Sixers players get late night practice in after big win

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- You would think after a 20 point win, their biggest of the season, the Sixers would be out celebrating.

However, after Wednesday night's game, at 10:30 p.m., a handful of players walked back into their practice facility.

In an empty gym, all by themselves without coaches, Michael Carter Williams, KJ McDaniels, Jerami Grant, and Jakarr Sampson, went right back to work while most people were in bed.

"When we walk through the door, a lot of people are giving us weird looks like, 'What are you doing here this late?'" said Carter-Williams.

"It's just a work ethic, it's just hunger and just trying to get better," said McDaniels.

That drive is the reason they are here - sometimes until after 1:00 a.m. - after home games at least a few times a week.

They work on shooting, dribbling, and reworking game situations.

"It's just a mindset you have to have if you want to be one of the best or if you want to be a great player," said Grant.

"Clearly we got a lot of work to do but this is where it starts. It starts here, putting the work, putting in the hours," said Carter-Willams.

When Sixers Coach Brett Brown was an assistant in San Antonio, he would watch players like Tim Duncan come into their practice facility late at night and work on their game - which resulted in four NBA titles.

Brown believes the hard work will eventually pay off here.

"It definitely starts here and I feel like it can be the key to something good - motivation for me," said McDaniels.

"It's helped me out a lot. I feel like these extra shots have helped me make one or two more in a game," said Carter-Williams.

Taking no short cuts to success, after another late night hitting extra shots, the Sixers finally hit the lights and called it a night.