Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green didn’t hold back when asked by a reporter Saturday whether he thinks the NBA game is boring.
“Absolutely,” was Green’s direct reply, per reporters.
The NBA still has plenty of interest, as evidenced by a new series of broadcast and streaming deals that will generate about three times more money than the previous deal. Attendance continues to increase to record-setting levels, and players demand and receive higher-than-ever salaries.
But questions persist about whether the on-court product has actually improved, with a steady shift towards higher scoring and a faster-paced game. And Green, speaking on All-Star Saturday in San Francisco, believes it has not.
The four-time NBA champion referenced an interview with the late Kobe Bryant in which he called the game “accidental basketball,” saying, “It’s all penetrate and pitch. You may make the shot, you may not.”
Bryant’s words resonate with Green, who said, “He couldn’t have been more right. … You want to be one of the teams that aren’t playing an accidental game. That’s the challenge.”
Green said it’s “refreshing” to go up against players like LeBron James who he considers “thinkers” who can find and exploit weaknesses on the opposing team rather than simply try to out-run them or shoot more 3s.
“Every possession is some type of chess move,” Green said of games like the recent matchup where Green’s Warriors lost to James’ Los Angeles Lakers 120-112. “You don’t get that today in the NBA, often. … You don’t just get that on a regular basis. It’s just who can run faster, who can hit more 3s, it’s no substance. I think it’s very boring.”
Green’s comments come at a time when former NBA players aren’t shy about saying the game was better during their careers, whether that is the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s or 2000s.
The All-Star Game is Sunday in San Francisco.
–Field Level Media
