Lessons Learned on the Hardwood
Long before I held a scalpel, I held a basketball. I played NCAA Division I basketball at the University of Texas at Austin, and while my career eventually took me from the court to the operating room, I often say that my journey as a surgeon started there. The lessons I learned in those practices and games have shaped the way I approach surgery, patient care, and even leadership.
Basketball taught me about precision, focus, and teamwork under pressure. Every play required total commitment. You couldn’t take a possession off or you risked letting your teammates down. That same level of accountability is what drives me in the operating room today. Surgery is not a solo act; it is a team sport, one where every member must be fully engaged for the patient to win.
Focus When the Pressure Mounts
One of the most valuable lessons from my years on the court is how to perform when the stakes are high. There’s nothing quite like stepping to the free-throw line in a packed arena, with thousands of eyes on you and the game on the line. Your heart races, your mind starts to chatter, and you have to steady your breathing to focus on what matters: your technique and your purpose.
That same ability to stay calm and centered under pressure translates directly to surgery. In the operating room, distractions can be just as loud, though they come in different forms. A patient’s vital signs can fluctuate, instruments can malfunction, or an unexpected anatomical variation can appear. In those moments, I rely on the same mental discipline I developed in athletics. You breathe, refocus, and execute with clarity.
Surgical excellence depends on composure. You have to trust your preparation, your training, and your team. That mindset was built on the court, where confidence was earned through repetition and resilience.
The Power of Teamwork
Basketball is the ultimate team sport. Success depends on trust, communication, and shared purpose. No one player wins the game alone. In surgery, the same truth applies. A successful operation is the result of many professionals working together with precision: nurses, anesthesiologists, surgical techs, and assistants.
In both arenas, everyone must know their role and trust that others will perform theirs. On the court, a point guard who never passes the ball limits the team. In the operating room, a surgeon who fails to communicate or listen to the team does the same. Collaboration is everything.
I learned early in my basketball career that good leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about bringing out the best in others. That lesson has guided how I lead surgical teams today. I encourage open communication and mutual respect in the operating room. Everyone’s observation matters, because in surgery, just like in sports, small details can change outcomes.
Discipline and Repetition Build Mastery
In basketball, you shoot thousands of free throws to make one in a crucial moment feel effortless. The repetition isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential. Surgery works the same way. Every skill, from suturing to spinal instrumentation, demands hours of practice and refinement before it becomes second nature.
When I was training in orthopedic surgery and later in my spine fellowship, I approached each case like a practice session. I analyzed every movement, reviewed video footage of similar cases, and sought feedback from mentors. The drive to improve never stopped, and it still hasn’t.
Athletics taught me to love the process. Improvement comes from consistency, not from shortcuts. Whether it’s conditioning your body for a long game or preparing for a complex spinal reconstruction, discipline is what separates good from great.
Endurance and Mental Strength
Basketball is a game of endurance. You push through exhaustion, injuries, and setbacks. The fourth quarter often belongs to the team that refuses to give up. Surgery demands the same endurance, both physical and mental. Some procedures can last eight hours or more, and fatigue becomes real. But just as I did in overtime games, I’ve learned to pace myself, to stay focused on the next play, or in this case, the next step of the operation.
Mental toughness is equally important. Athletes learn that failure is part of growth. You can miss ten shots in a row, but if you let it break your confidence, you’re done. Surgeons face their own challenges: complex cases, unforeseen complications, and moments that test our resolve. The key is to keep learning, stay humble, and never lose sight of the goal, to help patients heal.
Leadership Through Example
In basketball, the best leaders lead through action. They show up early, stay late, and play hard on both ends of the court. As a surgeon, I try to bring that same energy into my practice. I want my patients and my team to see that I take their care seriously and that I give everything I have to every case.
Leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about integrity, accountability, and empathy. When patients see that you care about their well-being beyond the procedure itself, they trust you. When your team sees you value their input, they give their best. Those values were forged on the basketball court and refined in medicine.
Translating Athletic Mindset Into Healing
Athletics and surgery share a deep connection. Both require preparation, precision, and heart. Both demand that you show up ready, even when you’re tired or the odds seem stacked against you. Most importantly, both are about something bigger than yourself.
When I think back to my time as a student-athlete, I realize that basketball didn’t just give me physical endurance, it taught me emotional intelligence, resilience, and the value of teamwork. Those are the same traits I rely on when I help a patient walk again or when I guide a nervous family through a difficult diagnosis.
At the end of the day, healing and winning both come from the same place: commitment, compassion, and consistency. The court taught me how to compete. The clinic taught me how to care. Together, they’ve shaped not just the surgeon I’ve become, but the person I strive to be every day.