Often when we see professional athletes on the court or field, we only think of the pinnacle of success not the challenges the athlete went through to get to the top. Avery Johnson is quite the story of determination. His early years in the NBA looked anything but promising, especially after being cut three times. He played for ten NBA teams, but the "little general" never gave up. Avery freely acknowledges that the road to the NBA was tough, but he was determined. His resolve took him from the valley of rejection to the pinnacle of success in coaching the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA finals in 2006. All because he decided it was worth it to finish what he had started - Determination.