The Biggest Mistake I Never Made

In an era when most athletes would not express an opinion of the greater world around them under threat of torture, Lloy Ball is refreshing. Lloy has never been shy about telling what he's thinking, and maybe more importantly for my work, what he is feeling after exhilarating wins and crushing losses.

He’s also a very good athlete. In 2008 he became the first American male to compete in four Olympic games in one of the major team sports. He has played more than 400 matches for the United States national men’s team, a record, and no one has been the U.S. captain longer than his 10 years. He has become the first American to win championships in the three major European professional leagues, and was also named the most valuable player of the European Champions league, essentially the best league in the world. To follow that up he was named MVP of the 2008 World League before leading the U.S. to the Olympic gold medal in Beijing. He is recognized almost everywhere – except in his home country.

And even in his hometown, he still has people who are never shy about saying to this face they think he made a mistake by not playing basketball for Bobby Knight at Indiana University. He was still hearing it even as he prepared to play in his fourth Olympics -- hence the title for this book.

None of his amazing success has changed who he is. When Ball came home to Fort Wayne after the Olympics, more than 150 friends and family waiting to greet him at the airport. He thanked them for coming and then asked that they be patient until he got around to see all of them. For more than an hour he exchanged hugs and signed autographs and everyone of any age who wanted to was allowed to try on his medal -- including people waiting to board the upcoming flights. Often, he was so busy signing he didn't bother to keep track of where his medal was.