Having a team-player does not happen as frequently as people think it does. A team-player is the one that will put everyone else before them, without hesitation. Many teams have a few key players, but none of them could be a team-first kind of athlete. Being a team-player is having the ability to push your emotions aside for the better of the team. If every athlete put the team first, the teams ability to perform would be through the roof. Every team has your ball hog, and players who only care about how they do, but if you are a true team player, none of that matters. It only matters if the team does well, and not personal goals. However, every athlete has personal goals for themselves, but the teams goals as a whole, is what should be out before personal goals.

Coaches love team-first players, it makes their job a little easier because they know someone on the court has a team mindset and will do whatever is needed to get the win. In all my years of playing, I have met 3 players that are team-first type athletes and it has been such an amazing opportunity to play with them. Sports should be about your team mates in the first place, and making everyone better individually so the team is better as a whole. Athletes on a team that are all about each other will be more successful than five individuals with all the talent in the world.