Black Belt Expertise, White Belt Mentality:
The Duality of Great Physical Therapists
David Clancy MSc, BSc, HC
In the NBA, mastery and performance is expected of the physical therapist (PT). But in the margins between good and great lies a paradoxical truth…the highest performers in the profession never stop being students.
Walk into any NBA training room and you’ll find PTs with championship rings, advanced degrees, and résumés that could fill a wall. These are experts who understand the details of load management, rehab protocols, or how to release a tight calf after a 6-game road trip. They’ve earned their black belts through years of specialist education, sleepless nights on the road, and relentless commitment to elite performance.
But, to go from good to great? Black belt expertise alone isn’t enough. Because while the game is being played on the court, it's evolving off it.
The Arrival Myth
There’s a seductive myth in professional sport, the idea that once you “make it” to the big league, you’ve arrived. That your job is now to execute, not to learn. Often, it’s easy to get busy being busy, especially in a schedule that is condensed and intense like that in the NBA.
However, those who continue to stay curious that little bit longer, as author Michael Bungay Stanier would say have an edge. The mindset to continue to ask questions of their own practice, and of world leaders in the profession…those are the few that separate themselves from the pack…and the players will see that. In any domain, expertise without curiosity leads to stagnation. Complacency. Blind spots. Too much ego, not enough humility. Often referenced to the All Blacks, to stay at the top, you must keep adapting, to keep evolving. In ‘Legacy’ by James Kerr, he writes to go for the gap, when you’re on top of your game, change your game - “a problem is solved by continuing to find solutions”.
One of the most effective antidotes? Cultivating what’s known in martial arts as “Shoshin”, a beginner’s mind. A white belt mentality.
Even if you’re in year 11 in the league, your ability to stay open, stay humble, and stay learning is what separates the good from the great, and the great from the legendary. Study Alex McKechnie and his BUILD framework to understand some sense as to what it takes to stay relevant and productive in this league for a prolonged period.
The Trap of the Black Belt
Let’s be clear. Having and being a black belt matters. The players need and want this level of excellence. NBA PTs are entrusted with the health of multi-million-dollar athletes. One is expected to know your stuff. You’re expected to deliver…24/7, 365 days a year.
But, sometimes, this happens when you get to another level in your career:
You start operating in autopilot. Success reinforces current habits, and you stop questioning them.
You avoid feedback. Not because you're arrogant, but because your role demands authority, decisions and certainty.
You unconsciously tune out younger colleagues. After all, what could a new intern or G League PT possibly teach you?
These are not signs of weakness. They’re signs of being human. But left unchecked, they will put a ceiling on your impact, on your potential to continue to climb in this competitive profession. There are always areas to improve, untapped potential. Areas to reach, with a little help.
A White Belt Mindset Wins
NBA players evolve. Systems evolve. The science evolves. The best PTs evolve. Look no further than the NBPTA founding members. Insatiable learners. Growers. Questioners.
The ones players trust implicitly, the ones who get called in the offseason for private work, the ones who stay in the league for decades; they don’t just ride the wave. They study it. They learn it. They question it.
Here’s what white belt mentality looks like in action:
You ask, “What am I missing?” even after a successful treatment.
You seek out interdisciplinary knowledge, learning from S&C coaches, performance psychologists, sleep experts, and nutritionists.
You prioritize reflection. Not just on what went well, but on what could go better. You might use a Plan, Do, Check, Act system or something like that.
You create environments where younger staff feel safe to challenge you. Timothy Clark's seminal book “The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety” unpacks the 4 stages of psychological safety which are critical for learning environments and cultures of growth.
Inclusion Safety
Definition: The feeling that you are accepted and belong.
Need being met: The human need to connect and be accepted.
Indicators: People are welcomed, respected, and included regardless of background or identity.
If lacking: People may feel isolated, excluded, or marginalized.
2. Learner Safety
Definition: The freedom to ask questions, experiment, and make mistakes without fear.
