Paths to the top entail hard work, as Michael Jordan knew only too well.<\/p>\n
In a famous utterance for a footwear commercial, Jordan \u2014 who is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketballers to have ever laced up a pair of trainers \u2014 spoke candidly about the role defeat had played in his victories.<\/p>\n
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career,” the NBA five-time MVP and six-time champion admitted in the ad.<\/p>\n
“I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.<\/p>\n
“And that is why I succeed.”<\/p>\n
If the Chicago Bulls are today a household name not just in the US but across the world, it is largely because of the exploits of Jordan during the glory years of the 1990s.<\/p>\n
“There are 30 franchises in the NBA \u2014 a lot of them are pretty anonymous to the general public but the Chicago Bulls are synonymous with basketball,” reflected Dean Nyberg.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Michael Jordan jokes with Australian teammate\u00a0Luc\u00a0Longley during a match in 1997. (Reuters: Reuters photographer)<\/p>\n
Nyberg is an Adelaide-based coach who has spent years in and around basketball, and his connection to the US club of which he speaks so highly has, in a small but significant way, just been strengthened.<\/p>\n
In the second round of last week’s NBA draft, one of Nyberg’s former young charges, Adelaide local Lachlan Olbrich, was selected by the Chicago Bulls \u2014 the club of fellow Australian Josh Giddey \u2014 at pick 55.<\/p>\n
“I’ve spoken to Lachie really briefly since it happened and he was very much [of the view that] this is fantastic,” Nyberg said.<\/p>\n
Nyberg, who is currently head coach with the West Adelaide Bearcats men’s team in the NBL1 competition, was previously a junior coaching director at Southern Tigers at Morphett Vale in Adelaide’s south.<\/p>\n
He worked with Olbrich at both clubs.<\/p>\n
“It’s pretty surreal just to think the mornings at Morphett Vale have culminated in this and everything that’s ahead of him now. It’s pretty cool,” Nyberg reflected.<\/p>\n
‘Work ethic never wavered’<\/p>\n
Aged just 21, the 208-centimetre Olbrich has already notched up an impressive series of accomplishments.<\/p>\n