Green proves he has tools to be a leader
Team believes summer league coach will helm NBA team in future
LAS VEGAS >> He stood on the sideline mostly staying calm through the Warriors’ successes and failures. He talked to players privately and offered encouraging words. And sometimes he became frustrated with the officials.
All of which captures Steve
Kerr’s coaching demeanor. It also describes Willie
Green, who has offered a similar temperament as the Warriors’ summer league head coach.
“It’s extremely fun,” Green said. “I have a lot more respect on what Stevie Kerr goes through because it’s a lot of preparation.”
The Warriors believe Green has prepared well after serving as a Warriors assistant and player development coach for the past two seasons. They like how he relates to players after a 12-year NBA
career as a dependable role player and shooter. They praise his X’s and O’s savvy and ability to explain that terminology easily. They admire his steady personality.
Just like with almost anything regarding summer league, the Warriors make little of their 3-0 mark in the inaugural California Classic in Sacramento and 1-2 record in Las Vegas Summer League entering Wednesday’s playoff game against the Charlotte Hornets. Instead, the Warriors have evaluated snapshots. And those images tell a picture about Green’s readiness patrolling the sideline in more consequential games.
“He’s a head coach in our league,” said Warriors assistant coach Bruce Fraser, who has also served as a summer league assistant. “He has a great pedigree. He has a really good feel. He has an emotional intelligence. He relates to players and he’s learning from one of the best in our business with Steve. He’s in a great position.”
The Warriors sensed Green would be in this position after hiring him in 2016 to replace Luke Walton, who became the Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach. In his regular-season role, Green, 36, worked individually with players in film sessions and workouts. He scrimmaged with players in games of three-on-three. And he helped with scouting reports. As far as his newly elevated role, Green wants to handle this position in the same deliberative way he played.
“I’ll live in the present,” Green said. “Obviously, I would love to have an opportunity one day to be a head coach. But I’m in no hurry and I’m in no rush. When that time comes, I’ll be ready.”
Green has spent this past week increasing that readiness in various ways.
When players make mistakes, Green tactfully explains how to correct them. During timeouts Green appears calm and engaged. Fraser praised Green’s new responsibilities, which includes drawing up plays, calling timeouts and managing playing time.
Though those approaches mirror Kerr’s style, Green has not completely copied him. Unlike with how Kerr has handled a veteran-laden team that has won three NBA titles in the past four years, Green has held extended shootarounds and practices for a young summer league team.
“It’s definitely more difficult,” Green said of his head-coaching gig. “I don’t really have too much media attention. The magnitude of the games are not the same, but you can feel the intensity and pressure that comes with having to manage all the responsibilities.”
The Warriors gave Green good reviews on how he has managed those responsibilities.
Rookie Jacob Evans praised Green for giving him “lots of teaching moments off to the side” on how to play aggressively. Second-year forward Jordan Bell complimented Green for offering perspective on how to handle frustrations with an injury when Bell sprained his left ankle during his rookie season.
Warriors summer league guard Kendrick Nunn credited Green for helping him transition into playing point guard and shooting guard by offering tips on how to run the offense. Summer league forward Marcus Derrickson says Green’s emphasis on defense has contributed to the team holding opponents to a combined 36.1 percent shooting entering Wednesday’s game. Warriors summer league forward Omari Johnson observed that Green has explained plays and schemes in a simple way.
“He knows when certain guys have made some bad plays and knows the way to pick them up,” Derrickson said. “He knows exactly how to pick up players, especially when they’re not performing to their expectations and everything. He keeps instilling confidence in you and keeps getting the best out of you.”
As a player, Green had extensive stints with the Philadelphia 76ers (2003-10), New Orleans Hornets (2010-11), Atlanta Hawks (201112), Los Angeles Clippers (201214) and Orlando Magic (2014-15). He played on seven playoff teams. And after the former Seattle SuperSonics drafted him 41st in the 2003 NBA draft, Green became accustomed to evolving roles and fluctuating playing time.
He credited his parents and uncle for shaping him as a person and basketball player. He then expressed gratitude for having strong mentors in Kevin Ollie, Aaron McKie, Eric Snow and Derrick Coleman when he played for the Sixers.
“The best thing I learned in
Philly was just working hard. Working hard, you may make some mistakes. But if you outwork everybody, that’s half the battle,” Green said. “I come in every day and I’m one of the first people there working. I’m also one of the last to leave. That’s half the battle.”
The other half: maximizing rest, having a strong diet and staying disciplined with film study. The other part of the battle: knowing when to share or refrain from sharing that insight.
Like Kerr, Green avoids talking extensively about his NBA career. Instead, he leans on his experience internally to reach his players.
“If every time you’re talking and you’re talking about ‘when I played,’ guys don’t want to hear that,” Green said. “They want to hear about if you can use your experience to help them, but not when I played. So what helps you is you also have to do your work and be prepared when you get in front of the guys.”
Kerr first sensed that Green would be prepared for a headcoaching gig during his time with the Clippers. Then, Kerr worked as a TNT NBA analyst and spoke with NBA analyst and former player Grant Hill, who complimented Green’s potential coaching chops. Kerr then observed how Green mentored teammates on the court and when he sat on the bench. Kerr then shared his thoughts with Green.
“He would always commend me for handling situations the way I was able to handle them,” Green said. “So you never know who’s looking at you.”
Green has become more aware the Warriors are looking at him during his current role. So far, they like what they see.
“He’s on the right path,” Fraser said. “He’s, for sure, a head coach in our league someday.”