
NBA Superstar Chris Bosh: Here’s Why You Should Learn to Code - kmerlini
http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/10/chris-bosh-why-everyone-should-learn-to-code/
======
ChikkaChiChi
This article was not written for you or I. This is an attempt by Chris Bosh to
make the world of technology accessible to those who wouldn't normal consider
it a career path. I feel that his attempt is successful.

~~~
synvisions
I might agree with you if the article wasn't posted on Wired.

~~~
Bsharp
He should have made ESPN post it.

Everyone would be so confused.

~~~
jamesbritt
Since ESPN considers poker to be a sport there's the remote change they may
someday have live competitive coding.

~~~
Bsharp
To be featured on ESPN 8 - The Ocho.

------
the_watcher
"If someone in school would have explained to me that coding could reach
millions directly or indirectly and make their lives better, it would’ve
sparked my interest much sooner." \- completely agree, programming was not
introduced to me correctly until after college. Even if public schools don't
have the resources to hire a teacher who is, by training, a programmer, there
is no reason why students can't be exposed to things like Codecademy,
Coursera, and Udacity. Online courses with syllabi could even be offered to
students (a teacher could simply verify that the work was being completed and
that the code works) as replacements for the joke of a "computers" requirement
that I had to complete, where the final was just making a PowerPoint, and half
the class just played Oregon Trail during. I don't think "everyone should
code!" should be the goal, it should be that "everyone should be truly exposed
to coding while in school."

Now that I am talking about it, there are so many basic things that people
should be introduced to in public school, some of which used to be mandatory
(I believe). Things like basic accounting/personal finance, some intro level
cooking course (make sure people can boil water and follow a simple recipe),
some kind of shop like class, etc. California has a "visual arts" requirement
that is much less useful to most students over the course of their life than
most of the courses I just named. Visual arts are great, but time is limited,
and prioritization should go to preparation for life in the real world.

~~~
markkanof
I recently decided to stop talking about teaching kids to code, and actually
do it. I don't plan to quite my job as a developer to become a full time
teacher, so instead I started an after school program. This was made a lot
easier because my wife is a high school teacher. We started a technology club
at her high school with the dual goals of showing kids really interesting
things that can be done with technology as well as actually teaching them some
coding skills.

We've only been running for a few weeks but we've got about ten kids showing
up every week. So far I've shown them some demos of things like using Google
maps in your own software, making your own maps with TileMill, browser based
games with Crafty, and phone call and SMS stuff with Twilio. They seemed to
respond positively to all the demos but were very excited about the Twilio
demo. I'm not surprised, because I also thought the ability to type something
into a text area in the browser and then receive a phone call with that text
read to me, is pretty sweet!

Most recently we started doing some basic HTML. Pages, images, links, etc. The
kids were simultaneously making jokes about how simplistic it was ("oh wow,
text on a page") and super excited to be creating something ("look I made it
say something different", "cool, let me try!").

So basically what I'm saying is that if you have the opportunity, stop just
"spreading the word about programming" and actually work with some kids to
teach them something. It's only been a few weeks, but already it feels like
very fulfilling work, and hopefully it will make a difference to expose these
kids to the what's possible for them to do earlier than they might otherwise
encounter it.

~~~
tixocloud
I really love what you did there and am wondering if you mind sharing some
ideas on how to go about starting an initiative like this? How do you explain
computer science concepts to students - things like classes, variables, etc?
In essence, I would love to know more :)

~~~
markkanof
Honestly, I don't really know. I've been trying to figure this out over the
past couple of weeks and am starting to think that the answer to how to teach
some of those things is not to (or at least not from the start). When I look
at all the knowledge I have built up over the past 10-15 years, it's kind of
overwhelming to attempt to identify a place to start. But when I think about
how I got started programming, it was much more organic. I saw little bits of
code around the web that did something that interested me, and then I just
played with it to see if I could get it to do something slightly different. In
the process I certainly learned about things like variables, logical
constructs, loops, etc., but it wasn't until later years (and after firmly
solidifying my interest) that I started a more formalized education in
computer science.

Most of the students are very interested in writing mobile apps. While I would
love to jump right into that, I don't know if we would get very far in one
hour a week. So currently I'm just trying to provide some "exercises" that let
them get their hands dirty with programming and maybe lead them in the right
direction towards the type of programs that they are interested in writing.
Then on their own time they can pursue things further, and I'm always
available to answer questions or help solve problems they run into.

What are your thoughts on this?

