I honestly think that playing hard is a skill. The question is pretty much asking if the ability to hustle is a skill, and I believe that it is a skill. Some just don't have the ability to hustle, whether it be not enough heart, or they just don't care. Those who have the ability to hustle have the skill of playing hard, then it's whether they show that skill or not. Many players probably have the skill, but they just don't show it. Fortunately, you don't find any of those players on this Rockets team, which makes them fun to watch.
I think everyone would agree that you should look at all production when evaluating a player for personnel decisions but not all production is based on skill. The purpose of looking at athletic players, players with size, talent, etc. is to maximize production for your team. A good GM doesn't "only look for" anything whether it be hustle guys, talent, size or anything else. EX Let's say player A is slightly more productive than player B. But, player A works his tail off and gives it his all every game and player B is an extremely talented guy who might not work as hard. Some people would look to aquire player A but with a good coach and proper motivation player B could be much more productive and give your team a better chance.
Playing hard, not getting injured or called for fouls, is a skill. Unconditioned playing hard is not a skill but a low IQ, stupidity, etc, you name it.
No, because anyone has the ability to play hard, many just chose not to. Many don't have the ability to dribble well or shoot a high percentage, that's the difference.
you certainly can. There are plenty of players that play hard at times and play lazy at time. There have also been players who were labeled lazy young players but became hard workers.
I do see a lot of people saying anybody can play hard but the facts are that not everyone does. I do agree with Sam that it is not clearly defined for everyone and thus becomes an issue of semantics. To me, playing hard all the time and competing....or competitiveness is a trait that can be considered a skill. But, I can see where others feel differently. My main thing is that if everyone can play hard, then why don't they? DD
Isnt a skill by definition something you can teach. For instance, driving is a skill and you are taught to drive. Riding a bike is a skill and you have to learn how to ride a bike. So to say playing hard and basketball IQ can not be taught, how can you consider them a skill. Like others have said, playing hard is a mindset and an attitude. Its like calling a player tough. Toughness isnt a skill, its an attribute.
...because they don't have to. Some guys don't have to play their hardest and can still be effective. Those guys don't have as much incentive as a guy like Shane who would be out of the league if he didn't play hard. It's scary when you see guys that don't have to play hard but do. That's when you get your Lebron/Kobe/Wade type players.
People can do lots of things, if they really put their mind to it. Human potential is enormous, and largely untapped for most people. If someone really put his mind to it, he "could" shoot 95% from the free throw line with his eyes closed. But we still consider that a "skill". Usually, when someone can condition their body and mind through repetition to do something well, we'll say that something is a skill. Well, I believe "playing hard" can also be described in that way. For players like Kobe Bryant or Manu Ginobili, their body and mind is used to that style of play. It's how they've played most of their lives. They're good at playing hard, and they have a lot of practice at doing so. For other players, like Tracy McGrady, playing hard is more of a mental, not to mention physical, challenge. Now after this past summer of apparently hard-core training, maybe he's gotten his body and mind more accustomed to playing that way. But it sure isn't something you just turn on whenever you like. I wish it was that easy, truly, but it isn't. You have to work at it. Like any other skill.
Its not a god given skill .. But that doesnt mean that anybody can do it .. Its not like U tell urself okay now were in the last 2minutes of the 4th quarter iam going to start playing hard .. You can argur yes or no i think both wont be wrong Iam a new .. So whats the GARM ?!!
When I was younger I played a ton of basketball. It was about 3 hours a day. Even so, my asthma always limited my endurance. I could never say "play hard" on both defense and offense all the time. Other people would see me, even when I was near collapse from lack of oxygen, and would think that I wasn't "playing hard". Fact is... what is usually perceived as "playing hard" is relative to one's endurance. You can look like you are taking it easy when in fact you are playing as hard as you are able. Even when we are talking about NBA level athletes there are gonna be different levels of natural endurance. That is just the way it is. That is just reality. Yao is an obvious example of someone who plays hard but is limited by his endurance. However he is a bad example for this discussion because what limits him, his size, is too obvious. For a lot of people these differences are not so easily seen. Put simply, endurance = an attribute, maximum energy level, can improve within certain limits playing hard = a virtue in basketball, willingness to play at the edge of one's endurance limit competitive, hardnosed = slightly differnet but both are adjectives that describe a person in a state of mind where "playing hard" is the norm Does that make sense?
Oops I forgot to add... none of those is a skill. A skill is something you have to learn how to do. You either play hard(at the edge of your endurance) or you do not. There is nothing to learn.
"Learning" is simply gaining knowledge. Getting more skilled at something doesn't necessarily mean you're gaining knowledge. Someone might put down that they can type 120 WPM as a skill on their resume. Is that knowledge? No, its conditioning their mind and fingers to type fast through experience/repetition. You need that type of conditioning to play hard on a consistent basis as well.
I don't think that playing hard would be a skill because the trait is something you have or you don't have.
The conditioning you are talking about is what you do to raise your endurance limit for playing basketball. You could have great conditioning and still not be willing to push your endurance during a game. Playing hard is a choice not a skill. And learning is not simply gaining knowledge. That is a very narrow definition. It also implies the practice of say... a method and getting to the point you do it well. If I said I learned how to type, I dont mean the theory of how its done. I mean I can do so with reasonable competence. Anyway, I gotta go get groceries. lol
Obviously I think it's a skill or I wouldn't be a Chuck Hayes fan. Personally, I can't even do my best every single day... of course that may be because I don't enjoy what I do, but at any level it's difficult to be "on" every work day.
