SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz Mailbag! This week, we look at Will Hardy’s suddenly viral “play harder” video.

Each week, we will send out a prompt on X and BlueSky asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.

Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s Jazz mailbag in the Jazz Notes podcast.

Question: What do you think of Will Hardy’s video someone took from behind the bench about “playing harder” against OKC last night?

Answer: For those who missed the video, a Jazz fan sitting near the team’s bench recorded an interaction between Will Hardy and his players. In it, Hardy unleashed a profanity-laced plea, telling his team he was tired of asking them to get into a defensive stance and play harder every game.

Before addressing Hardy’s actual request, it’s important to provide context for the video.

That kind of language is common on NBA benches between players and coaches. Most fans don’t sit close enough to hear it, but those who have know it’s not unusual. Heck, Jerry Sloan used phrases that would make Clark Griswold blush after learning he’d been signed up for the jelly of the month club.

So, while some fans might find the language dog-gone distasteful, players are well-versed in those verbal arts. That doesn’t mean every conversation sounds like that, or that more civil interactions don’t happen on the bench and behind the scenes. But it’s not a sign that Hardy has flipped his lid.

Here is the play that had Will Hardy going off — casual transition defense after a live ball turnover not even 2.5 minutes into a game will do that https://t.co/4dmuF1BGpI pic.twitter.com/wIBUAa4S4S

— Law Murray 🎄 (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 8, 2025

Now, let’s look at the purpose of Hardy’s message, who it targeted, and whether it can work.

For sharp-eyed fans, the video was filmed during the Jazz’s first timeout, just three minutes into the game, with the team trailing 10-1.

Hardy was yelling at the starting lineup—Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Svi Mykhailiuk, Kyle Filipowski (filling in for the sick Lauri Markkanen), and Jusuf Nurkic—for their poor execution to start the game.

What makes the video confusing is Hardy’s lingo.

He mentions not getting into a defensive stance, which could apply to every Jazz player in those opening minutes. He says the team “didn’t rip Jalen Williams,” which could mean a “rip-through” move or a “rip” screen—or something else entirely—and could refer to either Jaylin or Jalen Williams. Finally, he says he’s sick of asking his players to play harder every game, which again could apply to anyone.

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No player was pulled after the timeout, so there’s no evidence that Hardy’s frustration targeted only one player.

I understand Hardy’s frustration, especially after a second straight slow start. But I suspect the Jazz’s problem is bigger than effort, and Hardy alone may not be able to fix it.

Yes, players can always play harder, and better technique and execution help. But at what point does it boil down to the Jazz simply lacking good defensive players?

In Sunday’s starting lineup, the Jazz might have one solid defender—Mykhailiuk—who often is tasked with guarding bigger players.

George has improved defensively, but isn’t close to an All-Defensive level. Bailey shows effort but often ends up out of position. Filipowski and Nurkic simply aren’t starting-caliber defenders.

Dishin’ & drivin’ 🚙 pic.twitter.com/I9sI8K3xHy

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 8, 2025

The bench hasn’t solved the problem either. Youngsters Brice Sensabaugh and Isaiah Collier have regularly drawn the coaching staff’s ire during timeouts, and both were benched in Sunday’s loss.

Among the Jazz’s top eight rotation players Sunday, six are average or worse defenders—not counting Markkanen, who has his own defensive shortcomings.

Here’s the thing: this isn’t an accident.

During the rebuild, the Jazz prioritized offensive upside over two-way players.

Of Taylor Hendricks, George, Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, Collier, and Filipowski, only Hendricks and Williams entered the league with a defensive identity. George has added a two-way element, while the rest of the young roster (excluding Bailey and Walt Clayton Jr.) is still searching for theirs.

That doesn’t mean the front office’s strategy is wrong. Sensabaugh, Collier, and Filipowski were all drafted 27th or later—not exactly prime territory for two-way talent.

Still, the team wasn’t built from the ground up with defense-first players.

The good news: that strategy isn’t hard to change. If the Jazz keep this year’s pick, they can target another two-way player, something they’ve prioritized in the lottery.

And capable defenders are traditionally available in free agency and easier to sign than young offensive stars—which the Jazz now have in George and likely Bailey.

Ultimately, Hardy’s request—profane or not—is understandable. But without more capable defenders, it may not lead to better results… gosh darnit.

Ben Anderson is the author of the Jazz Mailbag, a Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports, the author of the Jazz Mailbag, and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.