The Jazz announcers were going on about how hard Elijah Millsap plays, and how impressive that was. That’s cool. I always like to see players with heart and determination, attempting to dispel the notion of NBA players as lazy bum divas.
But isn’t energetic play what you would expect out of a D-League callup? They don’t have any time to mess around. They get a 10-day or two to show their stuff, to prove to the coaches that they have what it takes. Hustling and being generally active in all aspects of the game is a good way to make an impression. I would be surprised of there are any D-League callups who don’t bust their ass at all times.
This must be especially true for Elijah, who has been in the D-League for a long time, watching his brother star in the NBA. He wants a slice of that pie too, and now that he’s had his first tiny taste, he’s not going to go away easily.