My younger brother's best friend was 6'8 in bare feet. He had the balance to do some insane tricks on a skate board. His speed and agility were crazy. His dad started at Santa Clara back in the 60s when the Broncos were a national power. I could not beat this kid at anything. I was a swimmer and challenged him to a 25 yard sprint knowing he was a goofball in the water. He just powered through the water like an explosion and beat me easily. He could throw down 360 dunks two handed with little effort. He had long arms but could still bench 300 lb.

But he was an absolute mental midget. So immature. In varsity basketball, even though his dad had been a hard-nosed power forward, the son wasn't interested in blocking out or being physical in the paint or paying attention to fundamentals like not going for pump fakes. His lack of discipline led him to the bench and he never played anything in college.

My brother and I still cannot get over what a waste of talent he was. He could have been a national name in football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, track (high jump), rowing, maybe a goal keeper in soccer. As a tennis player, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to play the game with that kid's size, speed, dexterity, and athleticism. But so few elite athletes are the total package of mind and body.