EKAITZ SAIES

Phil Jackson, the legendary basketball coach, once said that during Michael Jordan’s first six seasons in the NBA, he was by far the best player. Yet, despite his individual brilliance, he failed to win a single championship. In his book Sacred Hoops, Jackson explained:

“A great player alone can only succeed to a certain extent, but if his one-on-one game is not in sync with everyone else, the team will never achieve the harmony needed to win a championship.”

This was the key lesson Jordan had to learn. For years, he dominated games on his own, dazzling crowds with his skill, but it wasn’t until he embraced the team dynamic—trusting his teammates, adapting his playstyle, and contributing to a greater collective effort—that he won his first NBA title in 1991. From that moment on, with the Chicago Bulls functioning as a cohesive unit, he went on to win six championships.

No matter how talented an athlete may be, their full potential can only be realised when they are part of a united, coordinated, and harmonious team.

The Spartan Mentality: Strength in Unity

This principle extends far beyond sport. Steven Pressfield, in his book Gates of Fire, describes how the strength of the Spartan warriors did not lie in the sharpness of their spears but in the significance of their shields. A Spartan could be forgiven for losing their breastplate or helmet, but if they lost their shield, they also lost their rights as a citizen of Sparta. The reason? While their armour protected themselves, their shield protected the warrior next to them.

Spartans lived by a motto: “Return with your shield or on it.”

Their true power lay in their phalanx, in the unity of the battalion. A single warrior, no matter how skilled, could do little against an enemy army. But when the Spartans stood together, shields locked in perfect formation, they became an unstoppable force. Each soldier fought not just for personal glory but for the survival and success of the group.

The Lesson for Teams in Sport and Life

The lesson is clear: no individual, no matter how exceptional, can achieve greatness alone. In sport, business, and life, true success comes from working together.

• The strength of a wolf comes from its pack.

• The strength of a Spartan comes from their comrades.

• The strength of a player comes from their team.

It is easy to focus on personal achievements, to measure success by individual performance. But the greatest victories are won through collective effort. The most successful teams—whether in sport, the military, or any field—are those that trust each other, communicate effectively, and work towards a common goal.

Michael Jordan became the greatest not just because of his own talent, but because he learned to elevate those around him. The Spartans remained legendary not because of individual heroics, but because they understood the power of unity.

Alone, we can be excellent. Together, we can be the best.