How to "MAKE IT" Part II

After yesterday's amazing response to the email about Cartier Martin, wouldn't you know, there is some press about him today. This is interesting because I did this interview at least a month ago and it comes out today! Enjoy!

BY AUSTIN MEEK April 23, 2009 - 11:00pm

In all, Cartier Martin cashed more than $50,000 in paychecks from the Charlotte Bobcats this season.

Not bad for a guy who wasn't supposed to earn a dime playing professional basketball.

It was former Kansas State coach Bob Huggins who said the next basketball experience for Martin and the rest of his seniors would come at a rec center or a YMCA. Huggins later softened that comment - sort of - by saying Martin might have a chance to play in Europe once he graduated from K-State.

In Huggins' defense, being drafted by the Kansas Cagerz does not typically foreshadow a long and profitable NBA career.

Even Nick Nurse, who coached Martin with the Iowa Energy of the NBA's developmental league, didn't necessarily expect to see the 6-foot-7 swingman starting for an NBA team this season.

"To be honest with you, when we did our research to draft him, we probably did not see that, that he'd make that kind of quick elevation," Nurse said. "We really liked him. He's got a multi-faceted game. We thought he'd really be a good player in our league with an outside chance of moving up."

For anyone who watched Martin at K-State, "multi-faceted" probably isn't the first adjective that comes to mind. Martin finished his career as one of the top outside shooters in K-State history - his 178 3-pointers rank third on the school's all-time list - but his contributions in other areas were limited.

"Cartier's biggest drawback is he's not a great athlete," Huggins said before the 2007 NBA draft, which passed without any mention of Martin's name.

Martin still won't be confused with LeBron James, but his game clearly has evolved. When Nurse scouted Martin before the D-league draft, he saw a versatile player capable of contributing in a variety of areas.

"I always tell the scouts, he does every single facet of the game above average," Nurse said. "Other than his shooting, I wouldn't say he's excellent at anything, but he's not poor at anything, either. He's got every facet.

"He's a great help defender who can get over and take charges. He doesn't get a high volume of rebounds, but he blocks out really well. He makes the extra pass, understands spacing on offense, all those little things. He was a great teammate and a great leader for us."

Before signing with the Energy, Martin played professionally in Turkey, where his numbers were relatively pedestrian. But with input from various friends in the Big 12 coaching ranks, Nurse opted to gamble on Martin early in the D-league draft.

"We used our first-round pick on him, which I think surprised people, but we were really confident we found a good player," Nurse said. "That's why we drafted him so high."

The gamble paid off, as Martin averaged close to 21 points in the 21 games with the Energy and was selected to the D-league all-star game. That was enough to earn Martin a pair of 10-day contracts with the Bobcats when swingman Gerald Wallace suffered a collapsed lung in January.

Most observers expected Martin's NBA career to expire along with those contracts, but the Bobcats instead signed him for the remainder of the season.

"He's a classic example," Nurse said. "He just flat-out works. He works harder than anybody I've ever coached to improve himself. I'm not talking about showing up for practice 30 minutes or 45 minutes ahead of time. He was showing up three hours ahead of time, and he was staying afterwards."

Martin maintained that habit with the Bobcats, reportedly showing up to his first practice hours early and finding the gym locked. That work ethic seemed to catch the attention of coach Larry Brown, who inserted Martin into the starting lineup for a game when Raja Bell went down with a calf injury.

Charlotte finished 35-47, four games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, meaning Martin's NBA future is once again uncertain. He went 0-for-5 from the floor over the final five games of the season and averaged 2.6 points in his 33 games with the Bobcats.

But even if Martin doesn't win a roster spot next season, he's already playing with house money.

"If they don't keep him and he comes back to the D-league next year, I'm sure he'll get another chance," Nurse said.

Austin Meek can be reached at austin.meek@cjonline.com.

Have a Supergood day!

