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30 October 2025  4 min read

'Don't get lost in noise of modern life' - All-Star Tyson Chandler's message to young hoopers

He was there in 2012 with Team USA playing against GB in a warm-up fixture ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games, where they beat the Brits 118-78 at the Manchester Arena.

This time around, the 7-footer was at the National Basketball Performance Centre and on hand to offer guidance to 60 of Europe’s brightest ballers, as well as to local grassroots players attending Her Time To Play and Jr. NBA clinics.

Chandler has an entirely approachable demeanour, always smiling, giving high-fives and words of encouragement.  

Through his life he has maintained a philanthropic approach and represented the underdog.

He helped change his family’s fortunes and took them out of homelessness, is a staunch anti-bullying ally and has been an ambassador for Unicef, helping over 200,000 kids get active across the world.

Part of his success in the NBA, he says, is because he never lost focus on the foundational people around him. His message to young people is to not get lost in the noise of modern life.

“I think your roots are always your foundation,” he said.

“That's what's important. That's what carries you; family, friends that become family.

“In these situations, you know your team-mates. That bond and that togetherness is what's going to carry you. When you're in a tough game, you’ve got to lean on those times and those hurdles you had earlier in the year and bounce back. That's how a unit comes together and grows. Always focus on your foundation and continue to build it.”

Chandler was part of the VIP coaching staff delivering basketball clinics at this year's Basketball Without Borders camp in Manchester.

Set a precedent for the big man role

Honours to the Chandler name include a 2011 NBA title won with the Dallas Mavericks that featured Dirk Nowitzki, a London 2012 Olympic gold medal, an NBA 2012 Defensive Player of the Year gong and being named in the League’s All-Defensive Teams three times (First Team in 2013, Second Team in 2012 and 2011).

Across 19 seasons, he amassed an average of 9.0 rebounds and 8.2 points per game and was referenced by his contemporaries as a player who set a new precedent for the big man role during his tenure –  ie doing the hard and sometimes undervalued work of setting tough ball-screens to execute textbook pick and rolls, crashing the boards, rim protecting and rim-running; creating a niche that was highly valued during his championship run with the Mavs.

Of course, the big man role is always evolving and a highly flexible position these days, with Victor Wemanyama and Nikola Jokic, redefining what’s possible, with perimeter presence and ball handling skills to rival any guard.

Chandler’s advice to young players in the UK wanting to play the centre position is to ‘focus on your strengths’.

“Focus on your strengths. You know, figuring out what you bring to the game, your abilities, whatever that may be, and really focusing on that and improving on your weaknesses. But [remember], something that you are great at got you to this point,” the 43-year-old added.

“Me being athletic, that was something that I was great at. Jokic has a great touch and that’s something he's great at. Play along to your advantages, or whatever your abilities are.”

Chandler takes it to the rim at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where Team USA won gold. fiba.basketball

Just let it be

At the end of the 2010-11 season, Mavs owner Mark Cuban disbanded the championship winning team, with Chandler heading to the Knicks at the time.

Speaking on SiriusXM, Chandler reflected that the team could have gone onto win back-to-back titles, but during his career how did he deal with that decision and navigate ruminating on ‘what might have been’?

“During your career, there’s not any time to look back. You’ve got to keep moving forward. I can look back now and say, ‘ah, at this point…’, but when you're in the midst of your career. It's all about just moving forward, taking on the next challenge.

“You can't control what you can't control. And that's what I always try and think of, just control the controllable, everything else, just let it be."

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