• In conversation with US Sports Envoy and former NBA star

Just like we did last Tuesday, today in an interview with The Daily Morning we bring to you a global icon who reached the zenith in the world of basketball.

Stephen Howard is an NBA veteran, leadership expert, and basketball analyst for ESPN and FOX Sports.  He played four years in the NBA (National Basketball Association) with the Seattle Supersonics, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz, including the 1996-1997 Jazz team that competed in the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan and the Bulls.  Howard now travels globally, empowering individuals and organisations with strategies to enhance performance, productivity, and profitability.

Stephen was a part of a weeklong basketball programme in the island nation along with Astou Ndiaye, a former professional women’s NBA player and championship winner who is also the current assistant coach at Utah State University in the United States.

The programme intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab. Organised by the US Embassy in Colombo, Sports Envoys-led basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engaged in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern, and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. 

The US Envoys also shared their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the island nation. Beyond the clinics, they collaborated with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in Colombo. 

Meanwhile speaking at the inauguration of the basketball clinics in Colombo, US Ambassador Julie Chung emphasised that she had a long sighted vision to popularise the game of basketball in Sri Lanka with much needed technical and professional skill sets being developed especially amongst the up and coming young players.

The Daily Morning caught up with Stephen for an off the court chit chat at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium during a basketball clinic. 

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Stephen, could you share with us how your journey in basketball began and who or what inspired you to pursue a career in this world famous sport?

I like to say that I didn’t really choose basketball. Basketball chose me. Being taller in America, it’s one of the sports more conducive to taller and bigger guys. And you know once I got into high school after playing multiple sports, football, baseball, I had more of an aptitude for basketball. And then, after training, I started to develop my skill set and became a lot better. As far as who inspired me to play basketball, I really wouldn’t say that anyone really inspired me. I’m a child of educators. And so for me, education was always at the forefront as far as the things that were stressed, more importantly in the household, and basketball was kind of a means to an end, as to get a good education and to get a scholarship to college. And so I think that was probably the initial inclination to basketball. And then as a collegian as I kept improving, I started to think that it’s possible for me to make a career out of basketball.

What is the/some of the most memorable moments from your time playing in the NBA?

I think in the 1996 NBA Western Conference Finals when I hit the shot for us to go to the finals, no, that was John Stockton who did that. But I was there. I think just being a part of that Utah Jazz team that had the ability to play in the NBA Finals. But also, as far as most memorable parts of my basketball career really just being a part of the fraternity of NBA players. There’s only been 4,500 in the history of the game, and you know, the top 1% of that industry. And so just being a part of that fraternity for me has been really special and something that I look back on fondly.

How did you transition from being a professional athlete to participating in a sports diplomacy programme?

I didn’t go directly from retiring from being a professional athlete. After I retired in 2007, I began working as a basketball TV analyst for ESPN, and a studio analyst for the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans, also working as a motivational speaker. I got my Master’s in leadership before Covid started. And then I was given the opportunity to be a sports envoy with the US Department of State four years ago, and for me, it was just a great honour, and I feel like that all of the skills and attributes that I’ve acquired over the years, particularly playing in 11 different countries all over the world, made it a made that a seamless transition, as far as going back overseas to teach the game that I love and to, try to bring communities together using sports.

In your opinion, how can sports act as a bridge to bring different cultures and nations together?

I think one thing that is a constant theme with sports is it’s a universal language. And regardless of what country you live in, I could go to any country in the world and get a basketball or get a soccer ball and go on a pitch or on a basketball court and even though we might not be able to communicate, because of our language barriers, we would be able to communicate on the court because of that universal language. That is sports. And that’s one of the things that I love about basketball and sports is that universal language that everybody speaks. And I think what makes it one of the better things for sports diplomacy and global diplomacy for the US is sports creates relationships, and in times of crisis, you can utilise those relationships with your allies to figure out solutions or even to you know, figure out ways to work with your enemies but you know, regardless if you are friends or not, when you have sports it really transcends all differences and allows you to communicate and create relationships and that’s all what diplomacy is about. It is creating relationships and breaking down barriers.

How does the intensity and nature of your work in sports diplomacy compare to your time as a pro-athlete/basketball player?

They’re really different. When I was a professional athlete, it really would encompass the entire year. And if I was not in season, I would have to be training to prepare for the season, to work on my game, and then you would have practice and then games but as a sports diplomat, I think it can be more intense in a shorter period of time. Like when we came to Sri Lanka, we had four days of camps, where we have morning camps, afternoon camps, motivational talks, and so I think the days are more intense as opposed to being a professional athlete. It’s kind of spread out over the year.

In your journey at present, what are some of the challenges you have faced in your role as a sports diplomat and how did you overcome them?

Really the biggest challenge is I would just say travel, just because it takes a long time to get to the various places that I go. But those aren’t challenges that are insurmountable and things that adversely affect the way that you can participate as a sports envoy. Another challenge is the language barrier, but as I had mentioned earlier, sports is a universal language. And so even if it’s difficult to communicate, normally through sport, we’re able to communicate based on our love of the game of basketball. And so yeah, I think sports really helps to overcome all barriers and all challenges that I face as a sports diplomat and at the end of the day that makes it all worthwhile and easy to overcome.

And Stephen, on a final note, what is your message towards Sri Lankan youngsters who are budding athletes who want to make it big on the global stage?

I would just say, to believe in yourself. In order to achieve anything in life, you have to first believe in yourself because you’re going to have lots of doubters and people that are going against you and just have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm in your relationships and  enthusiasm in everything that you do in life. Whether it be practice, your job, your family, and if you have enthusiasm in what you do, that’s the glue in that connector to greatness. All people that have achieved great things in life have had enthusiasm for what they do. And because there’s going to be lows there’s going to be times of drudgery and things that aren’t exciting to do and if you can have enthusiasm with the monotonous things that you have to accomplish, then you’re going to be successful eventually.