By Shaniece Nicole (@ShanieceNicole)
The Los Angeles Lakers were recently visited by Hollywood’s most beloved but fallen potentate in actor Will Smith five days before their first win of the NBA season, where his recent film “Emancipation”was screened, and he spoke to the team about gratitude and remaining strong in the face of adversity.
Not many people have ridden the peaks and valleys of Hollywood quite like Smith and the Lakers; they’ve been our “Showtime” so to speak, giving us such classics as Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, King Richard, Bad Boys, and Men in Black as well as the joy of watching 17 championships. Despite dominating in every element of success, they are nonetheless dancing with difficulty.
Smith is attempting to heal and do the inner work necessary to get over his unedited moment at the Oscars, while the Lakers are reaping the aftermath of their acquisition strategy over the last two years. The Lakers imprisoning their identity and assembling an unequally yoked basketball squad, as well as the little birdie that whispered in Smith’s ear pushing him to indulge in a career-changing event, both entities can concede that some of their problems are self-inflicted.
The advantage of dealing with self-inflicted trauma over unwarranted trauma is the ability to bounce back. Whether it’s riding the wave of mediocrity for years after Shaquille O’Neal’s departure, or the commercial failure of a highly anticipated, but ultimately disappointing film in Smith’s Wild Wild West, there’s always the chance to regain relevance. Smith and the Lakers will both reign supreme once more.
