Michael Jordan’s longtime personal trainer Tim Grover recently likened former Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade’s work ethic to that of MJ and Kobe Bryant
If you didn’t think Dwyane Wade had the work ethic behind the championships and countless big moments with the Miami Heat, think again.
Michael Jordan’s longtime trainer Tom Grover has a theory that there are three kinds of work ethics that people generally fall into. Those that are closers, those that are coolers, and those that are cleaners.
Speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast, Grover detailed the three categories.
A cooler is someone that does the bare minimum, regardless of how much more they could do. Someone who doesn’t reach their maximum potential because there’s nothing within them that drives them further.
A closer is someone that gets a quality desired end result repeatedly so long as there aren’t too many variables/obstacles put in their way.
Finally, a cleaner is a very rare person, the person who gets it done no matter the cost, no matter the variables at play. Here’s how Grover views a “cleaner”:
"“Cleaners get that end result over and over again. So they figure stuff out no matter what’s thrown at ‘em and they get that end result numerous times, over and over and over again. A part of a cleaner’s mentality is to constantly never be satisfied when something is done they move onto what’s next,” Grover said."
Grover said that he’s worked with very few all-around closers in his career, mentioning (of course) Michael Jordan as the main one that sticks out, and naming Kobe Bryant shortly after.
Heat fans will be glad to see the respect Dwyane Wade got from Grover, though:
"“The two biggest [cleaners] I’ve had are Michael and Kobe. I would put Dwyane Wade in that category, too.”"
Grover noted that he believes there can be specialist cleaners as well, noting that Tony Allen — a title-winning NBA player — sticks out to him as a cleaner within the defensive category. He also said he believes there can be “practice cleaners,” guys who maybe don’t get the work done in games, but keep the practice level high and allow the team to reach the new level, pushing the envelope for training.
In those regards, Udonis Haslem might be a cleaner as well, given his rebounding and defensive proficiency, as well as his commitment to the hard work culture in Miami and his role in instilling that in the roster year after year.
Haslem also hasn’t played much at this point in his career, playing just 21 minutes so far this season, but has been a presence in terms of establishing the culture and being the veteran presence a young team like Miami sorely needs.
Closing out his 17th season, Haslem has had a storied and lengthy career because he’s a cleaner in a cultural sense for Miami, one of the foundational pieces that allows the franchise to maintain its rapport as one of the hardest working in the league.
Wade getting categorized with MJ and Kobe by a trainer who has an extremely high level of notoriety shouldn’t be a surprise. A two-time title winner, when you think of Wade it’s hard to not think of those “cleaner” moments, where Wade is getting the job done, jumping on the scorer’s table, and letting the crowd know what’s his.