What a year 2012 was!!!  For me and this journey of mine to play Michael Jordan, it was really, truly a phenomenal year!

Through persistence, hard work and the grace of God, a lot was accomplished.

Still more remains, but reflecting on 2012 and all that happened here amazes me!  I believe reflection is a good thing.  It gives perspective.  It’s not a place to get lost in, but one that is worth visiting once in awhile.

Without further ado, here is what was 2012 for me and mevsMJ.com!

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Time in the Shark Tank – Mark Cuban

The first major happening of 2012 was a lunch meeting during the first part of March with Mark Cuban.  The second question most people ask, after did he help with MJ, is how many people were in attendance at the lunch.  Answer:  Just me, Mark and my buddy Karol.  Quite the experience for sure.

Most Fun

Throughout the year I made quite a few trips over to Orlando Hoops to train and work on my game.  OHoops is great group of people who challenged me every single time I was there.  One of the biggest highlights for me was working out, side by side, this summer with my main man Robert Brown, who was home from college (Virginia Tech).  Something I’ll never forget!  So much fun!

httpvh://youtu.be/ajY8hDAak98

Most Unexpected

The most unexpected moment of 2012 had to be seeing my pretty face on the NBA on TNT’s pre game show, hearing Ernie Johnson read my tweet, and laughing as Charles Barkley called me Kevin Eller and Shaq correcting him with Kenny.  You never know who’s watching your tweets

httpvh://youtu.be/yHo7yuRHnQY

Greatest Honor

Having the privilege of speaking at the Chandler Parsons/Orlando Hoops basketball camp this past summer was truly an honor.  To be able to share my message with over 100 young people and encourage them to believe in their dreams was for me a dream come true.  Hopefully much more of that to come in 2013.

httpvh://youtu.be/SROFx9HBAHw

**Moment of the Year – Michael Jordan**

The biggest moment of 2012 came in July, when I came face to face with Michael Jordan himself in Charlotte and was able to share what mevsMJ.com is all about!  He loved it!  It still feels like a dream!

httpvh://youtu.be/wnA1goOWwxU

*I also won the hot shot competition while at the Charlotte Bobcats Fantasy Camp.

The Family Knows

Then in November, by chance, I ran into Marcus Jordan, one of Michael’s son and was blown away that he knew all about me and this site.  I am truly known in the Jordan household.  Wow!

New Video Section

Just recently, I created a new video section on the site as a place to showcase all of the non 1-on-1 videos.  I plan on posting more and more videos in 2013, so it should be a lot of fun!

httpvh://youtu.be/oI6X_–AzPA

mevsMJ.com Shirts

I also, within the last two weeks, had some mevsMJ.com “Anything Is Possible with Faith & Hard Work” shirts made.  I’ve given a few away and with the rest, I’m still not sure what I’m going to do with them.  IF I sell them, all proceeds will go to charity.  It’s always been my goal to keep this a revenue free venture.  I never want the reason behind the journey to get clouded.  The goal of mevsMJ.com was and still remains to play my childhood hero Michael Jordan 1-on-1 and to inspire others to believe again that anything is possible with faith & hard work.

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2013

In 2013 I HAVE BIG PLANS fueled by tremendous FAITH and lots of HARD WORK!

I believe 2013 will be the year that me vs. MJ happens!  

For me, it’s no coincidence that 2 and 3 bookend the year ahead.  I hope you’re ready for me Mr. Jordan!  I’ll see ya on the court!

me vs. Michael Jordan…the journey continues!  As always, thank you for following along!

With my eyes focused down towards the hardwood floor, I placed one foot after the other inside my Jordan slides.  As I began to close up my gym bag, I heard someone several feet away say, “Oh, he’s getting ready to leave.  Maybe next time.”

I had just finished running some full court games with the older kids at the Orlando Hoops/Chandler Parsons basketball camp back in June.

Prior to the games, I had given my first speech (see below) on this journey that is mevsMJ.com to the group of +100 kids, coaches and players in attendance.

I was hungry.  So hungry that my stomach was yelling at me the only way a stomach knows how.

Truth is I hadn’t eaten lunch that day due to a combination of being nervous and very excited about sharing my journey with the group of young ballers.

Because of that, I had planned on leaving the camp after speaking, so that I could get some much needed nutrition before my evening basketball workout session with the college players began.