Nick Nurse

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How to "MAKE IT"

"Self discipline is the rejection of instant gratification in favor of something better. It is the giving up of instant pleasure and satisfaction for a good opportunity or reward that is far more important and valuable in the future. It is the ability to go through the rigor of repeating an activity again and again until your skill or competence increases." *

Ok, the above is a great way to understand how we push through and achieve our goals.

And....I have been dying to write this email for a long time about one of our players here at the Iowa Energy. But, amidst winning the divisional title, coaching in the All-Star game, having nine 10-day call ups, the league's MVP, and the league's Rookie of the year, the daily emails had to take a back seat.

But the player I want to talk to you about today is one of our guys who made it, Cartier Martin who played his college ball at Kansas State.

Cartier was our first round draft choice this past year after having a "decent career" at KSU. He started until his senior year where he then came off the bench under a new coaching staff. I did a lot of personal research on him before the draft, talking to several people that both knew him and that he played against in college. They all confirmed the same things about him being a good guy but they all talked about his work ethic as well, which seemed to strike a chord with me with everyone I talked to about him. So, we surprised most people when we chose him with our first overall selection (he was only a mid level salary player).

Anyway, the story goes quickly like this. He is pretty much not on anyone's radar in the NBA. He plays 21 games for us, gets a call up to the Charlotte Bobcats for 10 days. He then makes their team and ends up not only playing for them for the remainder of the season, BUT even starting in the NBA!

How can this be?

Well, I have NEVER seen a player WORK like him......EVER.

I am not talking about coming to practice early and staying late. A lot of our players (in fact most of them) do this. Cartier was on another level. If practice was at 4pm. I would see him down in the gym at NOON. I am talking 4 HOURS BEFORE practice. And he was working and working on all facets of his game. He would be doing two ball dribbling, shooting tons of Free Throws, shooting of course, footwork and even passing drills. Most of the time down there by himself (he even asked me to create a "music" workout for him, which we called C2 and he downloaded the workout to is ipod). My instructions would be something like...... "Go to the right wing, pump fake, take one dribble and pull up......do this for 90 seconds.....ready..GO!" To finish off the workout, I dropped some music in the background that I thought he might like (and would motivate him). It turned out to be a 90 minute workout for him. His first response was....."Coach, I love this, can you make the workout longer for me?"

He was down on the floor every day WORKING. He would go through two sets of practice gear a day because of all the sweat he would work up. He also was a leader. Every practice, every game. One of those guys pushing their teammates. "Let's have a good practice today and we have a big game coming up", were often heard coming from his lips. It is no wonder to me that he got the call and that he struck in the NBA.

One last story before we finish up for today. When Cartier went to Charlotte for his first 10 day contract, on about the 4th day, the team had an 11am practice scheduled for the day. He arrived at the practice facility at 7.30am to find it locked and no one around. A security guard saw him at the door and didn't know who he was, and had to call the coach's to say "who is this guy, claims he is on the team". The coaches said "yes, he's a new guy" and that it was ok to let him in. The coaches asked the security guard to watch and see what he was doing there that early. The report: "hit the weights hard, ran and shot and dribbled the entire morning, absolutely worked his rear end off all morning."

Hall of Fame Coach, Larry Brown fell in love with Cartier right there and then.

Is it any wonder?

It all comes down to discipline and hard work. I really believe that.

What do you believe?

Have a SuperGood day!

