Draymond Green's Absence on Team USA
Draymond Green's Absence on Team USA
Draymond Green has been riding the bench for Team USA. But why?
Draymond Green has been riding the bench for Team USA. But why?
Back in his playing days, Charles Barkley was known for his physical play and loud mouth. Today, the Chuckster is still known for his loud mouth.
He’s been voicing his opinions for almost two decades as a studio analyst for TNT and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon. When Kevin Durant decided to sign with the Warriors this offseason, Barkley was not shy about his feelings, saying that Durant has cheated his way to a title chance. Barkley’s most recent quote, dated August 17th, concerns USA Basketball and their lackluster performance so far in this year’s Olympics.
“Well, I hope they win gold. I want always us to win the gold medal. It’s not a good team to put together. I don’t think they did a good job because if you watch all those guys — they’re all good players, don’t get me wrong — they all need the ball.
If you take away DeAndre Jordan, every guy on that team is a ball-dominant guy. You see them playing a lot of one-on-one basketball. That’s the thing I’ve noticed more than anything. Like, you have to understand when you put a team together like that, you have to have some role players. … But you take a guy like Kyle Lowry, who is a hell of a player, he wants to score. Kyrie wants to score. Kevin wants to score. DeRozan wants to score. So, I think they have been really stagnant offensively.
When they put that team together in the future, they have to realize we can’t have just really, really great offensive players. They gotta to have players that if they don’t get a shot, they’re not just gonna stand around and mope.”
Now I will agree that our roster is made up of too many offensive players. Carmelo Anthony is the ultimate 1-1 guy and you can make the same case for many more USA players. But I disagree with Chuck when he said that besides DeAndre Jordan, “every guy on that team is a ball-dominant guy.” It sucks that he hasn’t gotten many minutes in these Olympics but Draymond Green is one of the most unselfish players in the NBA. Barkley must have forgotten about him since Green has played the 3rd least minutes so far for Team USA.
As a member of the Golden State Warriors last season, Green averaged 14-9-7 and was a key component to the Warriors’ stellar defense. He did have the ball in his hands a lot but it was for good reason. Green is a very smart basketball player, can set killer screens, and he’s certainly a willing passer. His type of play is perfect for international basketball because of the small ball system that many national teams use, but he’s only averaging 11.5 minutes per game so far in the Olympics. Why?
Jonathan Tjarks made a great point on The Ringer’s NBA Show podcast a few days ago answering this very question. Since Green is so undersized as a PF/C in the NBA, he’s always had to play with a higher level of physicality, so much so that it has gotten him into trouble a few times (remember when he kicked Steven Adams in the nuts? Steven Adams does). With Olympic basketball using FIBA rules, the referees have called games very closely and aren’t keen to allowing the physical play that NBA players are used to on a nightly basis.
Besides Green, Demarcus Cousins is another great example of NBA players needing to adjust to the softer FIBA rules. Cousins is averaging almost 4 fouls a game so far, which is one less than the number allowed in a game under FIBA rules. Green hasn’t committed too many fouls but his overall physical play has kept him from playing many minutes. Green’s poor shooting (22% FG) and the recent domination by DeAndre Jordan is another reason why Green’s been keeping Harrison Barnes company on Coach K’s bench.
Basketball in Europe is very different than basketball in the United States. It’s more fundamentals and less lobs, it’s more basketball and less entertainment. Kobe Bryant told ESPN that “[AAU Basketball] doesn't teach our kids how to play the game at all so you wind up having players that are big and they bring it up and they do all this fancy crap and they don't know how to post. They don't know the fundamentals of the game. It's stupid.” Basketball in the US is rough and tough and seems to be more focused on the player’s development. On the other hand, basketball in Europe is more fluid and light and more focused on team development. It’s too bad that the Olympic rules don’t play into the hands of the United States’ physical big men in Green and Cousins.
Even with FIBA’s softer rules limiting Green’s usual stellar performance, he should be playing loads more minutes. I don’t care if he fouls out in 5 minutes, his type of play won the Warriors an NBA Championship and I want to see him open up and be himself on the court. Barkley said everyone on the team is a ball dominant player but there are ball dominant players that aren’t necessarily looking to score. Lebron James is a ball dominant player but he’s also one of the great passers in NBA history. Green was second in the NBA in triple-doubles last season and Team USA needs someone with a skill set like his on the court. I am willing to sacrifice fouls for blow-out wins. The United States is the greatest basketball country on the planet and we need someone like Green to show the world why. We don’t just play isolation basketball, we have smart players who like to pass…it’s too bad that one of the best is riding the bench.