But when I heard the voice, I looked up to find Orlando Hoops founder Irwin Hudson standing there with three or four of the younger kids that were attending the camp.

Irwin smiled and said, “They wanted to play you 1-on-1.”

They want to play me??

Honestly as I sat there, I didn’t feel like playing ball at all, but I knew exactly how those young people felt as they stood there looking at me.

I’ve asked numerous NBA players to play me 1-on-1 during my journey to play Michael Jordan and every single time they’ve always had some reason or excuse that keeps them from hooping with me.

Because of that, because I know how that feels, there wasn’t anything that was going to keep me from playing basketball with those young people that day.

If they wanted to play me, I was going to play!

Four becomes 20!

As I jumped back into my Jordans and walked out on the court to play the three or four, that three or four multiplied to a group of some 20 kids that were all lined up underneath the basketball goal for their chance to play me, the guy who wants to play MJ, 1-on-1.

With the other 80 camp participants lining the exterior of the court, I began playing one game after the other to three points until everyone that wanted to play had their shot at me.

I had a blast!

What’s In It For Me?

Too often in life I think we can all be guilty of evaluating situations and opportunities with the what’s in it for me mentality?

You know the, “If it’s good for me, I’ll do it,” kind of logic.

I’m sure NBA players don’t see any benefit in playing basketball with me and at the surface I totally understand that.  I’m not a great basketball player.

At the surface there wasn’t any benefit for me to play those 20 or so young people either.  They certainly weren’t going to help me get more prepared for MJ.

But beyond the initial layer, beyond just the basketball, was more for me than I ever could have expected.

To see the excitement on their faces as they walked out to play or to hear all the kids erupt as a group if someone scored on me absolutely blew me away.

Here I was, someone that never played more than a year of high school basketball, at an NBA player’s basketball camp and because of this journey a group of young people wanted to play me! 

It was so humbling for me.  After all, I’m just a guy who believes and is willing to work harder than most and because of that I have been rewarded with such fulfilling experiences like this one in June.

Now tell me impact can’t be made!

I’ll of course never know exactly what the kids got out hooping with me, but I know I received a lot that day.

A Better Me

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I’m a better version of me than I was when I began this site.

Prior to August of 2010, I don’t know if given a similar circumstance, if I would have played all of those kids.  I might have very well done what has been done to me so many times and politely gotten out of it.

Because of the struggle, because of the rejection, and because of the triumph, I see things in such a much different way today.

I am thankful for every no, just as much as I’m thankful for every yes.

I am a better me because of them both.

On my desk, in my home office, in a frame, is a small grouping of words that leans against my printer just to the right of my computer.

Those words are  “Sometimes on the way to the dream, you get lost and find a better one.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Thank you for reading this writer’s words.  Thank you for believing in a guy with a dream.  Your support fuels me and for that I am so thankful!

As you venture out to where life takes you, I hope that you too find a better you.

me vs. MJ…my journey to play Michael Jordan continues!  It’s gonna happen!  As always, thank you for following along.

My Speech at the Chandler Parsons Camp

httpvh://youtu.be/SROFx9HBAHw

[If you are reading via email/RSS, click here to watch video]

Special thanks to Orlando Hoops and Chandler Parsons for believing in my journey!

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If you’re new here, I set out in August 2010 to get a game of 1-on-1 vs. my childhood hero Michael Jordan.  This site is about that journey…through every valley, to every mountain top of triumph!

Anything Is Possible with Faith & Hard Work!

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Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

Last week, while watching some playoff hoops all iced up and recovering on the couch from a nearly three hour workout, I sent a text to my buddy Andy that said, “It took me almost 35 years to realize my basketball skills are limited.”

The majority of me was joking of course, as I’ve never been considered a basketball dynamo by any means.

Still, I really didn’t understand just how deficient my skills on the court were, until I met the crew that is Orlando Hoops – Irwin Hudson, Gerrod Trytten, Nick Trapp and Rickey Claitt.

The First Workout 

Back in March, at the rather persistent urging of my buddy Jay (thank you!), I made my way over to workout with Orlando Hoops.

I arrived and was shown around “The Lab” by Coach Gerrod aka “Coach G” and then put through a workout with post grads that required every ounce of my effort.  Following the lead of Coaches G, Nick and Rickey, I was moving my feet in ways I’d never seen (or trying to), jumping over small hurdles, larger hurdles, around cones, through pads, euro stepping, doing spin moves, all with one or two balls.