Need being met: The need to learn and grow.
Indicators: Team members are encouraged to explore ideas, give and receive feedback, and learn from failure.
If lacking: People hold back questions or ideas due to fear of judgment or failure.
3. Contributor Safety
Definition: The confidence to make a meaningful contribution using your skills and talents.
Need being met: The need to make a difference and add value.
Indicators: Individuals are trusted with responsibility, empowered to contribute, and valued for their work.
If lacking: People may feel underutilized or disengaged.
4. Challenger Safety
Definition: The ability to challenge the status quo or suggest improvements without fear of retaliation.
Need being met: The need to improve things and speak up for positive change.
Indicators: Constructive dissent is welcomed, innovation is encouraged.
If lacking: People stay silent even when they see issues or opportunities for improvement.
This model is useful for leaders in the team behind the team, aiming to build high-performing, inclusive, and innovative backrooms. Psychological safety is not just about “being nice” - it's about creating an environment where people feel safe to be themselves, to grow, to contribute, and to drive change. Imagine if the newer or ‘younger’ staff felt that?
Hypothetical Case Study: the Hungry PT
(for learning, not food*)
Let’s talk about “Isabella” (name changed). She’s been in the league for 8 years. Two finals appearances. Trusted by the team’s two all-stars. By all accounts, Isabella is a black belt PT.
But here’s what sets her apart, and it’s not her pedigree, her MSc, her recent publications…
Last summer, instead of taking a ‘traditional’ course or going on vacation in Mexico like some of her friends, she shadowed a Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach to study movement mechanics and variability from a different world. The coach had never worked with NBA athletes. Their language was different. The philosophy was foreign. They had studied different things.
But Isabella listened and learned. She adapted two concepts from that experience into her soft tissue and movement prep pre-practice and game-day. A month into the season, a veteran player told her, “I don’t know what you’re doing differently this year, but I feel better than I have in any of my 9 seasons, including my rookie season.”
That’s white belt mentality all over.
A Culture of Mastery + Humility
If you’re leading a sports medical or performance department in the NBA, ask yourself:
Are we rewarding certainty, or curiosity?
Are we prioritizing innovation, or just preservation?
Are we making space for growth, or just execution?
Elite, high-performance environments, in business and sports should feel like a dojo…where mastery is respected, but everyone shows up ready to learn. We ideally want a combination of the above – certainty yes, but curiosity too, for example.
Some tactical pieces:
Hosting regular “learning labs” where all staff contribute. All. A learning contribution is one where everyone can feel they can contribute…for the benefit of the athletes.
Bringing in outside experts to challenge assumptions and to get people to think differently. From within the game, and outside the league and game. Think ‘rebel ideas’ on occasion, like the ideas postulated from Matthew Syed, the former Olympic table tennis player turned author of the book with that name.
Encouraging open dialogue across functions and disciplines. This helps with communication, reducing siloes and groupthink, and encourages connection and collaboration.
Creating structured time for reflection, review, and experimentation. Look to employ a process like a regular ‘After Action Review’. This takes the shape of a structured, reflective process used by teams to analyze what happened during a task, project, or event, regardless of success or failure - with the goal of learning and improving future performance. The core purpose is to promote team learning, identify strengths and areas for improvement - and enhance accountability, communication, and adaptability.
4 important questions of an AAR:
What was the goal or intended outcome? This clarifies the mission, plan, or objective.
What happened? This ensures there is a focus on facts, events, and outcomes (not opinions).
Why did it happen that way? This is valuable to analyze causes, decisions, behaviors, and conditions.
What will we do differently next time? This piece captures lessons learned, next steps, and actionable improvements.
The Duality That Sustains Greatness
Black belt expertise. White belt mentality. This is not a contradiction. It gives an edge in a cut-throat environment where people are vying for the good jobs with the franchises. When you combine deep knowledge with deep humility, you don’t just stay relevant, you become indispensable.
So yes, keep stacking credentials. Keep sharpening your protocols. Keep building trust.
