“Studying just one school of thought every day—whether it’s Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism or Jeff VanGundyism—can limit your imagination. If everybody thinks the same way, where do new ideas come from?”
— Yao Ming, Yao: A Life in Two Worlds
Basketball isn’t just a sport—for many of us, it’s a family language. With both of our kids playing, we see up close how the game teaches resilience, teamwork, and how to navigate different voices: coaches, teammates, parents, and even the refs.
And now it’s March Madness, when suddenly everyone is a basketball fan and the whole country gathers around the game. It’s a reminder that basketball is a vehicle for connection and community—inside our home, in offices and sports bars, through brackets, and across living rooms and arenas everywhere. Yao’s point is that when we stay open to all the different perspectives the game brings into our lives, we don’t just become better fans or players; we become better people—together. So, I say - hoop it up. Together.