Kev Moyé
News-Times Staff
EL DORADO – Sacramento Kings shooting guard James Anderson was the keynote speaker for the Gentlemen's Club Wednesday afternoon at Barton Junior High School.
The Gentlemen's Club is an organization dedicated to providing positive guidance to male students at Barton Junior High. Throughout the school year successful men – from various walks of life – address the students on what it takes to prosper.
This week, it was Anderson who assumed the task of providing a motivational word for the Gentleman's Club.
The Junction City graduate enjoyed the opportunity to meet, greet, and speak to the students.
"Anytime you get the chance to get back in the community and help out – it's a good thing," he stated.
Anderson, who was named the 2010 Big 12 Player of the Year following his junior campaign at Oklahoma State, fielded just over 30 inquiries from the enthusiastic members of the Gentlemen's Club.
Just a few of the topics Anderson spoke on was the importance of hard work, being a good teammate, handling adverse situations, respecting your coaches, remaining focused on the ultimate task, and a quality work ethic.
"I put a lot on myself to reach my goals," he said. "For the most part, I just put up a lot of shots. I worked hard to achieve my goals."
When reflecting on the importance of academics, Anderson advised the students that his grades were always a high priority.
"School was the most important goal for me. With basketball, if I didn't have good grades I couldn't play," he said. "In college, they made sure we stayed in our books. My first couple of years I was academic All-Big 12. It was another goal that I achieved, besides doing well in basketball.
"I know that basketball is not going to always be there. So I had to find something else to fall back on."
Anderson's desire to build a quality academic résumé began well before he arrived in Stillwater, Okla. Throughout his tenure as a Junction City Dragon, grades were always important.
"My mom stayed on me about it. My coaches in high school stayed on me about it. They made it clear that (I knew) if I were going to college, that I had to take care of my grades," Anderson stated.
The devoted husband and father of two, made it clear that it's impossible to have good grades or excel athletically, devoid of hard work.
"In the off-season there's a lot of preparation," he said. "In the off-season, you work harder than you do during the season. In the off-season you put up a lot of shots, do a lot of drills."
In regard to the mental standpoint of being a quality teammate and obtaining success in life, Anderson advised the Gentlemen's Club that having the right thought process is vital.
"Being coachable starts with anytime your coaches call on you, you've paid attention and focused on what he's said (about the plan). And you then attempt to execute it as best as you can," he stated. "You always have to be ready. You never know when your name is going to be called. That's part of the game, is being able to listen and having a good attitude about it."