It would be a mistake to assume NBA players give maximum effort every play. Players sneak in a break on defense or rest without the ball on offense.

Then there are players like Thomas Robinson.

The Kings' rookie forward thrives on activity to the point that he knows it's annoying for opponents.

"Well, they should be (bothered)," Robinson said. "I think that's my job, to annoy the other guy to the point where he just doesn't want to check me anymore."

With only one NBA preseason game under his belt, Sacramento's first-round pick still has a lot to learn.

But Robinson already knows constant activity is hard to match.

That's what the Kings expect from their first-round draft pick every time he plays.

"Half the guys (in the league) don't play hard all the time," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "This young man has a motor to play hard all the time.

"Look at the guys that play all out, all the time. They become a pain for a team, and that's what he has to be. He has to become a pain."

With that in mind, Smart has a goal for Robinson.

"He's got to get to a point when he's getting ready to play that on the scouting report (of) the opposing team, it says 'This guy is going to play hard every night,' " Smart said.

Robinson is comfortable with that role. He knows his style irritates opponents. But he doesn't intend to change.

"I just keep going at them," Robinson said.

Robinson's energy and athleticism caught the Kings' attention when they scouted him before the draft. Sacramento sought those traits as it looked to improve its defense and add relentlessness.

"He has the right DNA because he had it from college," Smart said. "He played hard, and whatever happened when he played hard, happened."

Robinson said his style of play comes from his desire to never ease up on the court.

"I think the motor's always been there," Robinson said. "So that's definitely something that's helped me get to this point."

Robinson's teammates have seen that in practice. Ask a teammate about Robinson, and he'll always mention Robinson's effort.

Robinson had 12 points, eight rebounds and a blocked shot Wednesday off the bench in the Kings' preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns.

After seeing Robinson's style carry over into a game, his teammates remained impressed.

"His energy is crazy," center DeMarcus Cousins said. "He's all over the place. Once he slows down on offense, he's going to be a hell of a player."

Robinson didn't enter last week's game with statistical goals. He only knew he would play hard.

"I didn't want to think if I played good or bad," Robinson said. "I just wanted to do what my job was, and that was to play defense and rebound. Everything else just pretty much came."

That included long-range shooting. After struggling to find his offense during summer league games, Robinson looked comfortable against the Suns.

He said he "expected" to hit open shots because of extra work.

Robinson is often the last player to leave practice because he's working with coaches on his game.

That's no surprise for a player who prides himself on hard work.

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