JJ Reddick explains why NBA players drop out of the league

LOS ANGELES – For any basketball player, regardless of level, one of the absolute most important keys to success is playing hard. But in fact, what does it really mean to play? What does fierce play actually look like when it manifests itself on the field? For Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redickhe believes that most basketball players, including some in the NBA, don’t really know what it really means to play hard.

In fact, JJ Redick took it a step further during his press conference ahead of the Lakers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as he said that not knowing how to play hard is a key factor in why NBA players fall out of the league.

“I’ve seen this, not just with young NBA players, but I think every young basketball player, most players don’t understand what it’s like to play hard. They don’t really understand what it is and they think they’re playing hard, but they’re not,” Redick said. “And that’s why you’ve got to step it up when they’re playing hard. You’ve got to show them on film when they’re playing hard. . . . they’ve got to see what that looks like. The other part of it is when you have 1-2-3 guys leading like that, it forces everybody else to play hard because you’re an eyesore. So you need everybody to be full of doubles to follow them.

“I think you can learn that. And it’s different for every guy. . . . if I don’t tell you to play hard, it means you’re not playing hard. So you’re going to hear it when you play hard. So you should assume you’re not playing hard if you don’t hear it from me,” Redick continued. “Talk to the player about it. Some guys are probably never going to get there, and those guys generally don’t play long in the NBA.”

When it comes to playing hard on the Lakers, one player who certainly embodies that mentality is Marcus Smart. Smart has built a career on being a disruptive defender who brings an almost unsurpassed intensity and energy on the field.

In the first half of the Lakers’ game against the Timberwolves on Friday, Smart there was one play it summed up exactly why the team bought Smart. He matched up with Wolves star Anthony Edwards, proceeded to strip the ball from Edwards on the drive, got to the loose ball and threw a layup in front of Austin Reaves for an easy bucket.

MARCUS SMART DEFENSE pic.twitter.com/3HKA6kHdCV

— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) October 25, 2025

After the Lakers practice on Thursday, Smart talked about guarding Edwardsand the physical strength and toughness he hopes to instill in the team.