We had a big win against Panithinaikos this week! I should be ECSTATIC. But I’m not…

Why?

It’s complicated… (see below)

Dealing with Emotions🏀

Life as a basketball player means dealing with emotional highs and lows. 

Whether winning a game, or losing a game. Playing well, or playing bad.

And when you add in injuries, or not playing at 100%, it’s easy for your emotions to get the best of you. Patience is really tough when you know you can do more. For instance, after the PANA game, I was super happy for the team. We got the win, and it was a big win, but I was also super frustrated with myself.

Because I’m dealing with some lingering injuries and not 100%, I couldn’t get my extra workout in this week. The joy for me comes from my extra work. When I can’t practice and I don’t feel like I’m progressing, and then I don’t play as great as I would like… it’s hard to just let it go.

We’re always trying to find ways to cope with those emotions without creating bad habits.

@bleacherreport

LeBron was HOT he didn’t this call that would have sent him to the line with a chance to win the game 👀 #nba #basketball #lakers #lebron

I remember seeing this from Lebron and 100% relating to that moment of overwhelming frustration.

It’s something I’ve had to learn (honestly am still learning) over the years.

You feel like you’re not worth anything all because of how you performed in a basketball game and really dealing with this stuff is something that I believe is not taught enough at earlier stages.

It’s almost like you don’t wanna sit with your emotions because you feel shame. You feel guilt. You feel imposter syndrome.

When you’re later in your career, maybe you’ll have access to a Sports Pyschologist and you’ll realize, “Wow, this stuff really helps”. I’m really glad to see Therapy in general as something more widely utilized by people in general, and we as athletes put ourselves in extremely high pressure, high stress situations.

I highly recommend Dr. Craig Manning and his book “The Fearless Mind” as a great resource to get started with all of this!

Q&A ❓

Serkan asked…

First off, you’re NOT ALONE.

For example, if I have a bad game, sometimes I am craving ice cream or have a ‘cheat meal’, something I know is bad for me. Or doomscrolling on social media for hours.

It’s natural to want a quick dopamine fix but I’ve learned over the years it will just make you feel worse in the long run. Stay strong, focus on 1-2 things you want to improve and make a plan on how you will improve them.

We all have off-nights. Check your self-talk and remember to keep your head up.

This mindset will help you navigate the highs and lows of your athlete journey, on and off the court!

🚨Want to see your question answered above? Reply to the newsletter or reach out to me on social. I will group all the questions together and be answering them on the newsletter and vlog in the coming weeks. Cheers!🚨

YouTube Journey▶

This week on the vlog, we go back to Madrid for some REVENGE. If you’re a EuroLeague fan, you will remember this 4OT game at Madrid with the highest score ever, 130-126. Well, it’s a new year and a new team. We’re here to win. On top of that, it was EuroLeague double week (with Baskonia + Madrid) AND a Turkish League double week (Mersin + Fener). QUAD WEEK. 

Check it out here and let me know what you think about the video content we’re putting out!

Moment of Reflection 🙏

Life can throw all kinds of challenges our way—distractions, setbacks, and moments when it feels like we’re just not equipped to win.

Recently I was listening to this great speech by Elder I. Raymond Egbo and he speaks about the perseverance of the Nigerian men’s football team at the 1996 Olympics.

They faced so many obstacles—no funding, poor conditions, and they were even minutes away from being knocked out. But they didn’t let any of that stop them. They stayed focused, worked hard together, and in the end, they won the gold medal. The whole country celebrated because their victory showed what’s possible when you focus on the goal.

It’s the same when we focus on Christ in our lives. The world is full of distractions and things trying to pull us off course, but when we keep our eyes on Him, we’re guaranteed success—not just in this life, but eternally. Christ brings joy, even in the hardest times.

Here are a few tips to help you stay focused on Him:

1. Pray and study the scriptures daily—this keeps your heart and mind aligned with His teachings.

2. Surround yourself with good influences—friends, mentors, or leaders who help you stay on track are like teammates who push you to succeed.

3. Trust God’s timing—even when things seem tough or unfair, remember that He’s working things out for your good.

4. Serve others—When we focus on helping others come to Christ, we find even more joy in Him.

When life gets hard, think of the Nigerian team and remember: victory comes when you block out the noise and focus on the goal. With Christ, the joy you’ll find is greater than anything you can imagine!

Thank you for grabbing your Playbook 🙏

I hope you like the new version of Playbook. If you have comments or questions or suggestions, PLEASE respond to the newsletter about anything. I want to hear from you and I promise, I read every response. My goal is to continue making a great Playbook and building a great community where we all get better together. And you’re a part of that journey!

Let’s Build Confidence + Consistency™ , on and off the court!

Elijah