On May 13, from a stable in the depths of Serbia, his MVP trophy on his knees, Nikola Jokic confided his admiration for Boris Diaw. A month later, on June 13, it’s Draymond Green’s turn to top one for the favorite bon vivant of your favorite bon vivant. Another tribute, which once again proves the greatness of the legacy left by the French in the NBA.
It is only at the top that we think of Babac. For all those who haven’t experienced Croque Carotte and the Ravensburger prime, this shout-out from Draymond to the French is just one piece of information among many others: “Boarf, old people talk a lot about Boris Diaw but his stats did not make you dream”. A simplistic reading that common sense does not allow. To understand the impact that Boris Diaw had in the Amerloques, it is necessary to iron the tapes. In 2006, in his third NBA season, he was elected MIP thanks to a role of perfect holder. We detect in him the character of a teammate who makes life in the locker room easier, and whose ego will never speak in place of basketball IQ. He is only 24 years old, still flirts – rather very largely – with Marcel l’arceau, and develops a science of the game which has become, a little less than 20 years later, a source of inspiration for any interior in the service of his collective. His stint in Charlotte and his five years in San Antonio will polish this reputation as a false lazy. His movements without the ball are precise and his negligence is only a disguise on the surface.
“There were definitely guys I took things from, and over my career I always keep watching and trying to take things from those guys. I studied Boris Diaw a lot at the start of my career.
The way he moved the ball, how he used the DHOs (Dribble Hand Offs). More than a specific action, the way he pushed the limits of the opponent. It was very special for me. – Draymond Green, at a press conference
Draymond Green on taking parts of his game from players like Boris Diaw, Kurt Thomas, Chuck Hayes, and Dennis Rodman.#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV Media Availability pic.twitter.com/lwNiDaGZeg
— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2022
Well, like Nikola Jokic, Draymond Green has also signed other silhouettes like Kurt Thomas, Chuck Hayes and Dennis Rodman. A player’s panel that smells of feathers, tar and 1664 diluted with water. You wouldn’t pay a thousand and cents to review the offensive actions of these boys, but their careers are painted works of selflessness. It is not enough to look like John Stockton, to be John Stockton. As Draymond Green has demonstrated for years, not all assists appear on the scoresheet. This is also why Boris Diaw is the most interesting study profile for new interiors. We were talking about players whose “we would not pay thousands and cents to review offensive actions”but the Frenchman gets out of this logic “efficient and inelegant”. He was a very good striker, much more versatile than Draymond Green in these 2022 Finals. His movements without the ball, his circle attack, his screen poses, his ball touch, his finishing and even his defensive intelligence – saving a limited lateral speed at the end of his career – feed the pages of the learning book that embodies Boris Diaw. A must-read for novices, like the very best.
Could we end this paper better than with Boris Diaw’s 8/9/9 on the 2014 Finals? The video sums it all up. He plays for himself, for others, and will win a match later – at 32 – the first title of his career. Live lifebut especially our artist.