Then when hard work met fatigue, we split up and played a couple of games of intense 3-on-3.

They kicked my ass that day, but it was truly the most enjoyable basketball experience I’d had in a very long time!

The effort that the professors (Gerrod, Nick, and Rickey) put forth reminded me of my brother and me back many years ago.

Their positive outlook, high level of skill, effort and attack of every lose ball, every possession, inspired me so much!

The Last Two Weeks – College Workouts

Due to the job that pays and vacation or as G lovingly puts it, excuses, months had gone by since my initial trip to Orlando Hoops, but I never stopped thinking about that first workout.

With all excuses behind me and my man Robert Brown home from Virginia Tech for a couple of weeks, it was time to get back in the lab and get to work!

So for the last two weeks, twice a week, the great people that are Orlando Hoops (@OHoopsTraining) have let me partake in their college workouts!

I will tell you that the workouts are no joke.  They are extremely challenging and uplifting at the same time.  I am having the time of my life!

Orlando Hoops – College Workout (Video)

httpvh://youtu.be/ajY8hDAak98

[Hoop Brothers Video Link]

Ego Free and Getting Better!

Being the worst at most everything in a group of young men who all play college ball definitely will open up the door and set any ego I might have been carrying free.

I posted this on my facebook page the other day:  “Not being able to complete a lot of the drills that I have been asked to do, due to a deficiency in my skills, has honestly been frustrating for me. Even though I’m in there working with DI athletes half my age, I still have a tremendous desire to excel. Drill after drill, I just keep telling myself that all I can do at this moment is my very best. Through my mistakes, I will succeed, IF I keep working because I can only get better!”

Sure I have a long, long way to go, but I am getting a little better each day and I am absolutely loving it!  After all, I do enjoy huge challenges (I am trying to get Michael Jordan to play me remember)!

My Orlando Hoops Highlight Reel (Video)

httpvh://youtu.be/BQ9dl3zqoLU

[Hoops Brothers Video Link]

Something Special – You Must Go Train With Them!

There is something very special going on in Central Florida in a gym nicknamed “The Lab”.

It would take me an entire post to try and capture the essence of what is happening there on a daily basis and maybe I’ll write that post in the future.

Sometimes though, things are just better experienced in person.

If you’re serious about getting better at the game of basketball, I would strongly encourage you to get in the lab with Orlando Hoops and work on your game!

Give them just one chance and I know you’ll understand what I mean when I say that something special is going on at Orlando Hoops!

Thank You Orlando Hoops!

I can’t thank the creator of Orlando Hoops, Irwin (@OHBBall), and coaches Gerrod (@OHoopsCoachG), Nick (@TrappOHoops) and Rickey (@RickeyOHoops) enough for their hospitality and patience with a 35 year old guy with a rather large dream.  Your belief in me and my journey means a lot to me.  I appreciate you all more than you will ever know!

I also want to thank all of the guys there working out alongside me!  Thank you for the push, constant encouragement and for allowing me to be a part of your workouts!  It’s a dream come true!

Lastly, thank you Hoop Brothers for capturing the great footage and for putting together the videos above!  Awesome work!  If you’re in need of game video/highlights/mixtape, Hoop Brothers (@HoopBrothers) is the place to go!

More on Orlando Hoops

For more info on Orlando Hoops Training, be sure to check out their website (OrlandoHoops.com)!  They are great people and they will make you better!

Orlando Hoops – Chandler Parsons Camp 

“Love of the Game” Giveaway

Because I’m a HUGE believer in Orlando Hoops and because the bigger purpose of my journey to play Michael Jordan is to help others achieve their dreams, I will be sponsoring one young person from grades 2nd through 12th for the upcoming Orlando Hoops – Chandler Parsons of the NBA’s Houston Rockets basketball camp being held June 25th-28th.

How to Enter:  Send me an email – Kenny (at) mevsMJ.com – and tell me why you love the game of basketball.  Tell me your story and be sure to include your current age, school you attend, team or teams for which you play and contact information.

Deadline for Entries:  June 23rd

Do you love the game and want to attend?  Then tell me your story and I will pick one boy or girl to attend the upcoming camp in June and make it a reality!

All the best to everyone that enters!

Remember, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE with FAITH and HARD WORK!

me vs. MJ…the journey continues!  I hope you’re training Mr. Jordan!