But also keep asking:
“What don’t I know yet?” The answer to that question is where your next leap lies.
And in a league where every little bit matters, the therapist who never stops learning is the one who never stops winning, for the players that we all care about, where player availability is how we are evaluated.
Here are 5 actionable strategies for NBA PTs (or other high-performance practitioners) who understand the importance of upskilling their clinical expertise, yet also need practical ways to make it happen, amidst the intensity of the jammed NBA calendar:
1. Micro-learning blocks: schedule 20’ knowledge sprints
Why it works: In a high-performance schedule, long study sessions aren’t realistic. But small, focused blocks are sustainable, and compound over time. Think 1% every day.
How to do it:
Block 20 minutes, 3x/week (early mornings, travel days, or between rehab sessions).
Use this time to read one journal article, explore a case study, or watch a clinical video.
2. Create a “1-a-month” development plan
Why it works: One new course or workshop per month (even if bite-sized) keeps your learning structured and goal-oriented, without overwhelming your schedule.
How to do it:
Identify 12 themes for the year (e.g., hamstring rehab, tendon pain management, return-to-play screening, etc.).
Align each theme with a curated learning activity - webinar, course, expert interview, podcast deep dive, or team case discussion.
Use team budgets, online CEUs, or in-house resources to minimize time and financial strain.
3. Leverage peer learning: “clinician circle” mash ups
Why it works: You learn faster through dialogue and application, and it builds collective intelligence within the team.
How to do it:
Set up a monthly 25’ “clinician circle”, where you or another staff member presents a quick insight from a recent article, case, or course. Use the membership to make this happen.
Keep it tight and informal, and more about the discussion.
Rotate presenters to spread the load and build shared accountability.
4. Make travel time learning time
Why it works: NBA travel is intensive, but often includes pockets of idle time - flights, hotel downtime, or long bus rides.
How to do it:
Download audio-based learning (podcasts, clinical audiobooks, etc.) before trips.
Subscribe to journals like BJSM, or Clinical Athlete for curated reads on the go.
5. Build an “apply immediately” learning habit
Why it works: Learning sticks when it’s used…especially in environments like the NBA.
How to do it:
After every course, article, or discussion, ask yourself: “What’s one thing I can apply in the next 5 days?”
This could be a new joint assessment, cue during rehab, or a fresh return-to-play question, as examples.
This habit accelerates integration, and helps justify learning as performance-enhancing, not just academic. The art lies in merging theory with execution, the practice of.
In the NBA, where mastery and expertise are usually a given starting point, the real edge belongs to those who pair deep capabilities, with deep humility. Your knowledge earns you the seat. Your curiosity ensures you stay in the room.
The best physical therapists aren’t just the most credentialed. They are often the most coachable, the most reflective, and the most relentless in their pursuit of better as to how each one defines it. So, stay sharp, and humble…and never stop tying that white belt.
Because in this league, the upper hand doesn’t go to those who know it all - it goes to those who are still learning each day.
If you’re a PT, commit to one learning action this week. If you’re leading a department, create the space for your team to stretch, question, and grow. That’s the mindset we’re looking for.
About The Author
David Clancy MSc, BSc, HC
Higher Certificate in Science in Physiology and Health Science, BSc Physiotherapy, MSc Sports Medicine, Assoc. Prof., MISCP, CORU
CEO The Nxt Level Group
Editor/ Author of Essential Skills for Physiotherapists: A Personal and Professional Development Framework
David has been in the field of sports medicine, physiotherapy and performance support for over 15 years. A Physiotherapy background and MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine paved the way into high performance sport, private practice - and Isokinetic Medical Group in Harley Street, London. He was a consultant support for Europe-based players regarding Medical Care and Performance Services for the Brooklyn Nets and the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. Currently, David directs The Nxt Level Group, which is a consulting firm providing organizational design advisory, and recruitment and headhunting search processes. He also provides learning and development support to several pro sports teams.
