Teams
Did you know?
Did you know each NBA team has a minimum of three uniform designs each year - usually representing home (light colours), away (dark colours), and city pride (something locally relevant)?
Are you ready to learn about teamwork? Let's begin!
Try it!
When you think of the word “teamwork,” what are a few words, images, or ideas that come to mind?
Record your ideas in the following mind map provided or in another method of your choice.
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Teamwork
Jimmy Butler
If my teammates are out there to hoop, I'm going. I see the way these guys prepare for games. How can you not want to go be a part of that?
Jimmy Butler, #22 of the Miami Heat, passes the ball between Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, #5 of the Denver Nuggets (2023), and Aaron Gordon, #50 of the Denver Nuggets (2023), June 12, 2023.
Think
Think about some of the people you have a relationship with. What is the purpose of your relationships? There are many reasons for building relationships with other people: friendship, love, learning, teaching, working, playing, helping, and accomplishing tasks.
How do you form relationships? How do you make them work?
In order to support the development of relationships, it may be beneficial to develop your teamwork skills. Developing your teamwork skills will help you be more successful at home, at school, and in your community.
Your teamwork skills are important not only in your personal relationships, but also in school and in the workplace. No longer just a nice skill to have, teamwork has become an essential attribute in most situations and professions.
NBA Moment
Logo for the Orlando Magic
Teamwork can go beyond the court! Many NBA teams are teaming up with their local communities to support various projects and initiatives. The Orlando Magic, for example, has partnered with PureCycle Technologies to redirect thousands of pieces of plastic waste from being put into landfills or flowing into waterways.
Working with others
Your ability to contribute as a member of a team has never been more valuable. No matter what you are currently doing in your life, or what you plan to do in the future, the ability to work as a member of a team will be a key part of your success.
Take a moment and reflect on your learning!
Try it!
Explore the following questionnaire, “Working with others,” by responding to each question. Be honest with your responses. When you have finished the questionnaire, press Submit Answers to explore your score.
Please note that this questionnaire is a general guideline to working with others, and does not apply to every individual or situation.
When people think of working with others, they may think of a sports team. This is because each player has a key role or position to play. The player has been selected to play that position because of the skills and talents they possess. The combination of talents and skills is what makes a team successful. If one player is not playing a position well, it affects the whole team.
At school or in the workplace, teamwork is encouraged so that people can combine their knowledge and skills to reach a common goal. The end result of the team’s efforts is greater than any one person could have achieved individually.
The way a team works together is just as important as the make-up of the team. Putting people with various skills and talents together will not guarantee success; members of a team need to know how to work together in order to ensure team success.
Discover more
Use the search engine of your choice and research 'best NBA teamwork plays'. How does teamwork create a stronger team?
Think
Revisit your completed “Working with others - Questionnaire” and consider the following questions:
- What was your overall score and do you think it is an accurate picture of who you are? What does the scoring key indicate about your relationships with other people?
- What is one question that you answered “no” to that you would like to work on improving?
- What is one strategy that could help you practise this skill?
Try it!
Teamwork case study
Reflecting on what we have learned about teamwork skills, as well as your own experiences, create a case study about a specific situation where teamwork skills are being used. The case study can be based on a situation that you have personally experienced, or it can be completely fictional. You may record your case study in any method of your choice.
Consider the following questions when creating your case study:
- What qualities does each player bring to the team?
- How do those qualities support the success of the team?
- Did the team reach their goal?
- What could the players do differently to further support the team?
Excellent work! You may continue to reflect on the value of working with others and why it’s important in life as well as in sports. But first, you deserve a break!