Imagine having to give a presentation at work. Though you know what you need to talk about, it is unknown when, or if, you will be called upon to speak.
Welcome to the life of bench player.
It's a common misconception in basketball that reserve players lack talent. On the contrary, teams that are successful have depth and receive solid play from their reserve players.
This season, Bulls senior guard Sean Smiley has made a living perfecting his role as a bench player and is proving to be an irreplaceable piece to the Bulls' successful start.
For a bench player, the battle lies in his or her ability to balance focus and intensity. It can be a difficult role to get accustomed to, especially when you were a star player in high school: getting mentally and emotionally ready for a game, only to sit on the bench until your number is called.
Smiley expressed that it did take some time to get comfortable in the role.
'It took some getting used to,' Smiley said. 'I just have to keep my mind in the game. You almost visualize and try and see yourself out on the floor while you're sitting on the bench. [I try to] keep engaged and keep talking to the guys on the floor and then once coach calls on you, whenever that is, your mind is ready and your body is going to be ready because you're so excited.'
Bulls head coach Reggie Witherspoon knows it takes a special player to come off the bench and still be a factor.
'The biggest thing is, you have to sustain a vision,' Witherspoon said. 'You can't just sit there and think, ‘I'm not a part of this.' The way we do things, we don't really place a whole lot on whether a guy starts or comes off the bench.'
Smiley is having the best season of his career. He is averaging 8.2 points per game and is shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. While the fifth-year senior's stats are nice, everything starts with energy.
'Every game I just try and bring energy,' Smiley said. 'If I happen to be knocking down some shots, that will help us too, but as long as I bring 100 percent energy while I'm in the game, that is all I can ask of myself.'
Smiley has blossomed into a fan favorite thanks to his passion for the game, strong work ethic and his ability to put the team over himself. His sharp shooting, hard-nosed defense and unlimited energy don't hurt either.
But Smiley does what he needs to do to get his team the victories.
'[Increased effort may] get me a few more minutes, but as long as we get a win, I'm happy,' Smiley said. 'I just want to win the MAC championship at the end of the year.'
When in, good bench players are expected to provide momentum for their team. At times, energizing his teammates can be more important than producing on the stats sheet. Witherspoon recognizes that Smiley's ability to provide energy and produce in every aspect of the game has been the biggest part of his maturation process.
'We saw [how good Sean could be] in spurts,' Witherspoon said. 'What's different about Sean right now is that he is not just a guy that can shoot. He contributes in so many ways - defensively, rebounding, leadership, passing, driving to the basket. He doesn't just live behind the 3-point arc.'
Smiley's leadership skills are the most important aspects he brings to the court. While Smiley has provided the Bulls with a spark this season, it's been his leadership qualities that have been a key to his success.
Smiley attributes his time on the bench to having the ability to gain the upper hand before entering the game. He believes he can get a sense of what is and isn't working from the padded seat on the sideline. But this advantage is only useful if the player is focused on what is going on in the game.
'I try to see what's going on out there and help guys out when I can that are on the floor,' Smiley said. 'When I get on the floor, I just try and play hard.'
As with anything people do, the more Smiley enjoys what he's doing, the better the results.
'I definitely take pride in coming off the bench,' Smiley said. 'It's great being able to come off the bench and provide a spark. The guys that are starting are going hard and when they get tired, if I can go in there and provide some energy, that's going to give them more energy coming back into the game.'
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