~~~
tixocloud
I agree with you. Thinking back about how I started, I only started really
getting into programming in university. However, my main motivation back then
was to make video games. In my early teens, I learned the basics of HTML and
JS to do weird things on the web and that completely fascinated me. So I think
you're right that the formalized education stuff shouldn't be taught directly.
In fact, I wonder if it should even be taught at all at such an early stage.
It sorta kills the fun of discovery how to do things with code.

------
untilHellbanned
I don't understand why people in the Sports world tend to not like Chris Bosh.
Not only does he have a great all-around game but he got passions beyond
basketball and is a family man.

Keep doing your damn thing Chris Bosh. I'm a fan.

~~~
the_watcher
People who want to dislike the Heat's formation can take a quick look at his
stats and see that they dropped substantially since Toronto, ignoring that he
went from being by far the best player, to the third best player behind two of
the best in the world. His rebounding numbers dropped, but he no longer plays
down low as much, because LeBron and Wade need space there. They also ignore
that he's become nearly as good as Dirk Nowitzki at long 2's, which is
generally an inefficient shot (unless you hit it at the rate the two of them
do), which spaces the court very effectively, especially given Miami's 3 point
shooters. He redesigned his game to fit into a really unique system that has
ended with them in the Finals every single year.

He then tops all of this off with really insightful thoughts for a high level
athlete (not saying athletes aren't capable of this, but they unsurprisingly
tend to dedicate the vast majority of their mental bandwidth towards their
sport), and a fantastic sense of humor. In Toronto he ran a YouTube campaign
to get support for n All Star bid (or maybe dunk contest invite?), and he's
become a meme because he loves photo bombing interviews. This isn't normal HN
material, but since Chris Bosh came up, please, look at this GIF at explain
how you can't like him: [http://slacktory.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/05/Chris-Bosh-M...](http://slacktory.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/05/Chris-Bosh-Miami-Heat-GIFbomb.gif)

~~~
wmboy
Man, the first paragraph made me think I'm at www.reddit.com/r/nba/

Although I agree with your comments I still think it's an inefficient use of
his talents (stepping further outside to make room for LBJ and Wade).

Either way, I'm expecting him to have his best statistical season this year,
which may mean he'll become too expensive for the Heat.

------
Bsharp
Great article, had no idea about that side of him. I'm sure he's no expert
hacker, but it doesn't matter - hopefully his message gets out to the millions
of kids who think a passion for coding, computers, and tech in general is
worth teasing someone over, or inspires those who are being teased to stop
caring about others and do the damn thing.

------
statictype
Finding it hard to continue to dislike Bosh.

~~~
pclark
Miami Heat though

~~~
mehwoot
I find it interesting people rag on sportspeople when they seem to care about
money too much, yet when guys give up money to have a better chance at a
championship, somehow that's wrong as well.

It's like because Cleveland happened to be shitty the year before the draft,
they deserve Lebron James' eternal servitude.

~~~
prawn
Worth mentioning for those unaware that Cleveland was LeBron's hometown state.
When your fame and occupation is built around the religious fervour that is
fandom, I don't think it's outrageous for people to like the idea that a
hometown hero can elevate their team to greatness. Especially when said hero
remarks that he'll persist until he wins it all for them.

(NBA fan, but not a Cleveland or Miami fan.)

------
raymondduke
Coding is not for everyone. This concept of spreading coding like some sort of
socialist agenda needs to stop.

~~~
gaius
Yes it's crazy. Take cooking for example. If you can prepare a hearty meal
from basic ingredients you will be healthier and wealthier and hence happier
than someone who lives on takeaways and ready meals. And schools can't even
teach that! If you can do first aid, you can look after your family and maybe
save a life - and schools don't teach that! If you can sew, if you can budget,
a whole host of basic life skills, that schools completely fail to impart.

But noooooooooo, let's teach the kids to "code"...

------
era86
This is pretty cool. An NBA player who gets how relevant and essential code is
in terms of how the world functions. He is able to express this and reach an
audience that might not otherwise be exposed to its importance.

