Trophies and rings, in sports, signify success, achievement, and titles. This was no dream for Mike, former Los Angeles Lakers center as he had won two NBA championships while playing with the great Los Angeles Lakers showtime team. But even then, as his daughter Anna a 6’9 height volleyball talent leapt into the NCAA championship and Mike was denying his very own fingers holding the rings, he was finding pleasure in his daughter’s triumph.

A Proud Father’s Perspective

It all started for Mike Smrek when he was picked up by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1985 before going on to become an icon of the game with such greats of the game as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the LA Lakers. The two NBA titles had definitely made him proud, but to see Anna excel in volleyball was something that truly brought him joy.

Freshman Anna wrote herself into history books when she was named Most Valuable Player at the NCAA Tournament in 2021, a feat that cemented her team and the program’s legacy. Anna’s father also talked about their family’s heritage in sports when she was interviewed by the Big Ten Network. As a matter of fact, Mike “loved” basketball but now concentrated more on aiding his children’s pursuits which were about to yield fruits.

Mike said, “To compare myself winning a championship to my daughter winning a championship, far and away having my daughter win, that was more special to me,”

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Mike explained he talks to his children about the commonness of things that they both have in their lives today. He relates that to the same experiences that they have experienced when he was in the Lakers’ team.

A Championship Beyond Compare

But there was no uncertainty in comparison of championships for Mike. He freely admitted to this: “To compare me winning championships to her winning championships, I’ve always believed that her winning was so much more special than mine.” The glory of his NBA wins seemed insignificant compared to the pride in Anna’s achievements.

As she continued with distinction in the world of volleyball, she did not only bring fame to her team, but she also emerged as an upcoming star of the game. She was not a one-year wonder, because the next year she was selected for the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge All-Tournament team, which recognized her talent and determination.

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Finally, through the journey of Mike from the hardwood to the volleyball court, Mike learned about parenthood and its essence. Although he has made remarkable achievements on his own in the NBA, the victory of Anna’s team to win the championship moved him very much more. Mike recognized, as a father, that sometimes the greatest achievements are those of near and dear ones.