LDS Hoops Star reflects on his past (Years treat Y. All-American well)
Deseret News 10Oct99 S2
By Jerry Johnston

In 1966 BYU basketball player Dick Nemelka made all-American and began living the sports dream. After graduating from BYU and serving an LDS mission, Nemelka played professionally for the Utah Stars and even coached for a while,at one point seeking to succeed legendary BYU Coach Stan Watts.

Now Nemelka is a partner in the law firm Nemelka &Mangrum and spends his time in court instead of on the court. In retrospect Nemelka says that he would have done some things differently, "If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't place so much emphasis on sports. When you make All-American and play professionally, it makes things too easy. You don't develop aspects of your personality that really need to be developed." When asked for an example, Nemelka says, "Relationships. When you're a star, you never have to work at your friendships. People want to be your friend. You get lazy, and you don't develop many of the skills you need in real relationships."

And Nemelka might even have had a different sports career, "I was just too slow and too small for professional basketball. If I could do it all over again, I would have played professional baseball." he joked.