Working hard isn't just about attitude. Working hard and trying your best every time is a skill that can be trained to differentiate players and sustain successful careers.
YouTube: T.J. McConnell Is Still Trying to Prove He Belongs in the NBA - YouTube
I became a fan of T.J. McConnell for his performance in the 2025 NBA Finals. Despite not being the most physically gifted, this 6'1" guard displayed an incredible level of energy and hustle throughout the series.
In his words in a recent interview:
"I genuinely believe that playing hard is a skill because 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 sh– 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,"
I believe working hard is also a skill. If it weren't, everyone would do it. It's just not the traditional skill that you have a set of very tangible practice.
Instead, it's a skill that requires training your mental muscles to resist short-term gratification, curate an environment that prevents distractions, and cultivate the habits necessary for hard work.