Doug: Give me team

Wolf and I had a great conversation today about team versus talent. Do you want the Cousins and Walls of the world that are probably one and done, just using college basketball as a minor league to the NBA? Maybe you want a hair less talented player but he’s a team guy and committed to the program? Butler and Duke completely fit the latter.

Obviously I’m not saying Butler and Duke aren’t talented. I’m also not saying I’d tell Cousins no if he wanted to come to the program I’m coaching. The difference is when the “Wall’s” of the world are the most useful. Building programs around a John Wall doesn’t work because you’re constantly re-teaching your offense to someone new. If you have more of an established team, adding a one-and-done is a great fit.

I bring this up because of what I saw from Matt Howard at the end of Butler’s loss to Duke. Imagine having everything you’ve ever wanted in life in front of and you’ve only got 4 seconds to get it. Now, don’t panic but don’t think about yourself either. Don’t try to get open because he’s not going to have time to get it to you. Don’t think about shooting your own three because that’s not your game. What is the best thing you can do at that moment to help your team? Howard read the play, and did what he always does, whatever is best for the team. He set the best screen in the history of college basketball to get Hayward an open shot.

Give me team.

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