Eric Zhu '21 Recruiting Profile

When I think of a great leader, the first person I think of is Stephen Curry. When Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, Curry openly sacrificed his role for the success of the team. He is not the tallest, strongest, or quickest on the court, yet he is able to be the face of arguably the most successful team in NBA history. What defines a true leader? A leader is not someone who is the most vocal, but someone who is willing to sacrifice for the success of the group. Someone who listens to others, while being able to motivate the group. 

On the basketball team, I was not officially the captain of the team until my senior year, but I have always tried to be the best teammate I can be. In my junior year, one of the sophomores who had just made varsity was struggling with the plays. I offered to help him, by walking through all of the plays with him. By explaining the purpose of each part of the play, he was able to grasp all of our plays much easier, setting him up for success. 

I motivate teammates by my own play, not by screaming at them. I believe that hard work is contagious. If I push myself harder, those around me will too. I am not the one that talks the most or comes up with all the ideas. I am a silent leader that will get their voice heard but also focuses on listening to others’ opinions. 

When there is a problem, I will address it in an appropriate manner. One game, I noticed a problem in the game plan. Instead of letting frustration out on the coaches, I calmly talked to them at halftime about what I saw on the court when playing. In the huddle before the start of the third quarter, the coaches implemented what I had told them, allowing us to play a better second half to secure the victory. I do not care about my personal statistics as much as I value sacrificing to allow the greatest chance for success.