Marcus Smart is dealing with the loss of a loved one as he prepares for the 2018-19 season. His mother recently passed away after a battle with cancer. Smart is reflecting on life and what he plans to do with his.
It's clear that Smart doesn't take anything for granted on the court and this is a philosophy that he adheres to in all aspects of his life.
“I look at dice like life,” he said to Jay King of The Athletic. “Life is a roll of the dice, you never know when your number’s going to be called. So you have to be ready. And just to be humble, just to keep myself humble and things like that.
“Just like I took from my oldest brother when he passed, none of this is guaranteed. You can never take anything for granted because you never know. It might be your time.”
Smart is going through a difficult time, but it sounds like he's attacking life with the right attitude. It's never easy to lose a family member and it can't be easy to have to deal with your grief in such a public way.
Getting back on the court is probably a relief for Smart. It's something that can distract an athlete during a difficult time or help them work through his grief.
Hopefully, this can be the case for Smart. He puts his heart and soul into every play of every game and it's clear his philosophy on life is a big reason for that.