IT figures that Pat Williams would publish a book this year titled "Magic of Teamwork." Williams may need to
work a little magicWilliams is senior executive vice president of the Orlando Magic. In the next couple seasons, he faces what might be the biggest task of his distinguished career in the National Basketball Association: Keeping his star player, Penny Hardaway, financially happy while putting enough quality players around Hardaway to make a run at the NBA title in the post-Jordan years.
Williams lost Shaquille O'Neal to the Los Angeles Lakers last season and knows he can't afford (ironic word, in this case, no?) to lose Hardaway.
To lay the groundwork, Williams hired Chuck Daly, one of the NBA's best coaches. The Magic also brought in a slew of quality veterans to compete for roster spots.
"It's a very competitive camp that we're having right now; I'm very intrigued," said Williams, who comes to Honolulu to do a book signing Thursday at Sports Authority on Ward Ave. (5:30 to 6:30 p.m.) and to give a motivational business breakfast talk at the Pacific Club on Friday (7 a.m. call 988-9777 for reservations).
"As I travel and speak to corporate America, the number one thing on their mind is team building."
It's no doubt foremost on his mind and that of other NBA executives, too. One-hundred-million-dollar contracts have made life more interesting to say the least.
"(Commissioner) David Stern is alarmed," Williams said. "They're scary numbers.
"We're on some thin ice, financially. The revenues keep going up, but that can't go on. This is a very pivotal period in NBA history."
Pretty pivotal in the short history of the Magic, too. Hardaway has two years left on his contract, Williams said, and will no doubt command one of those nine-figure deals.
"If you've got a superstar, you've got to keep him. But I don't know if you can (afford) two," Williams said.
He'll have to use some or all of components for successful team building in this instance. Williams said his book breaks down his winning philosophy into eight basic components:
1. Acquire the right talent and develop it. ("They need to be the right fit. The chemistry has to be there.") Sounds like Hardaway to me, not to mention Derek Harper.
2. Make sure you have effective leadership. ("I've yet to see a good team that was not strong at the leadership level.") Chuck Daly: Check.
3. Be committed. ("If you've got a couple of people who jump out of the boat in the middle of the lake, the team sinks.") Hmmm. Trouble spot for the Magic, who seemed to mutiny against coach Brian Hill last season.
4. Be passionate. ("Energy is everything. The best teams are the ones that care the most.") Hardaway and Daly, again, fit the bill.
5. Think we, not me. (You've gotta give up part of your individual honors and glory if the team is going to be successful.") Anyone with 19 children (14 of them adopted), as Williams has, knows a thing or two about this.
6. Empower each other. ("Encouraging, building up, being a cheerleader for your team.") Ditto.
7. Trust and respect one another. ("If there's mistrust, that's a tough obstacle to overcome.") Last year's Hill debacle is a good example of what can happen.
8. Employ people of character and develop it. ("By that, I mean integrity, hard work, perseverance, responsibility, humility.") If anyone can get the best out of forward Nick Anderson, Daly is the man.
I'm not saying the Magic are going to win the NBA title for certain, at least not until Michael Jordan hangs up his shoes, but they sure have someone leading the operation who knows how to get them there.