What My Daughter and Boston Celtics Forward Jordan Walsh Have in Common

In many ways, my daughter and Celtics forward Jordan Walsh have almost nothing in common. One is a baby living in my house, and the other is an NBA player on the Boston Celtics who was the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. But they do have one crucial thing in common: in the past two weeks, they both made big leaps in their development.

Human development is not a slow climb up a ladder. Sometimes there is no development at all, and then, out of the blue, there are these quick bursts when everything changes. But that is just the surface. One day you are wondering if they will ever be able to roll over or sit up, in the case of my daughter, or ever be able to hit the three-pointer or play defense without fouling. Then suddenly, it all comes together, and they are able to do just that.

But here is the thing: during the times when development looks like it has plateaued, that is actually the time the foundation is being created to make the next great leap in development, whether you are an infant or a twenty-one-year-old NBA basketball player. The important lesson is whether you’re a parent or a fan of a professional sports franchise, it’s important to be patient and supportive of young people while they are physically and mentally growing.