As fans, our experience comes mostly from what we see on the court. We pay to watch teams battle it out and it’s a pleasure to watch the best players in the world compete at the highest level.
But how much more happens behind the scenes that we never hear about?
A recent story told by 13-year veteran JJ Redick is, perhaps, the perfect example of the kinds of things we miss out on as spectators.
Speaking out on his podcast, Redick told the story of the time he was duct-taped to a chair for missing his first practice as a rookie.
https://twitter.com/PrestonEllis/status/1233073896833810432
It’s typical for a rookie to be a sort of “punching bag” for the rest of the team. It’s just a tradition that veterans have a lot of fun with.
In JJ’s case, missing practice had some dire consequences. And although no damage was done, it led to a pretty lousy moment. Imagine being strapped to a chair, while being blasted with cold water, for over an hour?
Fortunately for him, those days are in the past. The tables have probably turned now.
