Draymond Green says the Warriors initially didn't like Steve Kerr's system: "Everybody's like, 'This is trash'"
Most teams undergo adjustments when a new coach arrives. A new system is likely to be implemented, and players just have to learn how to play in it. For the Golden State Warriors, this happened when Steve Kerr replaced Mark Jackson as the team's head coach. Kerr made the necessary adjustments and did wonders for the Dubs.
As a result, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson have become big stars, even though they admitted that the Warriors were initially pessimistic about Steve's methods.
"We're just out there like, 'Oh man…,' like I remember the grunts and like everybody's like, 'Yo, this is trash. He just keep telling us to pass the ball," the four-time All-Star said on "The Draymond Green Show" podcast.
Pass-heavy system
Thompson, on the other hand, was aware that playing for one of the best shooters the league has eve seen could maximize his and Steph's skills. Steve's way to do that was with a pass-heavy offensive system predicated on moving without the ball.
Klay shared that Golden State ranked last in passes made per game before Kerr came in. But that all changed in 2015.
"One of his biggest emphasis was last year we were last team and passes made per game. And then that year in 2015, we were the team with most passes made per game," the 34-year-old said.
Green and Thompson became key guys on one of the best offensive teams the NBA has ever seen. That, along with the team's defensive versatility and Curry's greatness, helped Golden State win four NBA titles, including back-to-back crowns in 2017 and 2018.
Small ball rocked the basketball world
The Warriors' success gave birth to small-ball basketball, with many teams trying to copy their formula. But as Green pointed out, their impact went beyond the NBA.
"It changed the game the way was played around the world," the All-Star forward stated.
To this day, the Dubs remain a formidable team. With Curry, Green, and Thompson in the later stages of their careers, Kerr continues to preach his system to younger players, hoping some of them will step up and take the place of the Warriors' Big Three. But until that happens, he will rely on Dray and the Splash Brothers to potentially lead the team on another deep playoff run.
