Lucas Walker played a decade in the NBL, won a championship with the Wildcats and earned a commonwealth games gold medal in 2018 playing for the Australian Boomers. Walker was a player forever the underdog and one who many thought his NBL career was over multiple times before finally calling it a day in 2020.
On the back of the Boomers win, he penned an open letter about the choices we have when times are tough.
To Whom It May Concern:
I questioned whether to write this or not for quite a while at the risk of throwing myself under the bus. What made me decide to go ahead was realising that this isn’t about me, it’s about the next generation or whoever’s turn it is to step up next. Given the timing of the Boomers win last night, I feel it’s important to share with you now.
Let me start with some back story for context. I was an impressive athlete from a young age. I had the physical tools I needed to compete at an international level, but the gap between my mental and physical game was too big that my athleticism couldn’t carry me alone.
When the mental side of my game finally got to a level it needed to be to play internationally, I was given a chance. It was 2014, a World Cup year, and after wanting to play for Australia since sending Shane Heal hero faxes in the ’96 Olympics, I was committed more than I’ve ever been in my entire career.
I was all in and I was full of confidence. I had a great off-season with the Boomers and a great training camp. I was sure I would make the team, but when I was called into the final selection meeting, I got the news I’d been cut. Fucking. Gutted. There were tears behind closed doors and a pit in my stomach that made me feel like shit every day. I dwelled on it for far too long and wouldn’t let it go. I had non-basketball related difficulties in my personal life too that made things quite difficult to navigate. My attitude slipped and my game was merely a shadow of what it was before being cut. I couldn’t get out of my own way.
It took a few years to get my act together and get a chance to put on the green and gold jersey again. I’m very thankful I got those opportunities to salvage something but missing out in 2014 and how I handled it still keeps me up at times.
Enough about me, and on to the lesson. Nathan Sobey has been part of the Boomers program for a long time. He was in the World Cup team in 2018 and when the broader squad for the Tokyo Olympics was named, he wasn’t in it. He’d just made the World Cup team two years earlier and wasn’t even in the squad of 24. WTF?
Do I think Sobes was pissed off? He was probably livid. But he sure as hell didn’t handle things the same way I did. He played his ass off last NBL season and was dominating; almost like an “I’ll show you” for not being selected. In fact, he played so well that the Boomers eventually added him to the squad. He then goes on to be selected in the final team and make history as part of our first men’s basketball team to win an Olympic medal.
When the chips are down and things don’t go how you want them to, whether it be in sport or not, that’s life. However, the way you choose to respond to being down is entirely up to you. There are two directions in this story you could go and I’m pretty sure you know which is better. I have the utmost admiration for Sobes and how he went about his business and I really wish I had done the same.
I recognised this in myself a few years ago and have learnt a valuable lesson. If you’re reading this for yourself, you have a child, a team-mate like me or have a friend or family member who dropped their bundle, lift them up and don’t let them throw in the towel! It could take a month or even a year to get out of the hole, but without the right attitude, you won’t even give yourself a chance. Who knows what opportunities could be missed in the meantime. Take it on the chin and keep working your tail off.
I acknowledge there are so many stories of resilience and commitment amongst this Boomers group to get to where they are, but I’ve chosen to single out this example as it’s something I can personally relate to.
I hope that by sharing my experience and highlighting others, that it will help someone pull themselves out of a funk faster than me. Take it from me, the regrets you’ll live with aren’t worth it. The world keeps spinning and you can’t get back time.
Congratulations to all the Boomers players and staff. This has been a long, long time coming and I’m so happy for them all. A special nod also to all past Boomers players and coaches who laid the path and inspired the generation below. Without a doubt, these guys have inspired so many young players around our country to become great and I’m so keen to see where Australian basketball goes from here.
Waxy.
Good on ya Waxy for sharing. Well said ??
— Chris Anstey (@ChrisAnstey13) August 8, 2021
Bloody epic Waxy! Good on you for sharing, was a privilege to share some good times with you!
— Tom Wilson (@Tomwilson734) August 8, 2021
Retired NBL Veteran. @repnaustralia Basketball 2018 Comm Games First place medal 2019 FIBA 3X3 Asia Cup