Although he already raised a lot of eyebrows when he signed a lucrative one-year, $23 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, J.J. Redick even said he left money on the table when he declined to take the offer made to him by the Houston Rockets, which would’ve reportedly paid him more.

Many wondered why he chose to join the Sixers, as the Rockets are a perennial playoff team and with the addition of Chris Paul, has the potential to give him the best chance of winning. However, the former Duke shooting guard shared recently, via Business Insider‘s Scott Davis, that a 1 a.m. workout with Brett Brown and Joel Embiid changed his whole perspective, and made his decision easier to make, that Philadelphia will be the next team he’ll play for.

“There was a moment at about 1 A.M. on July 1st. We were actually at the practice facility and we were out on the court and we were just chatting, and all of the sudden [76ers head coach] Brett Brown told Joel Embiid to go down in the post.

“I was in, like, a blue blazer, and we started running post actions and then we started running pick-and-roll actions. And it was just fun to be around Coach Brown and see his passion for the game and kind of talk hoops with him. He, moreso than the 1-year deal at the insane salary that I got, I think Coach Brown was really the biggest factor in me going to Philly.”

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Redick was very impressed with the work ethic the two showed and the passion they have for the game. Now at 33-years-old and having played in the league for 11 seasons, he will be looked up to by his new teammates as a veteran locker room leader, who could give them tips on how to have a successful career in the NBA.

With the 76ers made up of young and talented players, Redick may be the key to bringing out the best in them, and help them make it back to the playoffs, after years of disappointing seasons. Should it make it that far, he can always look back to the time they practiced very late at night, which paved the way for him to land in Philadelphia, and changed the path of his career.