NBA veteran point guard Eric Snow had some high-powered assistance from two iconic Atlantans when writing his new book, “Leading High Performers: The Ultimate Guide to Being a Fast, Fluid and Flexible Leader” (Morgan James, $17.95).
Former United Nations ambassador and Atlanta mayor Andrew Young contributes the foreword to the self-help business tome while his pastor, Bishop Eddie Long wrote the afterword.
Both men played a significant role in Snow deciding to relocate to Atlanta with philanthropist wife and former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member DeShawn Snow and the couple’s children.
“We were staying here in Atlanta in the off season,” explains the former Cleveland Cavaliers co-captain. “But Ambassador Young and Bishop Long taught me to really become a resident here was about becoming a part of the community as well.”
Throughout his 14-year NBA career, Snow built a solid reputation as a consistent leader but without the flash (or controversy) of teammates Allen Iverson and LeBron James (Snow interviewed both men for “Leading High Performers”).
“We all want to be LeBron James,” Snow concedes with a laugh. “But there are very few of them out them whether it’s on the basketball court or the board room. The likelihood of you becoming an Eric Snow is much more attainable.”
Snow says he was originally motivated to write the book as “a legacy for my children.”
At its core, “Leading High Performers” teaches readers how to become an invaluable member of your franchise the way Snow did in the NBA.
A knee injury ended his playing career but Snow now enjoys touring the country as a motivational speaker and providing commentary as an analyst for Turner Sports’ NBA TV.
“I gotta tell you, man, it’s interesting being a member of the media now,” says Snow. “Now that I’m sitting on my behind talking about the game, your focus shifts. For the most part I have a hard time being critical of the players. I’m careful about what I say. But I believe you can criticize someone and lift them up at the same time. I try and offer viewers that perspective from the player’s vantage point.”
Off screen, Snow also serves on the board of his wife’s DeShawn Snow Foundation that assists young women. (Eric has overseen his own charitable foundation for more than a decade.)
“Do I get final say?!” Snow jokes. “Um, no. But I have a say and we’ve had many conversations about how a foundation can impact lives for the better.”
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” fans will forever recall a quiet reassuring scene between the Snows after DeShawn’s first-ever fund-raiser flopped, ending up with a deficit for Eric to pay off.
“Some of my friends told me, ‘I probably wouldn’t have been as happy about that as you were!'” he recalls. “But you know, life is all about learning. I was proud of her. Experience is our best teacher.”
For more info, go to Snow’s official website
