Wizards Guard Might Hit Rookie Wall Early

There are some people in the world who only know one way of life and only have one gear, which is to work until they can’t anymore. We see this happen a lot as some people grew up working hard and not having much fun in life. Fun isn’t necessarily a necessity. However, being balanced in life and having something to relax with at times is essential to avoiding burnout. After Johnson expressed how he essentially has zero off-court interests and that he is all-hoop, the newly acquired veteran CJ McCollum offered some advice to him.

McCollum is entering his 13th season in the NBA, so he understands how valuable and critical it is to have some downtime throughout the season. McCollum offered advice to the rookie by saying, “You've got to find something else (besides sleep). You don’t play video games? You need an escape! This is about to be an 82-game season, practice every day, you’re only off once every six days, we’re going to be in new cities every night, so you’re going to need something to do on that off day that’s not basketball.” No doubt, McCollum knows what he’s talking about as he has had success throughout his career. The veteran offered the advice of getting a massage or doing yoga during the off days.

Working hard every day at your craft is something that should be commended for Johnson. However, not only will that contribute to burnout, it also could contribute to injury and, most importantly, hitting the rookie wall early in the season. Playing 82 games in a single season is a journey and a marathon. So it is important to take care of yourself not only physically but mentally as well. This mentality Johnson has is the mentality of an all-star, maybe even a future NBA champion. However, if he doesn’t find a hobby or something to take care of him mentally, he will hit the rookie wall early and may have a long season ahead of him with the Wizards.