We’re taught that it doesn’t matter if we win or lose as long as we “leave it all on the court.”

So we take this to mean that we should be physically exhausted at the end of the game. We should feel as though we have no more physical effort to give.

Personally, I don’t entirely agree.

It’s important to play hard and hustle, but the level of physical exertion isn’t the only indicator of how well we mentally played.

The easiest way to get tired is by playing out of position and sprinting when it isn’t necessary. But both of these actually hurt the team and detract from our ability to be effective at the end of the game, when it matters most.

The alternative is to play smart.

Even the best players who are known for their hustle don’t exert full effort every play. They look for opportunities to make their effort count.

They play hard on defense after they make sure they’re in good position.

They run hard on fast breaks when there’s a realistic chance to score.

-Brandon