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Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

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If you’re new to the site, I set out in August 2010 to get a game of 1-on-1 vs. my childhood hero Michael Jordan.  This site is about that journey…through every valley, to every mountain top of triumph!

How many perfect moments happen in life?

How many times do find yourself in those perfect situations, that go like this.

You’re a great shooter, the very best on the court, and the defense leaves you wide open on the wing.

or (for those non hoopers)

You and the girl/guy you’d love to talk to/date/marry just happen to be at the same place, at the same time, and there is no one around to interrupt you.

Those are just two examples, but If you’re really a great shooter and the person you’re pursuing is thought to be attractive by you, chances are neither of you will be left alone for very long.

So what do you do?

The Jordan Fadeaway

No coach in the world will tell you that taking a fadeaway jumper from 15 feet is a good shot unless your first name is Michael and your last name is Jordan.

Seeing MJ play in person multiple times, the degree of difficulty of said fadeaway was only magnified.

I would sit there in disbelief at how he contorted his body, leaning back so far at times that his shoulder blades seemed to run parallel with the floor.  Then with a flick of the wrist, the ball would more times than not finds its way safely to its home.

How many fadeaways did Jordan take in practice sessions before it became an unstoppable, go to move?

Surely thousands upon thousands.

A Trailblazer

Back in the late 90s, as a high school kid, my brother figured out something that very few ever learn and hardly any are ever taught.

He understood then, when he would go 42-of-50 from 3 pt land, that making 43 or 44 or even 50 would only give a marginal increase in percentages shooting the ball in the perfect situation.

He also understood that during the course of any game he might get three or four of those perfect situations at most.

So he asked the question most never will, why spend hours practicing for the perfect moment?

And hours upon hours he would spend.

During the summer after his sophomore year of high school, he’d routinely take 4,000-5,000 jumpers a week.

However, a nice slice of those were off the move or with his feet in weird positions.

He taught himself to makes shots under distress by preparing for the imperfect moments of the game.

He’d routinely stagger his feet the exact opposite way they should be, by placing his left foot far in front of his right foot and pull up for one jumper after the other.

He’d also spread his feet to uncomfortable widths and repeat over and over.

Keep in mind we were both self taught.  When the 90s were the freshest thing out, we wore out the rewind and play buttons on the VCR trying to learn the game we loved.  We came up before the days of Impact Basketball and Orlando Hoops training.

My brother was ahead of his time…make that IS ahead of his time.  I still don’t know anyone teaching this.

It’s unorthodox to say the least.

I don’t even do it myself despite his constant encouragement to do so.

He always tells me, “You don’t need to practice spot up shooting anymore.  You need to practice everything off the move.”

He usually continues with, ” we’ve made so many shots in our life, that we will always be the best shooters, at most any court, even if we don’t practice.”

In the context of most city courts, that is a very true statement.

Move Association

The Fadeaway, Killer Crossover, Dream Shake, Sky Hook.

If you’re a basketball junkie, then surely images of Jordan, Tim Hardaway, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, just caressed your memory.

They took something that most coaches, before them, would frown upon and made it something they feared and coveted.  

Through hard work Jordan, Hardaway, Olajuwon and Abdul Jabbar made the imperfect…perfect for them.

When Being Great at Something Isn’t Enough

Innovators who put thought to action have shaped, molded and changed our world since the beginning.

They’ve never just accepted the norm.  They pushed beyond it.

The asked why or rather, why not, and then offered a solution.

I’ve always wondered what the dialogue was like when Michael Jordan went to Phil Jackson and told him that he wanted to post up?  Sure more guards start in the post now, but then, it was very much big man land.  How did Phil not think, you’re freakin’ Michael Jordan, just Michael Jordan whoever’s guarding you and let’s let the big guys play the post.  Who knows, maybe Phil did push back at the idea.  Maybe MJ insisted.

He changed the game.

I believe we all innovate, but just a handful actually see it through.  The majority stop when the realization that success requires the innovator to get their hands dirty.  The majority fall back into what is comfortable and that’s why you only see one person doing the fadeaway efficiently (Kobe), and none doing the “dream shake” or sky hook.

God doesn’t make great shooters and legendary moves

If we’re talking just wide open shooting alone in a gym, there is no doubt in my mind that I can outshoot huge NBA names like LeBron James, John Wall, Dwight Howard and on and on and on.  (Due to my physical limitations, obviously that wouldn’t translate to NBA games or playing them one on one, but just the art of shooting the ball, I’ve got them.)

