“He’s Psycho”: Richard Jefferson Reveals Who Worked Harder Than LeBron James on 2016 Cavs Championship Team

The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers were a special team in the NBA. LeBron James had finally brought home a championship for his hometown, while helping a huge chunk of his teammates earn their first ring in their careers. While James is always credited with the Cavs' success that year, one of his former teammates, Richard Jefferson, believes there was someone else who worked harder than the King on the team.

During a recent episode of The Richard Jefferson Show, Jefferson commended Matthew Dellavedova for being the hardest worker on the 2016 Cavaliers roster. To Rich, Delly outclassed LeBron, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving in terms of work ethic.

"I said this, and I say this as a compliment to your work ethic. I would always say if you worked 1% less, you wouldn’t be in the NBA. 1%. But you worked harder than anybody on the team," Jefferson said.

"I would include Bron," Jefferson added. "I would include Kevin. Now he’s psycho. Some of the guys are psycho. But for how hard you worked with a level of consistency every single day, you were pound-for-pound the hardest worker on the team."

During the 2015-16 season, Delly averaged 7.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.1 rebounds. While his numbers don't necessarily reflect the type of player everyone sees him as, it's only because his efforts on the hardwood didn't technically translate into the stat sheets.

Delly was known for his hustle. He consistently fought for the ball at any given moment. Dellavedova often found himself diving on the floor while getting physical with other players. He also had the heart to consistently tail slippery guys like Stephen Curry to ensure he stopped them from scoring. If only hustle points were recorded, Delly would've been one of the top names on the list during the Cavs' championship run in 2016.

LeBron James' Former Cavs Teammate Recalls Struggles of Guarding Stephen Curry

While the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers are celebrated as one of the most memorable championship victories in NBA history, another thing to take note of was how they only managed to win one title out of their four encounters with the Golden State Warriors.

From 2015 to 2018, the Cavs and Warriors consistently dueled in the NBA Finals, making them one of the biggest rivals in history. One of the biggest obstacles on the Warriors team was none other than Stephen Curry.

LeBron James' former Cavs teammate, Matthew Dellavedova, recalled the time he was sent to the hospital after guarding Curry in the 2015 NBA Finals.

"I mean, obviously it’s like an impossible task chasing Steph around," Dellavedova shared with former Cavs forward Richard Jefferson. "He never gets tired. ... I just remember coming to timeouts, and Mike Miller and James Jones are just like grabbing me by the shoulder, saying, 'You got to get every loose ball.' My head's wobbling around."

"So I get in the locker room, they do the talk, but I start cramping," Dellavedova continued. "They like cut my tights. They’re trying to rub ice. My quads are cramping. My hamstrings are cramping. So you can’t stretch one or the other. I’m just in a world of hurt. ... I think Steve and the doctor were like, 'Yeah, your best shot at getting ready for the next game is going to the hospital and just getting an IV overnight.'"

Ultimately, Delly's hard work paid off; however, it took one year for him to reap his rewards.