JJ Redick On How Difficult It Is To Make The NBA: “Millions, Potentially Billions Of People Have That Dream, But Only 450 Jobs”

JJ Redick gave an eye-opening take on how unrealistic NBA dreams can be, especially if you're not willing to work for them.

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Credit: Fadeaway World

JJ Redick appeared on Carmelo Anthony’s podcast and dropped a sobering take on the reality of hoop dreams. Redick made it clear that all talented prospects aren’t guaranteed a position in the NBA because out of the millions of people with that dream, only 450 spots are available on rosters every season.

“There are millions, potentially billions of people with that same dream. There are 450 guys and there are about 60 jobs every year. You should never assume you’re going to be in the NBA.” 

Redick then opened up on how the youth basketball system encourages young talents to take the game for granted, not realizing that the NBA is a cutthroat business.

“I think one of the issues we’re having in America right now, in youth basketball, we are anointing kids too soon. Not everybody is LeBron James, not everybody can handle that level of pressure and attention and not let it affect them. If you tell a 14 or 15-year-old that they can be an NBA star one day, they think they’re already an NBA star. That’s a problem. You have to have a level of perspective for what it takes. The NBA is as cutthroat as any f***ing business in the world.”

JJ Redick and Carmelo Anthony discuss how difficult it is to make the NBA
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Redick’s take might be explosive but it is 100% accurate. There are so many talented players who come up through the youth ranks that slowly disappear at every level up until college. Even at college, only the elite few manage to get their name called at the NBA Draft, with some getting two-way contracts or training camp deals on rosters.

It takes a lot of hard work to earn your first guaranteed senior NBA contract, and a player like Redick with 15 years of experience knows exactly what it is to not only make it to the league but be productive enough to stay in it for 15 years and make over $100 million in contracts.


LeBron James Told JJ Redick About Sacrifice Being Key Behind Greatness

JJ Redick recently started a new podcast alongside LeBron James called ‘Mind The Game,’ where the pair break down basketball instead of focusing on TV talk points. In the first episode of the show, LeBron discussed how sacrifice is the No. 1 thing that leads to success in the NBA.

“When it comes to discipline, you have to sacrifice loved ones. You have to sacrifice loved ones for a long period of time if you want to be great. It’s very unfortunate and you feel it at times, you know the saying, if it’s too hot, get the hell out of the kitchen. Sometimes you have to get out of the kitchen because it’s too hot but you have to have the discipline to sacrifice loved ones in order to be great because they don’t understand. That’s okay.”

All NBA players have made these sacrifices just to get to the position they’re in. Now that they’ve made the NBA, they can’t rest on their laurels and need to push themselves to ascend higher, even to the level LeBron has. If not that far, they need to continue working every season in the NBA just to keep their spot.

Being an NBA player comes with millions of fans and dollars, which makes a lot of people want it. But the ones who earn it will always be the ones who put in countless hours of sweat equity to get that far.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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