More often than not, NBA players grew up being the best players on their teams. That was the case at all levels of youth basketball, and sometimes they were even the best player in their state.
A handful of them manage to retain that distinction once they make it to college. However, just an even smaller group of them is still the team’s best player once they turn pro.
That wasn’t the case with JJ Redick, who was a superstar and one of the most popular players in college basketball. Then, he became a role player when he entered the NBA.
JJ Redick admits he missed the attention from his college stardom
Loved him or hated him, Redick was one of the most well-known young players in the world. That’s why, even though he was still living his lifelong dream of being an NBA player, he still missed the hype:
“I’m not going to lie … I miss the attention sometimes, but you know what? I’m getting the chance to play basketball for a living. It’s hard to be down when you remind yourself about that,” Redick told ESPN in 2006.
At the end of the day, being able to adapt, adjust, and embrace your role can make or break a player’s career, and all things considered, Redick had a pretty decent run in the NBA.