Nick Nurse

P.S. - One week to go for EARLY BIRD prices for the Summer Program Camps. We'll show you how to WORK HARD and give you the teaching and drills that you need to improve this summer. Just click on the link for more information. Nick Nurse Basketball Camps

*Taken from the book: The 12 Factors of Business Success: Discover, Develop and Leverage Your Strengths by Kevin Hogan, Dave Lakhani, Mollie Marti

ENERGY END SEASON WITH HOME LOSS TO DAKOTA

833 5th Avenue • Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 462 -2849 • Fax: (515) 564-8551
www.IowaNBA.com

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Contact: Katie Mahnke
E-Mail: kmahnke@iowanba.co

ENERGY END SEASON WITH HOME LOSS TO DAKOTA

DES MOINES, Iowa, April , 2009 – Player of the Game, Othyus Jeffers, scored 31 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and shot 13-for-18 from the field, but the Dakota Wizards defeated the Iowa Energy 114-109 on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Energy jumped off to an early start, leading by 17 during the first quarter. Six members of the Energy squad finished in double-digits, including Denham Brown (20 points), Demetris Nichols (19 points), John Edwards (13 points) and Mark Tyndale (10 points). Curtis Stinson finished the season with another double-double, adding 11 points and dishing out 11 assists.

David Bell’s 10 three pointers helped push the Wizards to a victory. Bell finished with 31 points and shot 12-for-17 from the field. Contributing double-doubles were Blake Ahearn (20 points, 11 assists), Richard Hendrix (16 points, 14 rebounds), and Maurice Baker (12 points, 10 rebounds). Renaldo major added 20 points.

Dakota will move on the play Utah in the D-League Semi Final on Monday.

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TOYOTA OF DES MOINES TO SPONSOR “ ENERGY PLAYOFF DRIVE ”

Car Dealer to Purchase Tickets for Children Thursday Night

Des Moines, IA (April 15, 2009) – The Iowa Energy announced today that Toyota of Des Moines will be the “Official Sponsor of the Energy Playoff Drive” beginning with Thursday nights game vs. Dakota.

As part of the promotion, Toyota of Des Moines has announced they will purchase tickets for all children aged 17 and under for Thursday’s playoff opener. Fans can obtain these tickets at the Wells Fargo Arena box office or by calling the Energy office at 515-462-2849. Fans must ask for the “Toyota Kids Tickets” for their children.

In addition, five lucky fans will be selected at Thursday’s game to attempt to win a free Toyota Camry courtesy of Toyota of Des Moines. The five fans selected at random, will have to make four shots from specific locations on the floor in 25 seconds to win the car.

“ Toyota has been a partner of ours since day one, and we feel very fortunate to have them as our official playoff sponsor. The gesture to purchase tickets for the children of greater Des Moines shows a lot about the type of people they are, and their commitment to the community,” said Energy General Manager Chris Makris.

For more information please contact the Iowa Energy at 515-462-2849 or visit www.iowanba.com.

ENERGY TO HOST RIVAL DAKOTA WIZARDS IN PLAYOFF OPENER

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IOWA ENERGY TO HOST RIVAL DAKOTA WIZARDS IN PLAYOFF OPENER

Energy Franchise to Play First Ever Playoff Game Thursday in Des Moines

DES MOINES, IA, April 12, 2009 – The Iowa Energy selected the Dakota Wizards as their opponent for the first round of the 2009 NBA D-League Playoffs and will host their division rival Thursday night at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“This is an exciting time for our team and for Des Moines. To have a playoff game of this caliber right here in people’s backyard doesn’t happen all the time, so I encourage everyone to come out and cheer us on Thursday night,” said Energy Head Coach Nick Nurse.

Iowa won five of the seven matchups with the Wizards on the season, but several of those games came down to the final seconds. The two teams last played Thursday, April 9^th in Des Moines. The rivals came into the game tied for first place in the division with two games to play. The Energy won 130-120 behind 27 points from former Iowa State star Curtis Stinson to clinch a playoff birth.

The Energy enter the game on a two game win streak. After their loss to Iowa last Thursday, Dakota defeated Anaheim on Friday night to clinch a playoff birth.

The winner of the Iowa/Dakota matchup will face the winner of the Utah/Bakersfield contest in the second round. Date, time and location of a potential second round game will be determined upon completion of the first round.

Tickets for the Energy’s first round game are on sale now starting at $8. Fans will be treated to $1 beer at the game. To purchase, visit www.dahlstickets.com or call 515-462-2849.

