I genuinely believe that playing hard is a skill cuz if it wasn’t, everyone would do it. When I came in, and I’m trying to tell you about this guy, Chris Babcock, he’s like, ‘You need to stand out.’ He’s like, ‘Nobody picks up full court. And you need to make that your calling card.’ And so we got in the gym three times a day, got in elite shape, and he’s like, ‘You’re going to pick everyone up full court, and that’s what you’re going to hang your hat on.’ And it’s something that I’ve created an identity about.
If you play really hard, and make life hell for the other team, I mean the other stuff, the offense, that shit will fall into place. But if you’re going and playing to exhaustion every time you’re out there, it gives you a chance to make a roster and get more minutes. I mean, I feel like I’ve made a 10-year NBA career on just outplaying people.
Reference: The Young Man and the Three podcast with Tommy Alter – 6/13/25