The Tao of Tajuan Porter

It’s confirmed: University of Oregon basketball star Tajuan Porter is a Taoist sage. I’d suspected as much while watching the Ducks beat UNLV yesterday.

Freshman Porter, who’s only 5′ 6″, beautifully manifested wu-wei—effortless doing. A master of wu-wei is said to have “soft and invisible power” over things.

Indeed. St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bryan Burwell said that Porter was “a blur, a wisp and a vapor.”

I decided to confirm Porter’s Taoist eminence through his own words. Here’s what I found. My comments on #12’s simple, yet profound, statements are in italics.

On playing in the expansive Edward Jones Dome:
“A shooter is a shooter. You can’t worry about the environment. It’s two rims and a ball.”
a finger pointing directly to the moon

Why the Dome won’t distract him:
“Nah, can’t worry about that. If you worry about it, you’re going to be concentrating too much.”
relaxed empty mind imbibes fullness of Tao

After a Pac-10 tournament win over California:
“It’s a great birthday present for me. I’m happy we won. And ‘Happy birthday’ to myself.”
in the small pool of self is reflected the grand ocean of reality

Before the Ducks’ first NCAA tournament game:
“In this tournament anybody can win. Anybody can get upset. We just have to stay level-headed.”
“There’s no need to be nervous. (Playing basketball) is something I love to do so I’m not going to be nervous.”
water flows where it will; bamboo bends before strong winds

After a key win over Washington State:
“There’s always room for someone to step up, and I just did what I could with my opportunities tonight.”
nothing special about chopping wood and carrying water

Regarding his Pac-10 leading free throw shooting:
“I don’t know how many I’ve made, but I know I’ve missed five.”
Tao exalts the lowly

Concerning his skills:
“I think I’m a terrible shooter. No, I’m an OK shooter. I still feel like I can shoot better than what I’m shooting now. Every shot I take, I think I should make it.”
archer being humbly one with the Way, arrow finds the target by itself

After making the All Pac-10 freshman team:
“That’s individual attention. I really don’t care about individual attention. I’m just trying to win.”
yin

Asked to reconcile that statement with fruitlessly tossing up three-point shots in an attempt to break the freshman record:
“That was just to break the record.”
and yang

About his size:
“It can be a disadvantage if you make it one. But you have to find it within yourself to play and not make it seem like you’re a liability.”
content with Tao’s benevolence, eating plain rice

Asked about who would win a three-point contest with Oregon women’s team freshman phenom Taylor Lilley (who has a higher made percentage than Porter):
“I would say me because I’m confident in myself. But I would let her win just to keep her confidence up.”
yin

Expanding on a Lilley shoot-out:
“I got pride. I ain’t gonna let no girl beat me.”
and yang

His approach to making shots:
“My teammates find me and I knock them down.”
life is as simple as we make it

Next day update: Opening up the sports section, I find more Taoist Tajuan wisdom.
When asked about his impression of Oregon’s basketball program before he arrived:
“Didn’t even know Oregon was a state until Malik (Hairston) came here.”
ah, the sage words of the Tao Te Ching come to mind…

Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles
…I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused.
Other men are clear and bright,
But I alone am dim and weak.
Other men are sharp and clever,
But I alone am dull and stupid.
…I am different.
I am nourished by the great mother.