Detlef Schrempf is certainly a hometown hero for myself and my 90’s Seattle basketball brethren…but he’s also a living example of a self-described “awkward” kid who, after stumbling his way into basketball as a teenager, discovered something he loved…and pursued it. Schrempf went on to play at pinnacle of his sport where he was a 2-time Olympian and a 3-time NBA All Star with the Seattle SuperSonics. That said, we learn in this interview that Detlef won’t be defined *just* by his career as a professional athlete… but also by his role as a father, a husband, and a role model in his community.
Of course I wanted Detlef on to talk about what it takes to be an elite athlete as the show is always aiming to get insights from the worlds top performers, but what really emerged from this episode is his sagedom on all things personal growth, community and how to think about choosing priorities in life.
You’ll also be inspired to know that:
- Whether you’re playing sports or building a business, your team needs to have the right balance of stars and support players.
- It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional athlete considering buying a $200k ride or a creator considering the latest and greatest gear, being very clear on where the lines are between your financial needs, wants and wishes and choosing to prioritize saving for your needs over spending on wants and wishes will help you be financially successful in the long run.
- We all go through different seasons of our life where our priorities shift and we grow as individuals and teammates. Don’t think that you can or you should have it all figured out right now. Plan for the future if you have the luxury to, but stay flexible enough to realize that you’re going to keep learning and changing along the way.
Enjoy!
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Some Questions I Asked:
- How does a retired NBA All Star end up on a TV Show like Parks and Rec? [1:40]
- What was it like to grow up in West Germany and how did you find sports? [4:40]
- How did you reconcile with not feeling normal? [7:37]
- Where does your humility come from? [10:10]
- How important was your community as an elite athlete? [14:48]
- What was the balance between team success and individual success? [16:30]
- What are the common characteristics of teams that work well together and teams with talent that don’t work well together? [17:48]
- How important was your mindset, focus on self improvement, and self care while still being an active part of a team or community? [18:32]
- What are some characteristics that helped you become such an All Star? [21:45]
- Talk about how you felt that you were different and weird and how you used it. [24:45]
- Was weight lifting a differentiator for you? [26:30]
- Were there people that did have the same hard work mentality who still had massive amounts of success? [27:17]
- What is it like to take game winning or game losing shots against Michael Jordan and the Bulls of their prime? [30:49]
- What are some of the ways you’ve seen professional athletes blow their money and how have you been able to help them? [35:00]
- Is there a balance between investing in your future and investing in yourself now? [41:10]
- What’s most important to you and your legacy? [48:26]
- At your peak athletic prowess, what were some of your routines and what are they now? [52:10]
- Are you an early riser? [54:40]
- How important is sleep? [54:50]
- How do you stay active? [55:14]
- Is family routine important to you? [56:06]
- Where do you like to travel? [58:00]
- Do you still keep up speaking German and keep up with your family in Germany? [58:24]
- Do you try to teach your kids German? [58:50]
- Is there something you know in your core to be true? [59:37]
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- How Detlef transitioned from playing soccer like all German boys to being one of the best basketball players in Germany. [5:00]
- Through stages, Detlef realized that his life should be more than just playing basketball. [10:30]
- Even for elite athletes, community is crucial for helping players grow on the court, as well as off. [15:30]
- Building a successful basketball team requires the same personnel delicacy as building a successful team in business. Everyone can’t be a star and each team needs players willing to take a backseat. [17:30]
- Detlef was driven by insecurity that someone would take his job which pushed him to work harder and do things differently. [23:10]
- “To be successful you have to be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time” – Jeff Bezos [24:40]
- How Detlef was considered weird for lifting weights after being drafted into the NBA. [25:25]
- “The things that made you weird as a kid make you great today” – James Victore [27:30]
- The crazy world of getting paid as a young professional athlete. [37:00]
- Why you should choose a registered financial advisor to help you with your money. [39:30]
- The only thing you can control is how much you spend. [42:30]
- The difference between needs, wants and wishes and how being clear on what those are to you can help you be financially successful. [46:40]
- How Detlef thinks about legacy and making the future generation a better place. [49:00]
- When Detlef was playing in the NBA diet and routine weren’t prioritized as much as they are now, so instead of focusing on routines he focused on flexibility and adaptability. [53:30]
- If you don’t feel like you’re making a dent in the world around you, you probably aren’t doing enough to give back. [60:00]
- Why you should choose a registered financial advisor to help you with your money. [39:30]
- The only thing you can control is how much you spend. [42:30]
- The difference between needs, wants and wishes and how being clear on what those are to you can help you be financially successful. [46:40]
- How Detlef thinks about legacy and making the future generation a better place. [49:00]
- When Detlef was playing in the NBA diet and routine weren’t prioritized as much as they are now, so instead of focusing on routines he focused on flexibility and adaptability. [53:30]
- If you don’t feel like you’re making a dent in the world around you, you probably aren’t doing enough to give back. [60:00]
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