It's No Wonder JJ Redick Lasted 15 NBA Seasons Now That He's Revealed How Hard He Went During Offseason Workouts
If you didn't when you were his teammate in Philly, might want to take some notes down about this whole thing, Ben Simmons!
I'm not fully certain JJ Redick gets his proper due respect. The guy had to have as much psychological scar tissue from being a college basketball player as anyone in the sport's history, and so naturally, many haters doubted the former Duke star could hack it in the NBA. Fifteen seasons later, joke's on them.
Two or three workouts per day, six days a week. In the offseason. Saturdays off, Sundays draining precisely 342 shots. For the last 13 years. HOLY shit. Shout out to former NBA player Quentin Richardson for the interview here.
And in case you're wondering how JJ added up all those shots and why and are still confused after his in-video explanation, here he is breaking it all down:
Then that whole part about the amount of time Redick spent in the tub, and how he somehow had it down as exact as 25 extra seconds!? This guy. Talk about dedication to your craft.
Part of the legend surrounding the late, great Kobe Bryant was his unbelievable work ethic. Hooping was a constant commitment even in the offseason. I know it's not abnormal for the very best players to stay sharp between grueling, 82-game seasons and presumed playoff runs, but Kobe would've been great regardless. It's to his credit that he maximized his potential to such a ridiculous degree.
Circling back around to Redick: He barely played early in his career for the Orlando Magic. Didn't get his first start till Year 3. Had to improve many facets of his game as he went, particularly defense. It's not like Redick was a bad athlete, but by NBA standards? Well, let's just say he had to be in the right spot at the right time, all the time, to avoid getting crushed on the defensive end. Then you factor in the work he had to do off the ball to free himself up for 3-point shots? Damn.
I've previously heard Redick refer to how meticulous his routine became the deeper into his career he got. He began understanding exactly what his body needed recovery-wise, how to eat better, how to prepare amid the marathon of a season and still stay as fresh as possible while maintaining what he inevitably busted his ass on in the offseason. But I don't recall him revealing details this specific before.
Just goes to show the mindset it takes to hang in the NBA for so long. Injuries basically derailed the final years of Redick's career. Otherwise, he could've kept going for probably at least another couple seasons. Redick ranks 19th all-time in 3-point shooting percentage (41.5%) and ninth in free throw shooting (89.2%). One of the purest shots to ever grace the hardwood. Now crushing the podcast/TV game. Salute, JJ Redick.
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