{"id":2006090,"date":"2026-06-23T09:30:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T06:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2006090"},"modified":"2026-06-23T09:30:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T06:30:30","slug":"a-young-nba-star-asked-jalen-brunson-about-winning-his-answer-was-about-failure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2006090","title":{"rendered":"A young NBA star asked Jalen Brunson about winning. His answer was about failure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This story is part of Peak, The Athletic\u2019s desk covering the mental side of sports. Sign up for Peak\u2019s newsletter here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

With the New York Knicks one win away from a championship, Jalen Brunson was fielding questions from reporters when a voice cut through the crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Jalen, Kon from Charlotte.\u201d<\/p>\n

As in Kon Knueppel, one of the NBA\u2019s best young players for the Charlotte Hornets.<\/p>\n

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He had just seen a stat that showed Brunson was on the verge of joining a small group of players who have won a high school state championship, an NCAA title, the Naismith College Player of the Year Award, an NBA championship and NBA Finals MVP.<\/p>\n

For Knueppel, this sparked a genuine question: He wanted to know what Brunson believed were the key attributes of a winning player. And because he was serving as the NBA\u2019s player correspondent that day, he had the chance to ask him.<\/p>\n

Brunson\u2019s answer?<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the one thing that stays constant with all that is I\u2019ve always told myself and always been taught by my parents to never be afraid to fail.\u201d<\/p>\n

By working hard in the offseason, Brunson explained, the big moments feel less intimidating.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you do fail,\u201d Brunson said, \u201cyou\u2019re going to learn anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

With his response, Brunson captured an idea that Manu Kapur, author of \u201cProductive Failure: Unlocking Deeper Learning Through the Science of Failing,\u201d has spent years working to understand: Why does embracing failure give people an edge?<\/p>\n

For years, Kapur has argued that failure deserves a more nuanced reputation. While most people instinctively avoid mistakes, researchers who study learning have found that certain kinds of failure can actually accelerate growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing is understanding that not all failures are the same,\u201d Kapur said. \u201cWe\u2019re not saying all failure is good. We\u2019re talking about a particular kind of failure that comes from attempting something beyond your current capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In other words, there is a difference between failure born from carelessness and failure that comes from stretching yourself.<\/p>\n

Missing a shot because you failed to prepare is one thing. Missing a shot because you\u2019re attempting a skill or technique you haven\u2019t yet mastered is another. The latter, Kapur argues, is essential to improvement.<\/p>\n

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\u201cFailure, initially, when you\u2019re trying to grow, is good because in that way, you learn better, you develop better, so that failure when it matters \u2014 like a high stakes game, or exam, or performance \u2014 is reduced,\u201d he said. \u201cSo you use failure early to fight failure later.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jalen Brunson and the “underdog effect”<\/div>\n
Elise Devlin<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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