Meeting an NBA Legend

Last night we were honored to be guests at an FCA Legacy banquet here in Kearney.  The guest speaker was Bobby Jones.  My husband was thrilled because he knows of the legacy he left in the NBA.  But I had never heard of him, sad to say.

It was a wonderful thing to hear from a man who achieved so much during his twelve years as a professional basketball player.  He played with such men as Dr. J and Charles Barkley.  And he played against legends like Michael Jordan.  He was a part of teams that won NBA championships, and he was several personal awards himself.  In fact, every team team he was a part of made it to the playoffs during his time with that team.  I audibly said "wow" when I heard that.

But the most impressive thing to me about this man was his genuine humility and ability to see life beyond the fame.  After retiring he went back to North Carolina and became a coach at a small Christian School.  I would guess he probably could have had any number of jobs coaching or commentating after his illustrious career in the NBA.  But he chose to build into the lives and faith of students.  That to me was the most amazing thing about his story.

My husband, who is a huge basketball fan, was so excited to talk with Bobby, get his autograph, and picture taken with him.  We were both so impressed with this very tall man.   It was truly an honor to hear his story and shake his hand.