Back in his playing days, Charles Barkley was known for his physical play and loud mouth. Today, the Chuckster is still known for his loud mouth.
He’s been voicing his opinions for almost two decades as a studio analyst for TNT and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon. When Kevin Durant decided to sign with the Warriors this offseason, Barkley was not shy about his feelings, saying that Durant has cheated his way to a title chance. Barkley’s most recent quote, dated August 17th, concerns USA Basketball and their lackluster performance so far in this year’s Olympics.
“Well, I hope they win gold. I want always us to win the gold medal. It’s not a good team to put together. I don’t think they did a good job because if you watch all those guys — they’re all good players, don’t get me wrong — they all need the ball.
If you take away DeAndre Jordan, every guy on that team is a ball-dominant guy. You see them playing a lot of one-on-one basketball. That’s the thing I’ve noticed more than anything. Like, you have to understand when you put a team together like that, you have to have some role players. … But you take a guy like Kyle Lowry, who is a hell of a player, he wants to score. Kyrie wants to score. Kevin wants to score. DeRozan wants to score. So, I think they have been really stagnant offensively.
When they put that team together in the future, they have to realize we can’t have just really, really great offensive players. They gotta to have players that if they don’t get a shot, they’re not just gonna stand around and mope.”
Now I will agree that our roster is made up of too many offensive players. Carmelo Anthony is the ultimate 1-1 guy and you can make the same case for many more USA players. But I disagree with Chuck when he said that besides DeAndre Jordan, “every guy on that team is a ball-dominant guy.” It sucks that he hasn’t gotten many minutes in these Olympics but Draymond Green is one of the most unselfish players in the NBA. Barkley must have forgotten about him since Green has played the 3rd least minutes so far for Team USA.
As a member of the Golden State Warriors last season, Green averaged 14-9-7 and was a key component to the Warriors’ stellar defense. He did have the ball in his hands a lot but it was for good reason. Green is a very smart basketball player, can set killer screens, and he’s certainly a willing passer. His type of play is perfect for international basketball because of the small ball system that many national teams use, but he’s only averaging 11.5 minutes per game so far in the Olympics. Why?
Jonathan Tjarks made a great point on The Ringer’s NBA Show podcast a few days ago answering this very question. Since Green is so undersized as a PF/C in the NBA, he’s always had to play with a higher level of physicality, so much so that it has gotten him into trouble a few times (remember when he kicked Steven Adams in the nuts? Steven Adams does). With Olympic basketball using FIBA rules, the referees have called games very closely and aren’t keen to allowing the physical play that NBA players are used to on a nightly basis.
Besides Green, Demarcus Cousins is another great example of NBA players needing to adjust to the softer FIBA rules. Cousins is averaging almost 4 fouls a game so far, which is one less than the number allowed in a game under FIBA rules. Green hasn’t committed too many fouls but his overall physical play has kept him from playing many minutes. Green’s poor shooting (22% FG) and the recent domination by DeAndre Jordan is another reason why Green’s been keeping Harrison Barnes company on Coach K’s bench.
Basketball in Europe is very different than basketball in the United States. It’s more fundamentals and less lobs, it’s more basketball and less entertainment. Kobe Bryant told ESPN that “[AAU Basketball] doesn't teach our kids how to play the game at all so you wind up having players that are big and they bring it up and they do all this fancy crap and they don't know how to post. They don't know the fundamentals of the game. It's stupid.” Basketball in the US is rough and tough and seems to be more focused on the player’s development. On the other hand, basketball in Europe is more fluid and light and more focused on team development. It’s too bad that the Olympic rules don’t play into the hands of the United States’ physical big men in Green and Cousins.
Even with FIBA’s softer rules limiting Green’s usual stellar performance, he should be playing loads more minutes. I don’t care if he fouls out in 5 minutes, his type of play won the Warriors an NBA Championship and I want to see him open up and be himself on the court. Barkley said everyone on the team is a ball dominant player but there are ball dominant players that aren’t necessarily looking to score. Lebron James is a ball dominant player but he’s also one of the great passers in NBA history. Green was second in the NBA in triple-doubles last season and Team USA needs someone with a skill set like his on the court. I am willing to sacrifice fouls for blow-out wins. The United States is the greatest basketball country on the planet and we need someone like Green to show the world why. We don’t just play isolation basketball, we have smart players who like to pass…it’s too bad that one of the best is riding the bench.