------
taternuts
For some reason, unlike most the other people's learn-to-code proclamations,
I'd like to see him succeed

------
kenjackson
Interesting to hear he was even picked on. I've liked Bosh because of his
photo bombs. Now a better reason to like him.

~~~
drblast
I had to look up the photo bomb thing, and found this:

[http://teamcoco.com/video/chris-bosh-
photobomb](http://teamcoco.com/video/chris-bosh-photobomb)

It's refreshing when pro athletes in the U.S. can engage in an interview and
come off as classy and intelligent.

------
rayiner
Shit, Chris Bosh has been playing for 11 years? Makes me feel old to remember
his freshman year playing for GT in 2002-03 (my freshman year as well, though
I'm substantially less accomplished a decade out...)

------
kunai
[http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2012/05/please-dont-
learn-t...](http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2012/05/please-dont-learn-to-
code.html)

------
joshlegs
Sweet. Now that we have professional athletes advocating that people learn how
to code, it completely validates programmers everywhere ....

------
yanivs
He's a good man - not the best basketball player in the world maybe but a good
man :)

------
elwell
Wired needed to prepend "NBA Superstar" because geeks don't know sports.

~~~
icebraining
The NBA is an American league. Wired is read all over the world, much of which
doesn't really care for basketball, let alone your national league.

------
edw519
01000111 01001111 01001100 01000001 01001011 01000101 01010010 01010011

~~~
mkhalil
01000111 01001111 00100000 01001100 01000001 01001011 01000101 01010010
01010011

Fixed that for you.

~~~
rooshdi
0100001 0010001 0101000 0010101 0100001 0000001 0011000 1000001

Fixed with less code.

~~~
hackbinary
Uh, wrong team :P

01000111 01001111 00100000 01001101 01001001 01000001 01001101 01001001
00100000 00100000

~~~
mkhalil
lol and this whole time I thought I was the only NBA fan on HN. :)

------
vaadu
Superstar? Please. He's a good player but hardly more than that.

[http://www.cbssports.com/nba/stats](http://www.cbssports.com/nba/stats)

~~~
eropple
Bosh is the third option on a repeat-champion team with a generational player
and...well, an overrated old guy. The media exposure from that alone is
superstar-level, even if a lot of it comes from "he looks like a velociraptor"
memes.

"Good player" is probably underrating him, too. I've interviewed around
regarding advanced-stats positions with the NBA and the consensus among people
I've talked to is that Bosh (who comes up a lot because he's sort of the
"smart NBA player" poster child, non-Battier division) would put up _titanic_
numbers on almost any other team. Watch Al Jefferson in Charlotte this year--
Bosh doesn't have the post game Big Al does (but is still probably top-10 in
the league), but can shoot from mid-range, make plays for others, and play
defense both on the man and in help situations.

~~~
the_watcher
Bosh did put up Titanic numbers as a number one option on the Raptors, and is
a fixture on Team USA. "Superstar" may be a slight overstatement, but given
the overapplication of that term to "any famous athlete," I don't think it's
worth quibbling with.

------
rfnslyr
When I was young, my small church group went to see a game. After the game we
lingered around and Chris called us down to the court. We were all wearing
shirts with our church group name on it high up in the seats and he showed us
a bunch of tricks and fun stuff for about 10 minutes. Great and funny guy.
Sorry, not much else to add besides this little anecdote.

------
mumbi
Great article. We need more like him in the tech community(and in general).

------
adamzerner
Superstar? Good one.

~~~
dombili
He's a hall of famer who's currently in his prime, so I'd say yes, he is a
superstar.

Not that it matters. What matters is the message and we should be discussing
that.

~~~
minor_nitwit
I'm not sure he's a HOF'er. He's definitely a star, but not a superstar, to be
a super-star you have to be a top 5 player, and known by most non-sports fans.
Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, all meet that
criteria.

------
faruzzy
That's all nice but show us some code.

------
AznHisoka
Nice.. except most professional sports players should spent as little time in
front of the computer as possible. Carpal tunnel syndrome is something you
don't want someone you're paying $100 million to have when he's out in the
court, or in the mound.

~~~
tsumnia
Carpal tunnel symptoms can be reduced by properly stretching/exercising the
wrists. In Aikido, we do a lot of wrist locks, so before each class, we
stretch them out. I think the exercises are the reason I'm the only techie I
know without CTS. Just like an athlete stretches before they work, so should
coders. I find myself unconsciously stretching my wrists all the time now.

As for Bosh's opinion, this is what every parent should be pushing for. When I
started getting into acting, they didn't stop me or dissuade me, they simply
asked that I have 'something to fall back on'. In my senior seminar for my BA,
our acting professor made sure to hammer it in, because a lot of actors chose
to only go for acting, which makes the stereotype of actor/barista.

Bosh's statement really talks about science instead of technology. Physics,
Biology, Math, CS - all of these are 'how the world works'. Replace 'computer'
with 'tools of your scientific interest' and you get the idea.

