University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs Education ETDs Spring 5-16-2020 The Role of Mentorship in Achieving NBA Success: Narratives Told by Nine Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees Mark J. Lasota University of New Mexico - Main Campus Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_hess_etds Part of the Health and Physical Education Commons Recommended Citation Lasota, Mark J.. "The Role of Mentorship in Achieving NBA Success: Narratives Told by Nine Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees." (2020). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_hess_etds/ 117 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Education ETDs at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Mark Lasota Candidate Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences Department This dissertation is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Dissertation Committee: Todd Seidler, Ph.D., Chairperson David Scott, Ph.D. Wade Gilbert, Ph.D. Douglas Thomas, Ph.D. Arlie Woodrum, Ph.D. i THE ROLE OF MENTORSHIP IN ACHIEVING NBA SUCCESS: NARRATIVES TOLD BY NINE NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES by MARK J. LASOTA B.S., Exercise Science and Wellness, Ball State University, 2002 M.A., Kinesiology-Sport Psychology, California State University, Fresno, 2010 M.B.A., International Business, New Mexico Highlands University, 2020 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Science The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico May, 2020 ii © Copyright by Mark J. Lasota, 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED iii DEDICATION This dissertation is first and foremost dedicated to my wife, Leticia Lasota. She is a kind-hearted, intelligent woman who comes from a wonderful family in Guanajuato, Mexico. She shares my passion for making a difference in the lives of others and proudly serves as a mentor in an advisory role for her students. Throughout this process, she provided unwavering support and encouragement. I am honored to have met her and she brings out the best in me as a man. Our goals and aspirations have always been a team effort. This is a family accomplishment and I could not have done this without my loving wife. Although my closest family members have all passed away, they were instrumental in teaching me valuable life lessons, directly or indirectly, that would have a lasting impact on my future. I may have come from humble beginnings, but I would not change my journey or circumstances. Difficult experiences provide opportunities for people to gain perspective and appreciate details otherwise overlooked. It is from these challenges that we build character, develop resiliency, and acquire empathy for others. My late grandparents, Frank and Mary Psenak, took on the responsibility of raising me well into their sixties. As an immigrant from Slovakia, my grandmother knew hardship and taught me that anything worthwhile in life requires hard work. My grandfather, one of nine siblings, worked as a steel worker and provided a roof over my head as a child. My late mother, Frances Lasota, had tremendous strength and a fighting spirit about her that I will always admire and respect. My late father, James Lasota, was a diehard Chicago sports fan and our conversations likely influenced my passion for sports as a child. My students were a huge motivation for me to pursue this dissertation topic. Over the years, I have had the honor to serve as a teacher, coach, and mentor for thousands of students. For my current or former students who read this document, I want you to know that you mean the world to me and this is for you. Working with you in the classroom or sport context has provided my proudest professional moments. You are very special to me and I am always here for you. I am so proud of you and I hope learning about the mentorship experiences of our study’s legendary participants can benefit you in your personal and professional journeys. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are several people who directly contributed to this project. This project belongs to all of us and your contributions and support helped make this happen. To Scott Zuffelato, I will forever be grateful to you for making our study possible. I appreciate you believing in me and recognizing the value in our project. You are a great leader and wonderful ambassador for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. You are a special person and your kindness and hospitality made this dream come true. God bless you and your family. To Fran Judkins, your efforts to help coordinate our project are much appreciated. I cannot express what it means for me. You are a dedicated person and the engine that makes things go. You kindly offered your time to work with me extensively to help facilitate this process. I appreciate our thought-provoking conversations and your hospitality. Thank you! To Spencer Haywood, Charles Scott, Jamaal Wilkes, Dino Radja, Dan Issel, Wayne Embry, Artis Gilmore, Gary Payton, and Rick Barry, thank you so much for graciously dedicating your time to contribute to our project. You are absolute gentlemen and have a special place in my heart. What you shared will provide young people several examples of different mentoring journeys from inspiring and extraordinary individuals who reached the pinnacle of success in their professions. You may have accomplished tremendous success on the basketball court, but you are Hall of Fame human beings who continue to have a positive impact on others. You are my Dream Team! To Dr. Todd Seidler, as my advisor you were instrumental in guiding me through this process. I have the utmost respect for you and appreciate the great relationship we have developed over the years. We have had a chance to work together in a number of capacities and you always do what you can to help students. You are a Hall of Famer within the risk management discipline. Thank you! To Dr. David Scott, you are a big reason why I came to the University of New Mexico and I appreciate all your encouragement and support as my advisor. As a scholar, you have made significant contributions to the field of sport leadership. As a leader, you inspire others and are dedicated to promoting fairness and equality. I appreciate our friendship and I am proud of you for your professional accomplishments. Thanks for guiding me through our project. To Dr. Wade Gilbert, you were as supportive as an advisor could be at Fresno State. You always have a special place in my heart because you gave me the chance to pursue my Master’s degree and believed in me. You served as my first academic mentor and helped me develop as a scholar. You are certainly a Hall of Famer within the coaching science discipline and I am proud of your career success. I appreciate your friendship and miss our camping trips. v To Dr. Arlie Woodrum, I am grateful for you seeing the value in our study and helping me through the narrative process. I have enjoyed our deep conservations in your office and found your qualitative course to be very useful. Your contributions at Harvard and UNM have been game changers in social science research. You are a gentleman and I have the utmost respect for you. Thank you! To Dr. Douglas Thomas, thank you very much for your encouragement and advice. I have enjoyed our interaction and your international business courses were insightful. The study program in Playa del Carmen was interesting and fun. It has been enjoyable working with you on a number of projects. The Anderson School of Management is fortunate to have you. Thank you and good luck to your Utah Jazz! There are several others who directly or indirectly contributed to my doctoral pursuits and are very important people in my life. I care deeply for all of you and I appreciate your support. To Omar Sheriff, you are my brother and best friend of nearly 30 years. We have been through a lot together. You were there by my side through a number of difficult moments. I am very proud of you for your professional accomplishments and being a great family man. I appreciate your support during my doctoral pursuits. I am fortunate to have you in my life. No doubt we are the perfect storm! To Brandon Cha, you are my brother and always will be. I am proud of all you have accomplished in your industry. Most importantly, I am proud of you for being a great husband and father. Since rooming together at Ball State, you have always supported my dreams. I appreciate that and miss our family visits in Southern California. To Jesse Puttananickal, you are my brother and a special person in my life. We have had some great times together. We are both passionate people who embrace challenges. I am proud of all you have accomplished in body building. You wanted it and made it happen! You are a great father and I have always respected that you are a dedicated man of faith. Thank you! To Feras Abuzayda, you are my brother and I fondly remember our time as roommates at Ball State. In the process, we grew together as men. You provided support when I was fighting through some physical challenges and I never forgot that.