FNG wrote:Q12543 wrote:SameOldNudityDrew wrote:Anybody else catch Mike Breen's instant-classic call in the Clippers-Suns game yesterday?
It came as the Clippers looked as if they were about to claw their way back from a big hole, getting some tough stops and hitting big shots on the offensive end. Then the camera cuts to Kawhi. Youtube has it! Check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhsxqcAxcv8
Brilliant. Pure genius.
For those of us who have stressed the importance of team culture and leadership, I feel like this is example #1 for its importance. The report now is that he's not going to Phoenix for what could be their last game of the season (and isn't he technically a free agent?). I don't think that guy will win another championship until he's on another team like the Spurs or the Raptors, both of which had a strong culture and established stars with strong leadership. He's a great player, but how could you ever get behind a guy like that? Who would ever be inspired to play hard with him as their leader?
Mmmm, seems odd that one brief clip like this would completely taint your perspective on him. I highly doubt him up on his feet cheering from whatever distance away was going to inspire a bunch of grown men to victory. He's always been incredibly low key and let his play do the talking. I can't think of a team on the planet that wouldn't want this guy on their side. Unlike most superstars these days, he'll not only take the big shots, he'll then go guard the guy from the opposing team that takes the big shots.
I agree that it was a great line by Breen, but I don't think Kawhi's body language is necessarily an indication of poor leadership. To Q's point, he's almost chill to a fault and his teammates know that. I would expect this kind of reaction from Kawhi regardless of the game situation...he's just like that.
Now if the reports are true that he's not travelling to Phoenix, that alone will change my impression of Leonard forever...inexcusable. I hope he shows up in PHX.
Q, that one clip didn't shape my opinion of Kahwi. His behavior there is part of a pattern. Mostly I was highlighting the clip because I thought it was really funny, especially Breen's comment. It is legitimately hilarious how incredibly low key he is. The irony of the place going crazy and Kawhi barely registering a pulse, and the hilarious point from Breen that simply touching his chin is "going crazy" because we all know how stoic he is--I thought that was all comic gold, and that was my main point.
I
do also think there is a completely a legit critique there that when you have a guy who: 1) won't sit with his teammates, or 2) cheer for them, or 3) (reportedly) even go to what could be their final game, that a guy like that provides little leadership and arguably undermines team culture. That wasn't his first night doing that either--I don't think he's sat with the team since his injury. As for the knee excuse, you can sit courtside with a bad knee and a couple games ago, I think I saw him bouncing a kid on his knee (it may have been his right!) in a guest box during a game. If it's just a rotation bench guy, ok, maybe it's not such a big deal. But this is a guy who, along with their front office, basically chose to take over that team as their #1 guy. They didn't keep whatever pre-existing team culture they had (they ended up trading some of those guys from those scrappy earlier teams). There was no Pop, no Duncan, Parker, Ginobli, and there was no Lowry, you don't have the passion of Fred Van Vleet or the level of long-standing bond between Toronto fans and that team.
I love the way he plays on the court and have said so for years. I actually kind of like it that he is such an introvert. Lots of people are, and I do think as a society we undervalue quiet people. There can even be a real benefit to never getting too emotional because it can help you stay calm in a crisis. But it's one thing to be an introvert and another to leave your team hanging when you and others have basically made yourself the team leader. I didn't mind in principle that he wanted to leave the Spurs, BUT I really didn't like the way he basically quit on them. Then there were the reports about him leaving the team waiting for him on charter planes last year. And now he's not sitting with his team, not even looking remotely invested in the playoff game, and (reportedly) not even going to their next game. I don't buy the knee/air pressure excuse either--just wrap it for compression for the 50 minute flight. This team mortgaged their future for him, that pivotal 2-1 game was arguably the most important in franchise history, it was the moment they wanted when they traded for him. He could opt out this summer. It's all on the line right there because of decisions that he and the front office made. And he's acting like he's not even on the team.
It's legit not to play due to an injury, but I think it's just shitty not to sit with your teammates, or to be excited for your team, or (reportedly) to travel with them as they try to stay alive.
One of the reasons I was surprised by how much I liked the Wolves this year was because of how they seemed to legitimately be building some team culture. I still think KAT can step up more as a leader, but Ant's charisma is obvious, the bench involvement was great this year, the guys obviously played hard for each other on many nights, and guys like Beasley in particular seemed to be really good about hyping up their teammates on the court. None of that is a substitute for talent. But I do think it's important. And seeing that funny moment with Kawhi the other night was just a reminder to me about those issues like team culture and leadership.
