NBA Star Talks about Students Focusing on their Goals

John Salley at Vol State

“Everything that I wanted to do, I have done it,” said retired NBA player John Salley, who visited Nashville for the first time yesterday and spoke at the Unity Day program here at Vol State.

“I graduated from Georgia Tech,” said Salley. “I say that because most athletes go to school, but don’t graduate."

"Stereotypes are based on truth, and the truth is if you are on scholarship, you are there to play basketball or football or whatever. You’re sacrificing your hours to dedicate to that team; you need to take as many classes as possible.”

Salley went to school, first majoring in pre-med. He changed to architecture and then finally graduated with a degree in business management. He's been hosting TV shows for the last several years.  

With him working in the entertainment business, I thought that a degree in business was odd for someone who had dreams of being a late-night talk-show host since he was 11. But he told me that you want to know the business side of any profession. 

Students who graduate with a degree in a certain profession may later in life find themselves not working in that field.

“Then that is not really what they want. I don’t let people have excuses.”

John Salley with Nancy Sparkman

“I have a saying on my wall… I refuse to take a no from someone who is not in a position to say yes. If you are in power to say yes, I will accept it, but if you don’t have what I want, why am I even asking? If you are just in the way of where I want to go, you are not an obstacle, you are just another person saying no who doesn’t have the ability to do something. What I mean is… I don’t talk to the back of the horse."

Salley has traveled world and says despite having done so many different things in his life, he's still excited by new things.

“Everywhere I go, I learn something… I learned today.”

Salley says that you should be aware of your goals. If it is something that you really want, then you have to put time and effort into building that skill. And in the end perseverance is important as well.

"Just when you think it is not going to happen, it's going to happen."