It's a situation he never should put himself in again.
However, it has no connection with his ability to play basketball or lead the Kings.
Evans needs to comprehend the good fortunes he has received. The basics - height, weight, strength, competitive nature and fearlessness - are blessings.
Blessings to be cherished and maximized and only he possesses the ability to put it together.
Let's hope this transgression soon becomes a forgotten misstep along the sometimes rocky road to growth.
Evans previously escaped another incident when he drove a car in which his cousin eventually charged for shooting and killing a man.
Incidents as serious as these could be seen by many as exhausted good fortune. I've never had a car that went 130 miles per hour, much less had that much power at my disposal.
I have been a passenger in a Volkswagen golf that was driven directly into a tree. The tree won and luckily, it was the first and hopefully, last time I ever moved to see if I was alive.
That good fortune always has been appreciated.
Let's hope Evans appreciates and recognizes the gift he received Memorial Day.
I know I plan on telling him the story of the late former Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills, who tragically died in 2000 while racing his car.
Evans only was 10 years old at the time.
However, he's now old enough to learn and appreciate. Evans more than enough information and experience from which to gather.
"His reckless driving, once again, was dangerous not only to himself, but to others. It's a situation he never should put himself in again.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it has no connection with his ability to play basketball or lead the Kings."
Spot on Marty Mac! Glad you have a venue to get the outstanding writting of yours out.
what's goin on Robert. Hope all is well. I wonder if all of this would be made of Evans' temporary insanity, had he been clocked at 80 or 90 or 100. Let's face it, the kid got extremely lucky. I don't know if anybody ever has driven past me going 130 mph, but I'm guessing it would scare the hell out of me. As I said, I hope he and everybody else recognizes he got the ultimate mulligan. We're at a time in society when life seems to be taken for granted more than ever. Maybe I'm getting old before my time, but I appreciate the basics, waking up, breathing, et. al. Peace.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right, and I am pretty sure most people get it too, no matter what the misguided Bee says. I think it is very difficult to remember how young this guy is, and very few people realize how unique his situation is in terms of wealth, power, vehicle capabilities and so forth. It will be up to Evans to learn how to handle it all, but I know that there are thousands of people in Sacramento or the NBA community hoping that he 'gets it'.
ReplyDeleteThanks for another well written post about the Kings.
You should add a paypal link for us to donate. I would pay a monthly or yearly fee for your insights and depth about the team. Think about it!
Not gettin old at all, speeding is an adolescence trait in my opinion. No excuse for his behavior at all, glad nobody was harmed. He seems remorseful, and its hard to expect this type of driving from him again.
ReplyDeleteRicardo, what it is, sir? Evans, like the rest of these millionaire cats, has much on his plate. I think he'll be all right, but we'll have to see. I don't know about the paypal deal, but I'll check it out in addition to the obvious advertising possibilities and blog expansion. Thanks for the comments, sir.
ReplyDeleteRobert, I was kind of joking about the age reference. I agree with the adolescent reference. When we are young, we do young dumb stuff. As we age and uhh, mature, we do less dumb stuff. Bottom line, when we look back, many of us can see how dumb the stuff we did really was. Thanks for the hit.
ReplyDeleteMarty, great to see your back! 130 on the I80 , exit Antelope RD!!??? On Memorial Day!? I have not done that but have done plenty of drinking n driving until I matured. I thank God that I had no incidents, secret or reported. Having some cuffs slapped on would have woken me up real fast. I hope that this is a wake up call. So far, he has said and done all that he should. This should not impact his status on the team as the Bee's resident nitwit suggests.
ReplyDelete