ENERGY TO SELECT PLAYOFF OPPONENT SUNDAY NIGHT

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ENERGY TO SELECT PLAYOFF OPPONENT SUNDAY NIGHT
Iowa to Select Third in Unique Playoff Format
DES MOINES, IA, April 11, 2009 – The Iowa Energy know they will host their first ever playoff game Thursday night at Well Fargo Arena. Their opponent, however, is still up in the air.

The NBA D-League has implemented a unique process to select playoff matchups this year as the top four seeds will be allowed to choose their opponent for the first round matchups. The selection process will occur Sunday night at 5:00 PM Central and can be followed live online at www.d-league.com.

The top four seeds in the eight team D-League playoffs are:
1) Colorado 14’ers
2) Utah Flash
3) Iowa Energy
4) Austin Toros

The remaining playoff teams are the Idaho Stampede, Dakota Wizards, Bakersfield Jam and Erie BayHawks.

The selection process will begin with Colorado selecting their opponent from the four “non-seeded” teams. Utah will follow with their selection among the three remaining “non-seeded” teams. At that point, the Energy will have a decision to make between the two remaining “non-seeded” teams.

Iowa will be on the same side of the bracket as Utah and their selected opponent. This means an Iowa first round win would likely send them to Utah for a second round matchup, although the Energy could host a second round game if things fell in their favor.

Tickets for the Energy’s first round game are on sale now starting at $8. Fans will be treated to $1 beer at the game. To purchase, visit www.dahlstickets.com or call 515-462-2849.

ENERGY CLINCH CENTRAL WITH 114-110 WIN OVER SIOUX FALLS

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ENERGY CLINCH CENTRAL WITH 114-110 WIN OVER SIOUX FALLS
Iowa To Host 1st Round Playoff Game

DES MOINES , IA , April 10, 2009 – The Iowa Energy clinched their first division title in franchise history with a 114-104 home victory over rival Sioux Falls . With the win, Iowa will host a home playoff game Thursday. The Energy’s opponent will be determined Sunday night, as D-League teams select their opponents for the playoffs. Iowa will be the number three seed in the eight team field.

A back and forth first quarter was followed by a big Energy run in the 2nd stanza. With the game tied at 47, the Energy scored 17 of the next 19 points to head into halftime with a commanding 64-49 lead.

Sioux Falls cut the lead to three early in the 4th quarter, but were not able to get any closer the rest of the game. The loss knocks Sioux Falls out of the playoff picture.

Curtis Stinson led the Energy with his third triple-double of the season with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists. Othyus Jeffers, named D-League Rookie of the Year earlier in the day, scored a team high 29 points for the Energy while Demetris Nichols added 26 points.

Sioux Falls was led by Kasib Powell’s 23 points while David Bailey added 19 points on the night.

Tickets for the Energy’s first ever playoff game will go on sale Saturday at noon. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Energy office at 515-462-2849 or at www.dahlstickets.com. The game will be held Thursday, April 16th at 7pm.

OTHYUS JEFFERS NAMED NBA D-LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

OTHYUS JEFFERS NAMED NBA D-LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

NEW YORK, April 10, 2009 – Iowa Energy guard Othyus Jeffers, who ranks in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding and steals, has been selected by the League’s 16 head coaches as the NBA Development League’s 2008-09 Rookie of the Year.

“Othyus is a warrior. He competes every night, puts winning first and foremost in his mind and refuses to be denied,” said Energy head coach Nick Nurse. “He is absolutely deserving of the award and he gets a lot of credit in my book. In my 19 years of coaching he is without a doubt the most competitive player I’ve ever worked with.”

In 46 games (31 starts) for Iowa, Jeffers is averaging 20.9 points on 53 percent (354-for-667) shooting from the field, to go with 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1steals, helping the Energy to a 27-22 record, good for first place in the Central Division. Jeffers, an NAIA All-America selection at Robert Morris College, also participated in this year’s NBA D-League All-Star Game in Phoenix, scoring 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field.

