“The most valuable player is the one who makes the most players valuable.” –Peyton Manning
Every great team has that one person that gets the best out of others, that elevates role players to champions. Michael Jordan did it, as did Steph Curry.
It’s not necessarily about individual stats, but individual contributions to the whole The catcher who makes the young pitching staff improve tremendously, the midfielder with the unending motor and chatter (especially on the team bus). The mid-range producing saleswoman who also mentors the newbies and is personally responsible for keeping turnover low and morale high.
Few endeavors are completely solo efforts and achievements, even if compensation and awards often are. But knowing that someone (often unheralded like the assistant or grad student or nurse) is critical to success and recognizing them is a secret to winning championships in any game.