Making shots is something I’ve worked on my whole life.  It has more to do with the fact that I can’t do what James, Wall and Howard can do, than anything else.  And the reason they can’t shoot the ball like me, is because they can do what they do.

God blessed them with physical abilities and size.

But God doesn’t make great shooters and legendary moves.

Now I’m not saying those guys don’t work – so save the hate comments.  But there is a reason LeBron isn’t killing people in the post.  There is a reason Wall isn’t killing teams with jumpers.  There is a reason Dwight can’t make a 12-15 footer and shot 49% from the free throw line this year (and it’s not big hands or his height – all you excuse makers need to give that one up [see Dirk]).  There is also a reason all I can do well is shoot.

We fall back into what is comfortable.  We fear failure and yearn for success, so we do what has got us to wherever we are.

When I go to the gym I practice shooting.  I don’t work on moves off the dribble or going to the basket hard.  I try to get better at what I already do well because every time that ball swishes through the net, I’m getting positive reinforcement to do another.

I love watching LeBron, John and Dwight.  I love what they’re able to do on the court.  They routinely leave me in disbelief.  But imagine IF LeBron worked on his footwork and post moves.  Imagine IF LeBron, John, and Dwight could shoot the ball as well as me.

Against 90 percent of the teams/players they face, they will have their way, but the other 10 percent is the problem because that is where champions are found.  It’s a somewhat similar tale for me on a much different level of course.  Against everyday people like myself, my ability to make shots is almost unstoppable, until I face a higher level of competition (see the people I’ve played for this site*) or someone who just knows my game extremely well (see my brother).

The difference between them and me is that it’s not physical limitations keeping them from getting better, it’s a lot of hard work at something God didn’t give them.

The legendary ones are just as gifted as the above mentioned, but they chose to focus on the weakness rather than the strength.

They chose to create a solution before there was a problem.

Michael Jordan wanted to be prepared for any and everything the defense threw his way and he was, maybe not a first, but over time for sure.

That’s why he’s the greatest. 

Time for Change – me vs. the Pros

I’m not getting any younger.  Later this month, I’ll be every bit of 35.  Still young by life standards, but in the basketball world, well not even Kobe is moving the same these days (still elite though).

I’ve spent my entire basketball life working on making a high percentage of shots in the perfect situation.

I know I can shoot the ball well.  Pros know I can shoot the ball well.  Mark Cuban knows I can shoot the ball well.

That’s kind of the blessing and the problem at this point.

It’s too predictable.

It’s time to try something new.  It’s time for change.  It’s time to prepare for the imperfect moments.

How I’ll Prepare for the Imperfect Moments

“I always wanted to be comfortable in any situation.  Playing against bigger or quicker guys doesn’t always afford you an open look.  You gotta make an open look.  Shooting at unexpected times or with imperfect foot positioning makes you unpredictable.  From there what used to be predictable (spot ups) become second guesses for the defender.  Taking the defense off guard creates chaos in love and war.  I want them to panic when their best doesn’t stop me.  I want them to know it’s over before the score says so.  Your jump shot won’t leave you.  It’s just looking to grow.” – Bob Eller

So with that said, over the next month, I plan on introducing the following to my workouts to see what effect it will have on my game.

• Shooting with my feet in weird/uncomfortable positions
• Shooting at least 50% of my attempts off the move
• Working on my floater (both hands)

Will it make the difference against the pros?  Am I just over matched?

Time will tell, but it’s worth the work to find out.

**Please note that I only support the foot positioning drills once a firm foundation of excellence in shooting has been established.

What Will You Do?

So that’s what I’m off to do.

How about you?  What are you doing to make yourself more prepared for those imperfect moments in life?  Are you focusing on improving upon a weakness like Michael Jordan did often in his career or will you just continue lowering your head and running to the basket until father time catches up with you?

Share your story of success or struggle in the comments section below.  I’d love to hear from you.

me vs. MJ…the journey continues.  As always, thank you so very much for following along.

And remember ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE with FAITH and HARD WORK!

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Connect:  Twitter (@KennyEller) and mevsMJ.com Facebook Fan Page.

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If you’re new to the site, I set out in August 2010 to get a game of 1-on-1 vs. my childhood hero Michael Jordan.  This site is about that journey…through every valley, to every mountain top of triumph!