Jeffers, who earned All-NBA Development League Honorable Mention honors, joins Blake Ahearn (Dakota, 2007-08), Louis Amundson (Colorado, 2006-07), Will Bynum (Roanoke 2005-06), James Thomas (Roanoke 2004-05), Desmond Penigar (Asheville, 2003-04), Devin Brown (Fayetteville, 2002-03) and Fred House (Charleston, 2001-02) as winners of the annual award.

“In a season filled with talented rookie performances, Othyus' contributions to his team's success stood out,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “He demonstrated all season that he is a tremendous player and a top young prospect. With hard work and determination, he has used the NBA D-League as a platform to display his abilities to NBA scouts. There is no doubt that Othyus has a bright future ahead of him.”

The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams for the 2008-09 season. An expansion team will begin play in Portland, Maine for the 2009-10 season, and the Anaheim Arsenal will relocate to Springfield, Mass., with a new name, logo, and team colors. Sixty former NBA Development League players were on 2008-09 NBA start-of-season rosters, and the league continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.

ENERGY LOSE FOURTH STRAIGHT 101-113 TO RIO GRANDE VALLEY

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ENERGY LOSE FOURTH STRAIGHT 101-113 TO RIO GRANDE VALLEY

Thursday’s Game vs. Dakota May Decide Central Division

HIDALGO, TX, April 5, 2009 – The Iowa Energy continued their season long losing streak, dropping their fourth straight game 101-113 to Rio Grande Valley Sunday. Iowa entered the day one game ahead of Dakota in the D-League’s Central Division. That lead may be in jeopardy as the Energy couldn’t overcome a 57-33 rebounding disadvantage in the game. Dakota plays Sioux Falls later today, with a chance to tie for the division lead.

Rio Grande sprinted out to a 19 point halftime lead and were never threatened in the second half as their rebounding dominance and 29 assists paved the way for the easy victory. The Vipers move their record to 21-26 with the win.

Energy standout Othyus Jeffers led Iowa with 25 points while Demetris Nichols added 24 points and 9 rebounds.

Rio Grande Valley was led by former Iowa Hawkeye Kurt Looby, who had a triple-double on the night with 14 points, 22 rebounds and 11 blocked shots.

The Energy return to Des Moines to host Dakota on Thursday, April 9^th at 7pm. Single game tickets are available by calling 515-462-2849 or visiting www.iowanba.com.

D-FENDERS HOLD ON IN OVERTIME, DEFEAT ENERGY 130-124

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D-FENDERS HOLD ON IN OVERTIME,
DEFEAT ENERGY 130-124


DES MOINES, Iowa, April 1, 2009 – Demetris Nichols hit a buzzer beating three at the end of regulation to tie the game, but the Los Angeles D-Fenders defeated the Iowa Energy 130 to 124 Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Arena in overtime.

The D-Fenders led for the majority of the game, leading the Energy (26-19) by as much as 22 points during the second half. Othyus Jeffers’ 37 points and 14 rebounds helped the Energy to a comeback, with Nichols adding 23 points. Curtis Stinson (21 points, 11 assists) Marvin Phillips (12 points) and Mark Tyndale (11 points) rounded out the Energy squad scoring in double-digits.

Dwanye Mitchell led the D-Fenders with 28 points, with Mickael Gelabale and Earl Barron adding 21 points a piece. Also contributing to the D-Fenders victory were Ryan Forehand-Kelly (20 points), Charlie Parker (18 points) and Brandon Heath (10 points).

The Energy will take on the Colorado 14ers on Thursday, April 2nd at Wells Fargo Arena. United States Olympian Lolo Jones will be featured at the game with a bobblehead replica of the athlete. Tickets can be purchased by calling 515-462-2849 or visiting www.dahlstickets.com.